Shaft (1971)

Cool black private eye John Shaft is hired by a crime lord to find and retrieve his kidnapped daughter.

Director:

Gordon Parks

Writers:

Ernest Tidyman (screenplay), John D.F. Black (screenplay)

Stars:

Richard Roundtree, Moses Gunn, Charles Cioffi

Won 1 Oscar. Another 4 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Richard Roundtree	...	John Shaft
Moses Gunn	...	Bumpy Jonas
Charles Cioffi	...	Vic Androzzi
Christopher St. John	...	Ben Buford
Gwenn Mitchell	...	Ellie Moore
Lawrence Pressman	...	Tom Hannon
Victor Arnold	...	Charlie
Sherri Brewer	...	Marcy
Rex Robbins	...	Rollie
Camille Yarbrough	...	Dina Greene
Margaret Warncke	...	Linda
Joseph Leon	...	Byron Leibowitz
Arnold Johnson	...	Cul
Dominic Barto	...	Patsy
George Strus	...	Carmen

Storyline

John Shaft is the ultimate in suave black detectives. He first finds himself up against Bumpy, the leader of the Black crime mob, then against Black nationals, and finally working with both against the White Mafia who are trying to blackmail Bumpy by kidnapping his daughter.

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Plot Keywords:

private detective | cult film | mafia | blaxploitation | kidnapping | 

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Taglines:

Wanna see Shaft? Better ask yo' mamma. (Trailer)

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Thriller

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Certificate:

M

Did You Know?

Trivia

Rex Robbins' first film role.

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Goofs

When Shaft gets hit with the machine gun, one of the wounds is to his head - you can clearly see blood there. Yet after the doctor works on him and gets him patched up, all signs of the head wound have vanished - there's no scar or patch there.

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Quotes

[first lines]
John Shaft: [holding up his middle finger to a cab driver who is honking his horn at him] Up yours! Get out the way!

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Alternate Versions

Most UK video versions, including the widescreen Maverick Directors release, feature an edited print of the film which is dubbed to remove strong language. DVD releases are fully uncut.

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Connections

References Little Fauss and Big Halsy (1970)

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Soundtracks

Bumpy's Blues
(uncredited)
Composed by Isaac Hayes
Performed by Isaac Hayes

User Reviews

Soulful, powerful, respectful.

From out of the surge of the many blaxploitation films following the release of Melvin Van Peeble's 'Sweet Sweetback's Baad Asssss Song' comes 'Shaft', directed in 1971 by Gordon Parks. 'Shaft' seems to have stood out from the others within this exclusive genre, and rightfully so for its smooth and funky approach towards a division of films that's been dominated by white leads. Richard Roundtree plays John Shaft, the big badass private eye of New York City, and displays a confident, sexy and tough attitude that makes him such a memorable character. This film is rich with soul, and features the funky music of Isaac Hayes to complete the tribute to black culture in that time. These are the elements that contribute to its significant value among blaxploitation films.

The film features a typical storyline that's nothing out of the ordinary among crime films; John Shaft is hired by a crime lord to rescue his daughter from a group of Italian mob figures trying to take over territory in Harlem. While this film is more commonly known as a blaxploitation film, it actually contains a few characteristics of film noir, which certainly adds to its uniqueness in its time. The setting takes place in the suburbs of New York, and mostly appears rather gloomy and unemotional throughout the movie. The highlight of the city though is when Shaft is walking through the streets to the funky music of Isaac Hayes, who sings of the life of black culture within the city.

Shaft rarely shows much emotion in this film, and often acts reserved among the people around him. He maintains a composure and attitude that should be respected and in turn delivers a strong representation for the black community. His character alone makes this movie a considerably powerful film that speaks loudly and gives the black community a powerful character in film they can find inspiration in.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

2 July 1971 (USA)

Also Known As:

Les nuits rouges de Harlem

Filming Locations:

Greenwich Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$1,125,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Shaft Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1