The Lucky13 Vault
Do the Right Thing
Directed by Spike Lee (1989)
Original Release Date
June 30, 1989
Rotten Tomatoes
93%
Letterboxd Score
4.4/5
Official Synopsis
On the hottest day of the summer in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn, everyone's hate and bigotry smolders and builds until it explodes into violence. The story centers on Sal's Famous Pizzeria, an Italian-American business in a predominantly Black neighborhood, and Mookie (Spike Lee), a delivery man trying to navigate the rising racial tensions between the locals and the pizzeria owner. It is a vibrant, searing, and stylistically bold exploration of race relations in America.
The Neighborhood
- Spike Lee: Mookie
- Danny Aiello: Sal
- Ossie Davis: Da Mayor
- Ruby Dee: Mother Sister
- Giancarlo Esposito: Buggin' Out
- Bill Nunn: Radio Raheem
- John Turturro: Pino
- Samuel L. Jackson: Mister Senor Love Daddy
The Architects
- Director: Spike Lee
- Writer: Spike Lee
- Cinematography: Ernest Dickerson
- Music: Bill Lee
- Editing: Barry Alexander Brown
The Official Trailer
The Accolades
- 🏆 Academy Award Nominee: Best Supporting Actor (Danny Aiello) and Best Original Screenplay.
- 📽️ National Film Registry: Selected for preservation in 1999 for its profound cultural impact.
- 📜 AFI Legacy: Ranked #96 on AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies (10th Anniversary).
Vault Intelligence
- Spike Lee originally wanted Robert De Niro to play Sal, but De Niro turned it down, feeling the role was too similar to characters he had already played.
- To simulate the oppressive heat, the production team used vibrant, warm colors (reds and yellows) and occasionally sprayed the actors with water and oil to make them appear sweaty.
- The film features the cinematic debut of Martin Lawrence and Rosie Perez.
Film Specifications
| Financial Backing | $6.5 Million Budget |
| Theatrical Earnings | $37.3 Million (Global Gross) |
| Primary Location | Brooklyn, New York (Stuyvesant Avenue) |
| Cinematic Format | 35mm / 1.85:1 Spherical |
Retrospective Pending
"Ray’s full 2026 Northstar analysis for this masterpiece of social urgency is currently being restored from the vault."
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
A Masterpiece of Bold Truth
