After saving a Black Panther from some racist cops, a black male prostitute goes on the run from "the man" with the help of the ghetto community and some disillusioned Hells Angels.
The Hollywood legend has a blast showing his darker side in his new film The Intruder, and admits to some set-life secrets.
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Title: Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971)
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Edit
Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Simon Chuckster | ... | Beetle | |
| Melvin Van Peebles | ... | Sweetback | |
 |
Hubert Scales | ... | Mu-Mu |
| John Dullaghan | ... | Commissioner | |
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Wesley Gale | ... | (as West Gale) |
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Niva Ruschell | ||
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Rhetta Hughes | ... | Old Girl Friend |
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Nick Ferrari | ||
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Ed Rue | ||
| John Amos | ... | Biker (as Johnny Amos) | |
| Lavelle Roby | |||
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Ted Hayden | ||
| Mario Van Peebles | ... | Young Sweetback / Kid (as Mario Peebles) | |
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Sonja Dunson | ||
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Michael Augustus | ||
Edit
Plot Summary
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Add Synopsis
See All (155) »
Storyline
Melvin Van Peebles wrote, directed, produced, edited, composed and starred in this powerful and inflammatory attack on White America. After the body of a black man is discovered, Sweetback helps two white 'acquaintances' in the police force to look good by agreeing to go with them to the station as a suspect. But he is forced to go on the run after brutally attacking the two policemen when they arrest and beat up a young black man. Written by David Claydon <dc6212@bristol.ac.uk>
Plot Keywords:
blaxploitation | on the run | racist | los angeles california | black director |Taglines:
Sweet Sweetback will never die a natural death. See more »Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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See more on IMDbPro »
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
22 March 1973 (Netherlands) See more »Also Known As:
Sweet Sweetback See more »Filming Locations:
Los Angeles, California, USAEdit
Box Office
Budget:
$500,000 (estimated)Gross USA:
$15,180,000Company Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
Edit
See more »
Written by Melvin Van Peebles
Performed by Melvin Van Peebles featuring Earth Wind & Fire
See more »
Did You Know?
Goofs
The fire truck that appeared at the end of the car explosion was not originally supposed to appear. Due to a permit still not filed, the fire department was unaware and proceeded to appear unannounced. See more »Quotes
Beetle: Like you gonna have to kinda lay out, stretch out a little while, be real cool. Kinda lay dead. Ol' Beetle'll let you know what's happenin', what's goin' down. You don't have to worry about nothin'. If you need anything, anything at all, brother, just keep the faith in Beetle, ol' Beetle goin' to bring you through, cause this is just a skirmish. You know how the game goes, baby. But you keep the faith in me and you my man. You my favorite man. Can you dig it, baby? Together, you know, maintain....See more »
Crazy Credits
Starring The Black Community See more »Alternate Versions
The 1998 UK video version was passed fully uncut by the BBFC after receiving a written assurance from Melvin Van Peebles that 18 year old Hubert Scales was playing the role of young Sweetback during the opening sex scene. When the film was re-released on DVD in 2005 it had been revealed to the BBFC that the information was false, and that the role had actually been played by then-14 year old Mario Van Peebles. Owing to the Protection of Children Act 1978 the scene had to be cut and 1 minute 9 secs were removed by the distributors, using black imaging to replace the offensive footage. However the edit was insufficient and a further 5 secs of cuts were requested by the BBFC. See more »Soundtracks
Sweetback Losing His CherryWritten by Melvin Van Peebles
Performed by Melvin Van Peebles featuring Earth Wind & Fire
See more »
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After reading some of the comments here, I wonder if we all saw the same movie. Nonstop sex and violence? Sweetback a radical? I don't think so. Sweetback is almost a nonentity who passively goes along with his environment -- ever notice how his hips never move while we has sex? He's hardly a part of the act and his so-called sexual prowess is a construct of the other person. He hardly speaks and is often spoken for, by Beetle the pimp, by the white cops. He snaps at long last and makes a statement against the whole crappy world around him. The transformation he makes is made while on the run, through the agony of always being on the run. I thought the cinematography and use of the choir chanting from afar was brilliant -- showing the world of his soul in painful transformation. Don't think blaxploitation, when you see this -- and see it you should -- but it is NOT a blaxploitation movie. It is mythology in the making.