IMDb > Shaft (1971)
Shaft
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Shaft (1971) -- Cool black private eye John Shaft is hired by a crime lord to find and retrieve his kidnapped daughter.

Overview

User Rating:
6.5/10   6,185 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Up 2% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Director:
Gordon Parks
Writers:
Ernest Tidyman (novel)
Ernest Tidyman (writer) ...
more
Contact:
View company contact information for Shaft on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
2 July 1971 (USA) more
Genre:
Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller more
Tagline:
The mob wanted Harlem back. They got shaft...up to here. more
Plot:
Cool black private eye John Shaft is hired by a crime lord to find and retrieve his kidnapped daughter. full summary | add synopsis
Plot Keywords:
more
Awards:
Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 4 nominations more
User Comments:
Shaft was/is/will be the man more (63 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Richard Roundtree ... John Shaft
Moses Gunn ... Bumpy Jonas
Charles Cioffi ... Vic Androzzi
Christopher St. John ... Ben Buford
Gwenn Mitchell ... Ellie Moore
Lawrence Pressman ... Sergeant Tom Hannon
Victor Arnold ... Charlie
Sherri Brewer ... Marcy
Rex Robbins ... Rollie
Camille Yarbrough ... Dina Greene
Margaret Warncke ... Linda
Joseph Leon ... Byron Leibowitz
Arnold Johnson ... Cul
Dominic Barto ... Patsy
George Strus ... Carmen
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Additional Details

Runtime:
100 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
UK:X (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Argentina:16 | South Korea:15 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) | Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:16 (video rating) | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
During the scene where Bumpy Jonas visits Shaft at his office, a door adjacent to the office says "Skloot Insurance" - named for Steven P. Skloot, a production manager on the film. more
Goofs:
Continuity: In the beginning when Shaft is walking across a street, an overhead shot shows him walking past a taxi and nearly getting hit by a brown car. However, a street-level shot shows Shaft standing in front of and giving the finger to the taxi. more
Quotes:
[first lines]
John Shaft: [holding up his middle finger to a cab driver who is honking his horn at him] Up yours! Get out the way!
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Blood Pact: The Making of 'Blade II' (2002) (V) more
Soundtrack:
Ellie's Love Theme more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
4 out of 5 people found the following comment useful.
Shaft was/is/will be the man, 5 March 2007
10/10
Author: gary freeman (gent10k@yahoo.com) from United States

I am an old-school man from Motown, and I was at the premiere showing in June of 1971 at the Palms Theatre. The impact and impression that is left in your mind dictates how one feels about anything. Shaft, starring Richard Roundtree, made it's mark on me then, and does now. From the opening scenes in the streets, to the end theme, when John Shaft came through the window...at the time, no Black man exercised such a strength of will and character as he did. the music score of Issac Hayes did/does/will be as timeless as the movie. The storyline was compelling, characters well-developed and colorful, the direction of Gordon Parks set a new standard, and even the fashion and wardrobe made a statement. Can you dig it?

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Message Boards

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Laser aim...? cruzlee
I wonder what the budget was? sherlock-37
Song playing as Shaft climbs the stairs to Ben's apt.? franczke
ratio mattslittlebrother
Font used on the poster gimmejunkmail
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