She's Gotta Have It is a 1986 American black-and-white comedy drama film written, produced, edited and directed by Spike Lee. Filmed on a small budget and Lee's first feature-length film to … See more

Nola Darling is a young, attractive graphic artist living in Brooklyn who juggles three suitors: the polite and well-meaning Jamie Overstreet; the self-obsessed model Greer Childs; and the immature, … See more

Nola idealizes the freedom to have multiple sexual partners that men have typically enjoyed. "A woman (or, at least Nola) can be a sexual being, doesn’t have to belong to a man, and perhaps shouldn't even wish for such a thing." The narrative provided by Nola's … See more

• Tracy Camilla Johns as Nola Darling
• Tommy Redmond Hicks as Jamie Overstreet
• John Canada Terrell as Greer Childs
• Spike Lee as See more

She's Gotta Have It was Lee's first feature-length motion picture as a writer/director and is a landmark independent film of American cinema. He was initially inspired by viewing Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon in film school.
The See more

In the summer of 1984, filmmaker Spike Lee originally intended to shoot a film titled Messenger, centered around a bicycle messenger. However, due to difficulties in securing funding, this project fell through. The setback led Lee to craft a script feasible within his … See more

The film catalyzed the Fort Greene, Brooklyn neighborhood where it was shot. Lee portrayed the neighborhood as a vibrant cosmopolitan community where successful African Americans thrived, focusing not only on Nola and her struggles, but also … See more