as a result of this film's commercial success, kramer helped spur on hollywood to reform its film marketing practices when it was observed that the film was doing excellent business everywhere in the us, including the southern states where it was assumed that films with african american lead actors would never be accepted. as a result, the prominent presence of black actors in films would never again be considered a factor in hollywood film marketing and distribution. however, kramer, bothered by the film's negative reviews and wanting respect as an important film artist like françois truffaut and jean-luc godard, undertook a nine-college speaking tour to screen the film and discuss racial integration. the effort proved a dispiriting embarrassment for him with college students largely dismissing his film and preferring to discuss less conventional fare like "bonnie and clyde" directed by arthur penn.