Super Fly (1972)

The daily routine of cocaine dealer Priest who wants to score one more super deal and retire.

Director:

Gordon Parks Jr.

Writer:

Phillip Fenty (screenplay by)

Stars:

Ron O'Neal, Carl Lee, Sheila Frazier

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ron O'Neal	...	Priest
Carl Lee	...	Eddie
Sheila Frazier	...	Georgia (as Shiela Frazier)
Julius Harris	...	Scatter (as Julius W. Harris)
Charles McGregor	...	Fat Freddie (as Charles MacGregor)
Nate Adams	...	Dealer
Polly Niles	...	Cynthia
Yvonne Delaine	...	Mrs. Freddie
Henry Shapiro	...	Robbery Victim
K.C.	...	Pimp
James G. Richardson	...	Junkie (as Jim Richardson)
Make Bray	...	Junkie
Al Kiggins	...	Police
Bob Bonds	...	Police
Fred Ottaviano	...	Police (as Fred Rolaf)

Storyline

Super Fly is a cocaine dealer who begins to realize that his life will soon end with either prison or his death. He decides to build an escape from the life by making his biggest deal yet, converting the coke to cash and running off to start a new life. The problem is that the Mob does not have a retirement plan and will give him a choice of staying and selling for them or dying if they find out his intentions.

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Plot Keywords:

police car | poliziottesco | north american poliziottesco | blaxploitation film | grindhouse film | 

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Taglines:

All He Needed Was One Last Deal...

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Music | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 August 1972 (USA)

Also Known As:

Superfly

Filming Locations:

Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$58,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Superfly, Warner Bros.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

91 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

At the film's 40th-anniversary screening, held at the Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, NY, K.C. revealed that his customized Cadillac was eventually seized by the IRS.

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Goofs

The foot chase at the beginning seems to be shot out of order. The junkie either has his hat on or he's holding it.

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Quotes

Scatter: Square up, nigga! You think if he's tryin' to kill me that he's gonna let you out after you deal those 30 keys? He owns you now!

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Connections

Referenced in Bulworth (1998)

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Soundtracks

Pusherman
Written by Curtis Mayfield
Performed by Curtis Mayfield (as The Curtis Mayfield Experience)

User Reviews

Not just a great blaxploitation movie, a great movie period.

'Superfly' is the best movie of the short-lived 1970s blaxploitation boom which gave the world the better known, but less substantial 'Shaft'. The 'Shaft' series are incredibly entertaining movies, no argument there, but most of the films from this period starring Richard Roundtree, Fred Williamson, Jim Kelly,et al are essentially action movies which feature "a black Dirty Harry", "a black Bruce Lee", "a black Philip Marlowe" or even "a black James Bond". In other words they are genre action thrillers with black protagonists. 'Superfly' is very different from most of those movies because Ron O'Neal plays Priest, who isn't a private eye or a "righteous dude" but a DRUG DEALER. And while Priest is tired of "the life" and wants to retire the movie doesn't feature any knee-jerk anti-drug stance or moralizing. This meant that many in the black community at the time detested it and what they perceived as being the glamorization of drugs and drug dealing. All these years later, in an era that is in many ways even more conservative (or at least more hypocritical!), this is what gives the movie a genuine edge, especially when what is on the screen is given a musical debate by Curtis Mayfield's superb score, one of the greatest of all time. O'Neal is charismatic and super cool and displays some genuine acting talent. Which makes it such a shame that his career quickly went down the toilet with little more than small supporting roles in 80s garbage like 'Red Dawn' and 'Hero and the Terror'. O'Neal is supported by an excellent cast of mainly obscure actors such as the late Carl Lee and Charles MacGregor ('Blazing Saddles') as Fat Freddy. The best known face is veteran Julius Harris ('Live And Let Die') who has a pivotal role as Priest's former mentor Scatter. Director Gordon Parks Jr. went on to make 'Three The Hard Way' starring Fred Williamson and Jims Brown and Kelly, but never fulfilled the his potential before being cut down in a plane crash in the late 70s. What a pity. At least he left us with 'Superfly', which is not just a great blaxploitation movie, but a great movie period. Highly recommended to all fans of gritty 70s crime movies.