White Man's Burden
“Reality Just Switched Sides”
Synopsis
The story takes place in alternative America where the blacks are members of social elite, and whites are inhabitants of inner city ghettos. Louis Pinnock is a white worker in a chocolate factory, loving husband and father of two children. While delivering a package for black CEO Thaddeus Thomas, he is mistaken for a voyeur and, as a result, loses his job, gets beaten by black cops and his family gets evicted from their home. Desperate Pinnock takes a gun and kidnaps Thomas, demanding justice.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Remastered Trailer
Type: Trailer • Published 2024-06-25
Top Cast
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John Travolta
Louis Pinnock
Harry Belafonte
Thaddeus Thomas
Kelly Lynch
Marsha Pinnock
Margaret Avery
Megan Thomas
Tom Bower
Stanley
Andrew Lawrence
Donnie Pinnock
Bumper Robinson
Martin
Tom Wright
Lionel
Sheryl Lee Ralph
Roberta
Judith Drake
Dorothy
Carrie Snodgress
Josine
Steve Wilcox
1st Youth at Hot Dog Stand
Jason Kristofer
2nd Youth at Hot Dog Stand
Seth Green
3rd Youth at Hot Dog Stand
Alexis Arquette
Panhandler
Lawrence Bender
Bar Patron #1
Kerry Remsen
Pregnant Woman at Bus Stop
Steve Larson
Bottle Thrower
Release History & Theatrical Window
December 1, 1995
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$7M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$9M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
1.29x
+$2M net gain
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Desmond Nakano
- Screenplay & Story
- Desmond Nakano
- Original Score
- Howard Shore
- Original Title
- White Man's Burden
- Country of Origin
- France, United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 29m
- Production Budget
- $7M
- Worldwide Gross
- $9M
- Production Studios
- UGC, A Band Apart, Lawrence Bender Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Desmond Nakano
Desmond Nakano
Howard Shore
Willy Kurant
Nancy Richardson
Lawrence Bender, Yves Marmion
Department Leadership Roster
Desmond Nakano
Director
Desmond Nakano
Writer
Nancy Richardson
Editor
Willy Kurant
Director of Photography
Howard Shore
Original Music Composer
Isis Mussenden
Costume Design
Naomi Shohan
Production Design
Lawrence Bender
Producer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for White Man's Burden.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring White Man's Burden.
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John Travolta Portfolio - Movies
Curated master portfolio of movies starring John Travolta Portfolio - Movies. Updated frequently. Last updated August 30, 2026.
1990
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Frequently Asked Questions About White Man's Burden
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is White Man's Burden about?
The story takes place in alternative America where the blacks are members of social elite, and whites are inhabitants of inner city ghettos. Louis Pinnock is a white worker in a chocolate factory, loving husband and father of two children. While delivering a package for black CEO Thaddeus Thomas, he is mistaken for a voyeur and, as a result, loses his job, gets beaten by black cops and his family gets evicted from their home. Desperate Pinnock takes a gun and kidnaps Thomas, demanding justice.
Who directed White Man's Burden?
White Man's Burden was directed by Desmond Nakano.
Who stars in White Man's Burden?
The principal cast of White Man's Burden includes John Travolta, Harry Belafonte, Kelly Lynch, Margaret Avery, Tom Bower.
When was White Man's Burden released and how long is it?
White Man's Burden was released in 1995 with a total runtime of 1h 29m.
What was the box office and production budget of White Man's Burden?
White Man's Burden had a reported production budget of $7M and grossed $9M at the worldwide box office (1.29 return on budget, classified as a budget recovered).
Who composed the musical score for White Man's Burden?
The original motion picture soundtrack for White Man's Burden was composed by Howard Shore.
What is the age rating and content advisory for White Man's Burden?
White Man's Burden holds official age classifications: FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).