Carbon Copy is a 1981 comedy film, directed by Michael Schultz and starring George Segal and Denzel Washington in his first major film role.

Plot

Roger Porter (Washington) is the long-lost black son of Walter Whitney (Segal), a respectable businessman who lives in the all-white community of San Marino, California.

Once Roger turns up at Walter's office, it turns out that he is the result of Walter's relationship with a black woman, who is now dead. Walter's father-in-law had warned him that the relationship would be harmful to his career, so he broke it off.

Walter attempts to help Roger by telling his wife Vivian (Saint James) that he wants to adopt him. She accepts, but soon regrets the decision and ends up kicking Walter out. Her father also fires him, taking his car and benefits in the process. Penniless, he and Roger check into a motel, and later move into an apartment. Walter ends up as a manual labourer, shovelling horse manure.

The final ten minutes makes the transition from comedy to drama, where Walter has to either accept that Roger is his son, or alienate him in order to salvage his position in society.

Main cast

• George Segal — Walter Whitney
• Susan Saint James — Vivian Whitney
• Jack Warden — Nelson Longhurst
• Dick Martin — Victor Bard
• Denzel Washington — Roger Porter
• Paul Winfield — Bob Garvey
• Macon McCalman — Tubby Wederholt

See also

• 1981 in film

External links