Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song (1971)

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.

Director:

Melvin Van Peebles

Writer:

Melvin Van Peebles

Stars:

Melvin Van Peebles, Hubert Scales, John Dullaghan

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Melvin Van Peebles	...	Sweetback
Hubert Scales	...	Mu-Mu
John Dullaghan	...	Commissioner
Simon Chuckster	...	Beetle
Mario Van Peebles	...	Sweetback / Kid (as Mario Peebles)
Max Van Peebles	...	Sweetback / Young
Rhetta Hughes	...	Old Girl Friend
John Amos	...	Biker (as Johnny Amos)
Megan Van Peebles	...	Kid (as Megan Peebles)
Wesley Gale	...	(as West Gale)
Lavelle Roby
Ted Hayden
Sonja Dunson
Michael Augustus
Niva Ruschell

Storyline

Sweet Sweetback is a black orphan who, having grown up in a brothel, now works there as part of a sex show. When the police need a patsy for a murder in the black community, His employer gives him up to two white cops, whom he ends up killing. Suddenly the target of a massive manhunt, he decides to flee to Mexico. As he makes his way there, he is captured by, and escapes from, both the cops and a chapter of the Hell's Angels.

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Plot Keywords:

blaxploitation | on the run | racist | los angeles california | black director | 

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Taglines:

Sweet Sweetback will never die a natural death.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dedicated to "Brothers and sisters who have had enough of the Man."

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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.

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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....

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Crazy Credits

After the movie a "warning" for the white community appears: "Watch out - a baad assss nigger is coming to collect some dues."

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Alternate Versions

The 2005 Region 2 DVD release from BFI Video has the opening sex sequences removed. A notice at the beginning of the DVD explains that the scenes were censored "in order to comply with UK law (the Protection of Children Act 1978),"

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Connections

Featured in A Century of Black Cinema (2003)

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Soundtracks

Sweetback Getting It Uptight And Preaching It So Hard The Bourgeois Reggin Angels In Heaven Turn Around
Written by Melvin Van Peebles
Performed by Melvin Van Peebles featuring Earth Wind & Fire

User Reviews

I WAS CAST IN THE FILM

THIS was the first of its genre and i was cast as the *white* deputy who found Sweetback in the woods toward the end of the picture. I felt privileged to be a part of this beginning. I believe it was showtime recently who did a retrospective on black films....it was weird to see what i looked like 30 or so years ago! lol

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 March 1973 (Netherlands)

Also Known As:

Sweet Sweetback

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Yeah

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1