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IMDb > Top of the Heap (1972)

Top of the Heap (1972) More at IMDbPro »


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Overview

User Rating:
6.4/10   53 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 7% in popularity this week. See why on IMDbPro.
Writer:
Christopher St. John (written by)
Contact:
View company contact information for Top of the Heap on IMDbPro.
Genre:
Tagline:
Justice shall be swift and deadly! more
Awards:
1 nomination more
User Reviews:
Unlike any black-themed movie you've seen! more (3 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Christopher St. John ... George Lattimer
Paula Kelly ... Black Chick
Florence St. Peter ... Viola Lattimer
Leonard Kuras ... Bobby Gelman
John Alderson ... Captain Walsh
Patrick McVey ... Tim Cassidy
Allen Garfield ... Taxi Driver
Ingeborg Sørensen ... Nurse Swenson (as Ingeborg Sorensen)
Ron Douglas ... Hip Passenger
John McMurtry ... Dope Dealer
Damu King ... Pot Peddler
Ji-Tu Cumbuka ... Pot Peddler

Brian Cutler ... Rookie Policeman
Jerry Jones ... Club Owner
Willie Harris ... Bouncer
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Additional Details

Runtime:
90 min
Country:
Language:
Color:
Color (Technicolor)
Sound Mix:
Certification:

Fun Stuff

Movie Connections:
Soundtrack:
Top of the Heap more

FAQ

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4 out of 4 people found the following review useful.
Unlike any black-themed movie you've seen!, 28 June 2003
Author: Wizard-8 from Victoria, BC

I can only imagine the looks on the faces of patrons who went to see this when it was originally released to theaters. The closest I can describe it is an R-rated take on Walter Mitty, with the central character repeatedly daydreaming of being an astronaut while his real life is a hellhole. It's certainly an imaginative exercise, but ultimately proves frustrating because of its almost episodic nature, plus a number of murky details (for example, we don't learn that he has more than one kid in his family until it's mentioned near the end of the movie!)

Still, if you choose to watch it (take breaks during your watching, so you don't get too strained), it does provide some entertainment and interesting moments. For one thing, this is one of the few black-themed movies of the time that isn't fully sympathetic towards its lead character. It's also one of the few that has some likable white characters; in fact, the movie seems more against "the system" than whites in general. There are also a few genuinely hilarious moments. Despite all this, the movie is still best appreciated as an artifact than a piece of entertainment.

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