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Uptight

  • 1968
  • M
  • 1h 44m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
852
YOUR RATING
Uptight (1968)
DramaThriller

In this landmark collaboration between activist and actress Ruby Dee and director Jules Dassin, Black revolutionaries are betrayed by one of their own. Based on the 1935 classic "The Informe... Read allIn this landmark collaboration between activist and actress Ruby Dee and director Jules Dassin, Black revolutionaries are betrayed by one of their own. Based on the 1935 classic "The Informer."In this landmark collaboration between activist and actress Ruby Dee and director Jules Dassin, Black revolutionaries are betrayed by one of their own. Based on the 1935 classic "The Informer."

  • Director
    • Jules Dassin
  • Writers
    • Jules Dassin
    • Ruby Dee
    • Julian Mayfield
  • Stars
    • Raymond St. Jacques
    • Ruby Dee
    • Frank Silvera
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    852
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Jules Dassin
    • Writers
      • Jules Dassin
      • Ruby Dee
      • Julian Mayfield
    • Stars
      • Raymond St. Jacques
      • Ruby Dee
      • Frank Silvera
    • 17User reviews
    • 15Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos51

    Roscoe Lee Browne in Uptight (1968)
    Uptight (1968)
    Uptight (1968)
    Uptight (1968)
    Uptight (1968)
    Uptight (1968)
    Uptight (1968)
    Uptight (1968)
    Uptight (1968)
    Uptight (1968)
    Julian Mayfield in Uptight (1968)
    Julian Mayfield in Uptight (1968)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Raymond St. Jacques
    Raymond St. Jacques
    • B.G.
    Ruby Dee
    Ruby Dee
    • Laurie
    Frank Silvera
    Frank Silvera
    • Kyle
    Roscoe Lee Browne
    Roscoe Lee Browne
    • Clarence
    Julian Mayfield
    • Tank
    Janet MacLachlan
    Janet MacLachlan
    • Jeannie
    Max Julien
    Max Julien
    • Johnny
    Juanita Moore
    Juanita Moore
    • Mama Wells
    Dick Anthony Williams
    Dick Anthony Williams
    • Corbin
    • (as Richard Williams)
    Michael Baseleon
    Michael Baseleon
    • Teddy
    John Wesley
    John Wesley
    • Larry
    • (as John Wesley Rodgers)
    Ji-Tu Cumbuka
    Ji-Tu Cumbuka
    • Rick
    • (as Jitu Cumbuka)
    Ketty Lester
    • Alma
    Robert DoQui
    Robert DoQui
    • Street Speaker
    James McEachin
    James McEachin
    • Mello
    Kirk Kirksey
    Errol Jaye
    Isabel Cooley
    Isabel Cooley
    • Director
      • Jules Dassin
    • Writers
      • Jules Dassin
      • Ruby Dee
      • Julian Mayfield
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Producer/director Jules Dassin wanted to remake The Informer (1935) with an all-black cast, set in inner-city America. The original Liam O'Flaherty story was based on the Irish rebellion against the English in the early 1920s. Dassin felt it mirrored black-white relations in the US in the 1960s.
    • Quotes

      Kyle's associate: Damn, I've known you since you were a baby. I don't recognize you no more.

      Jeannie: You can't! I'm off my knees now. I like my man with a gun.

      Kyle's associate: Jeannie, the nonviolent program...

      B.G.: Is dead! Killed by white violence, April 4th, 1968 in Memphis.

      Kyle: The man who died...

      B.G.: Was murdered! As were four little girls in Sunday school house. As was Medgar Evers, and after him, 47 others. Now how many of their killers went to jail? Nobody. That's over! We gotta make them know that every time they even *think* of picking up a gun against a Black man, there's a black gun waiting for them!

      Kyle: That's not the way, B.G. You'll bring the whole military machine down on our heads! You, you will be the excuse for fascism in this country! You'll bring on the camps.

      B.G.: Well, what the hell do you think we got now?

      Kyle: Then you have no idea what it could be. I don't hate you, B.G. I don't want to see you in a camp. I don't want to see you killed. And I don't want to see you responsible for other people being killed.

      Corbin: Now you listen: when you're born Black in this country, you're born dead. Don't talk to us about being killed. We know about that. You're an honest man, Kyle. Go ahead, have your meeting. Nobody's gonna bother you. You go get those bills passed. Bills the whites won't obey, anyway. You do your thing, and we'll do ours. But get this straight: I don't know about a revolution without arms, and I don't know about a revolution that doesn't punish its enemies.

    • Connections
      Referenced in Inside Deep Throat (2005)
    • Soundtracks
      Johnny, I Love You
      Written and performed by Booker T. Jones

    User reviews17

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    Better than the original.
    One thing about me and my love of movies is that I very rarely prefer remakes. However, this movie is an exception--a film far superior than the original. Now that might surprise you, as Victor McLaglen received the Oscar for Best Actor AND the great John Ford the Oscar for Best Director. Yet, I STILL liked the remake better. Much of it is that "The Informer" has not aged well and is dated. In particular, McLaglen's performance seems over-the-top--very, very unsubtle indeed. Also, while it's hard to imagine someone making a film better than John Ford, it's not as surprising when you learn that it's Jules Dassin--one of the best film directors of the 20th century but whose career was severely affected by the Red Scare--when he was forced to move to Europe and managed to STILL keep making great films.

    Dassin decided to remake the story and set it in black America--in 1968. The film was VERY timely, and is set just after the murder of Martin Luther King--a time when black men and women were understandably talking about revolution. While the term 'Black Panthers' was never used in the film, clearly the film is intended to be about them...and their weakest link, a sad and worthless individual named Tank. Also, since time had past since Dassin's exodus from Hollywood, he was now able to return to the States to make a film and this one was made in Cleveland. This locale was great--adding to the realism. In addition, while most of the actors are unknowns (apart from folks like Roscoe Lee Browne and Ruby Dee), they did a great job--and Dassin got the most from them. Overall, a very hard-hitting and enjoyable film--and a nice update to the original.
    helpful•11
    3
    • planktonrules
    • Aug 23, 2012

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 28, 1968 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Betrayal
    • Filming locations
      • Cleveland, Ohio, USA
    • Production company
      • Marlukin
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 44 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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