Black Belt Jones (1974)

A Mafia buy out of Papa Byrd's karate school downtown ends in his death. Byrd's daughter, Sydney, refuses to sell, and wants revenge. Byrd's students call the Black Belt Jones for help. Jones reluctantly teams with Sydney in many battles.

Director:

Robert Clouse

Writers:

Oscar Williams (screenplay), Fred Weintraub (story),

Stars:

Jim Kelly, Gloria Hendry, Scatman Crothers

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jim Kelly	...	Black Belt Jones
Gloria Hendry	...	Sydney
Scatman Crothers	...	Pop Byrd
Eric Laneuville	...	Quincy
Alan Weeks	...	Toppy
Andre Philippe	...	Don Steffano
Vincent Barbi	...	Big Tuna
Mel Novak	...	Blue Eyes
Malik Carter	...	Pinky
Eddie Smith	...	Oscar
Alex Brown	...	Plummer
Sonny Barnes	...	Tango (as Clarence Barnes)
Earl Jolly Brown	...	Jelly (as Earl Brown)
Jac Emil	...	Marv the Butcher
Wayne Musgrove	...	Brother Blake

Storyline

The Mafia's Don learns that the City is planning a new civic center, and is buying the land where it will be, to make easy money when the city council will buy it. The one piece the Don doesn't have yet, is the old African-American karate school owned by Papa Byrd. Big Tuna, the Mafia Don's right hand man, goes to Pinky, their representative in that area and they tell him that he owes them $250,000 but instead of paying, they want him to get Papa Byrd's school. Pinky tries to muscle the karate master into handing out the property title, but he throws him out. A teacher calls Black Belt Jones, a friend of Papa Byrd, to talk to him about this, but before he does Pinky and his thugs accidentally kills Papa Byrd in a second visit. Before dying in friends' arms, Byrd says that the school belongs to Sydney - whom nobody knows. Black Belt Jones knows that Sydney is Byrd's daughter, whom he hasn't seen since she was a child. Black Belt asks a friend of his who works for the Government, to ...

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Plot Keywords:

black belt | mafia | karate | karate school | african american | 

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Taglines:

He clobbers the mob

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Genres:

Action | Comedy

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

29 March 1974 (Denmark)

Also Known As:

Freie Fahrt ins Jenseits

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sequoia Productions, Sequoin Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

The man stuck in the trash van scoop vanishes.

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Quotes

Quincy: Come on back if you want some more! If you want some more, then come on back!

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Connections

Featured in Dusk to Dawn Drive-In Trash-o-Rama Show Vol. 1 (1996)

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Soundtracks

"Theme from Black Belt Jones"
Performed and Composed by Dennis Coffey (as Dennis Coffy)
Arranged by Dennis Coffey (as Dennis Coffy) & Mike Theodore
Courtesy of Sussex Records

User Reviews

Whacky, wild, and unbelievably funny!

When you have a 70's kung-fu flick full of polyester suits and afro's, along with such choice dialogue as "Ouch! You shot me!", "I'm Gonna turn you into fudge", or "Tuna who?", you know you're in for the time of your life!

Definitely to be watched with a group of friends, this is a one-of-a-kind gem among all movies. The action is often so badly choreagraphed and timed that it's F'N good!

Plot is the same as any basic old-school chop-socky... martial arts school fights from being taken over, master is killed, and main character must avenge the master. Think "Chinese Connection" (Bruce Lee), but 70's ghetto style!

The sound track itself is a reason enough to see BLACK BELT JONES! Jim Kelly ROCKS!