The Black Godfather (1974)

User Rating:

3.3/10   

Director:

John Evans

Writer:

John Evans (writer)

Release Date:

3 September 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Action | Drama

Tagline:

There's A New Godfather in Town ... Sucka!

Plot:

J.J., a rising star in the black crime scene, is in the process of consolidating his power over the neighborhood...

Plot Keywords:

Blaxploitation | Nudity | Female Frontal Nudity | Drugs | Mafia

Cast

Rod Perry	...	J. J.
Damu King	...	Diablo
Don Chastain	...	Tony Burton
Diane Sommerfield	...	Yvonne
Jimmy Witherspoon	...	Nate
Duncan McLeod	...	Lt. Joe Sterling
Tony Burton	...	Sonny Spyder Brown
Anny Green	...	Honey
John Alderman	...	Cockroach
Betsee Finlee	...	Junkie (as Betsy Finley)
Ken Bell	...	Eddie
Cinque Attucks	...	Winston
Tom Scott	...	Newscaster
Ricardo Brown	...	Danny
Kathryn Jackson	...	Mrs. Brown

Also Known As:

Street Wars (Australia)

Runtime:

USA:90 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:R | USA:R

Company:

Cougar Productions

Quotes:

[first lines]
Tommy: [pointing to the house] Well, here it is. Let's rip it off.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Mackin' Ain't Easy (2002) (V)

The Black Godfather (1974) *1/2

Despite my skepticism about the whole "cash-in" business, I can't deny that the Blaxploitation genre has yielded some remarkable achievements, most notably Larry Cohen's BONE (1972) and Bill Gunn's GANJA AND HESS (1973); unfortunately, THE BLACK GODFATHER would definitely come somewhere near the bottom if such a list was compiled…! Having already updated private detectives, vampires, monsters and what have you to the funkier generation, it was only a matter of time before we also had a colored Don to lord it over the underworld; it's a pity, though, that the mobster here is nothing like his Italian namesake (unless having his bodyguard named Sonny is enough to earn him the title of "Godfather"!).

Anyway, I've already spent far more time writing about this film than it deserves; suffice it to say that the hip dialogue (brimful of catchphrases like "dig", "nigger", "brother", "right on", "the man", "that where it's at", etc.) is risible, the hairstyles outrageously dated, the action sequences amateurish, the compulsory song score mediocre and the acting woeful. Despite all this, I guess I was in a "bad movie watching" mode tonight because I was reasonably entertained by this junk and I can't wait to get my hands on that other Blaxploitation double-feature disc – THE BLACK SIX (1974)/THE BLACK GESTAPO (1975) – which is available for rent from the local DVD store…!