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Penitentiary (1979)

R 99 min  -  Drama | Sport  -   December 1979 (USA)
5.6
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Ratings: 5.6/10 from 306 users  
Reviews: 10 user | 20 critic

A hitchhiker named Martel Gordone gets in a fight with two bikers over a prostitute, and one of the bikers is killed... See full summary »

Director:

Jamaa Fanaka

Writer:

Jamaa Fanaka
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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Wilbur 'Hi-Fi' White Wilbur 'Hi-Fi' White ...
Sweet Pea
Leon Isaac Kennedy ...
Martel 'Too Sweet' Gordone
Thommy Pollard Thommy Pollard ...
Eugene T. Lawson
Hazel Spears Hazel Spears ...
Linda (as Hazel Spear)
Donovan Womack Donovan Womack ...
Jesse Amos
Floyd 'Wildcat' Chatman Floyd 'Wildcat' Chatman ...
Hezzikia 'Seldom Seen' Jackson (as Floyd Chatman)
Gloria Delaney Gloria Delaney ...
Peaches
Badja Djola Badja Djola ...
'Half Dead' Johnson
Chuck Mitchell Chuck Mitchell ...
Lieutenant Arnsworth
Cepheus Jaxon Cepheus Jaxon ...
Poindexter
Dwaine Fobbs Dwaine Fobbs ...
Lying Latney Winborn
Ernest Wilson Ernest Wilson ...
Cheese
Will Richardson Will Richardson ...
Magilla Gorilla
Elijah Mitchell Elijah Mitchell ...
Nut #1
Tony Andrea Tony Andrea ...
Mook
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Storyline

A hitchhiker named Martel Gordone gets in a fight with two bikers over a prostitute, and one of the bikers is killed. Gordone is arrested and sent to prison, where he joins the prison's boxing team in an effort to secure an early parole and to establish his dominance over the prison's toughest gang. Written by page8701  

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Boxing | Drifter | Convict | Homosexuality | False Accusation  | See more »

Taglines:

There's only one way out, and 100 fools stand in the way! See more »

Genres:

Drama | Sport

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

(USA) See more »

Also Known As:

Jamaa Fanaka's Penitentiary See more »

Box Office

Budget:

$100,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$72,000 (USA) (1980)
See more »

Company Credits

Show detailed company contact information on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

The fight in the jail cell between Badja Djola and Leon Isaac Kennedy took three days to film. Neither Djola nor Kennedy used stunt doubles for this brutal and lengthy fight set piece. See more »

Connections

Referenced in "Saturday Night Live: Rod Stewart (#7.1)" (1981) See more »

Soundtracks

"Kissy Face"
Written, Produced and Performed by Mark Gaillard and the Slim and Trim Band See more »