The Mack (1973)

Goldie returns from five years at the state pen and winds up king of the pimping game. Trouble comes in the form of two corrupt white cops and a crime lord who wants him to return to the ... See full summary »

Director:

Michael Campus

Writer:

Robert J. Poole

Stars:

Max Julien, Don Gordon, Richard Pryor

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Max Julien	...	Goldie
Don Gordon	...	Hank
Richard Pryor	...	Slim
Carol Speed	...	Lulu
Roger E. Mosley	...	Olinga
Dick Anthony Williams	...	Pretty Tony (as Dick Williams)
William Watson	...	Jed (as William C. Watson)
George Murdock	...	Fatman
Juanita Moore	...	Mother
Paul Harris	...	Blind Man
Kai Hernandez	...	Chico
Annazette Chase	...	China Doll
Junero Jennings	...	Baltimore Bob
Lee Duncan	...	Sgt. Duncan
Stu Gilliam	...	Announcer

Storyline

Goldie returns from five years at the state pen and winds up king of the pimping game. Trouble comes in the form of two corrupt white cops and a crime lord who wants him to return to the small time.

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Plot Keywords:

pimp | death | police | oakland california | black militant | 

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Taglines:

There's a new kind of hero on the streets!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 April 1973 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Mack and His Pack

Filming Locations:

Oakland, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Harbor Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Glen Glenn Sound)

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Max Julien on the DVD commentary, producer Harvey Bernhard was against casting Richard Pryor in the film because of Pryor's notorious behavior. Pryor had become notorious in Hollywood for urinating on Shelley Winters while filming Wild in the Streets. The box-office success of The Mack helped Pryor to get work in film again.

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Quotes

Pimp: "Hey, I don't hafta take this! I'm a rich nigga! I thought you paid these pooh- butts off! You beat walkin' motherfuckers!"

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Connections

Referenced in The Boondocks: The Block Is Hot (2006)

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Soundtracks

"Brother's Goin' to Work It Out"
Words and Music by Willie Hutch

User Reviews

Max Julien and Richard Pryor make compelling performances in this somewhat questionable glamorization of pimps in The Mack

Just watched this movie on YouTube. It stars Max Julien as Goldie who after a jail term for 5 years for something I didn't hear explained at the beginning (maybe I missed what was said) becomes a pimp to the eventual consternation of his brother, Olinga (Roger E. Mosley), who's trying to get many of his race to become self-sufficient with no help from the white man. Goldie sure has many obstacles in his way like rival pimps and corrupt white cops as well as his former white employer known only as Fat Man. Richard Pryor plays his loyal associate Slim. Goldie also has a mother (Juanita Moore) he wants to move to a better apartment. I'll stop there and just say that while the movie is never boring and the performances are good, the characters are mostly not ones one wants to associate with except for the clothes they wear and the women one wants to...well, you know. I can certainly admire the way comedian Pryor doesn't try to make his character a caricature. Despite some flaws, The Mack is mostly well made. But I'd only recommend it if you don't think what is being depicted on screen is something to be envious of. At least it wasn't predictable the way it all ended...