Cleopatra Jones (1973)

During the 1970s, U.S. Special Agent Cleopatra Jones proves to be an invaluable asset to the local police forces in the war on drugs.

Director:

Jack Starrett

Writers:

Max Julien (screenplay), Sheldon Keller (screenplay)

Stars:

Tamara Dobson, Bernie Casey, Brenda Sykes

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tamara Dobson	...	Cleopatra Jones
Bernie Casey	...	Reuben
Brenda Sykes	...	Tiffany
Antonio Fargas	...	Doodlebug Simkins
Dan Frazer	...	Crawford
Bill McKinney	...	Purdy
Stafford Morgan	...	Sgt. Kert
Michael Warren	...	Andy (as Mike Warren)
Albert Popwell	...	Matthew Johnson
Caro Kenyatta	...	Melvin Johnson
Esther Rolle	...	Mrs. Johnson
Keith Hamilton	...	Maxwell Woodman
Jay Montgomery	...	Jimmy Beeker
Arnold Dover	...	Art
Angela Elayne Gibbs	...	Annie (as Angela Gibbs)

Storyline

Cleopatra Jones is a United States Special Agent assigned to crack down on drug-trafficking in the U.S. and abroad. After she burns a Turkish poppy field, the notorious drug-lord Mommy is furious at the loss of her supply and vows to destroy Cleopatra Jones. Mommy uses her connections with bad cops on the force to cause trouble for Cleopatra's friends and set her up for an attack. Meanwhile, Mommy is having trouble with some of her pushers, like the renegade Doodlebug.

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Plot Keywords:

car | automobile | chevrolet | ford | ford galaxie | 

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Taglines:

If you haven't seen Cleo, you haven't seen the chick who tops 'em all...She's 6'2" of Dynamite!

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Thriller

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Certificate:

PG

Did You Know?

Trivia

Tamara Dobson specifically asked the producers to have Italian fashion designer Giorgio di Sant'Angelo do her costumes for this picture. He would do the same for her in the sequel Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold (1975). Dobson wears ten different outfits in this film.

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Goofs

During the chase scene, the red Mustang starts off with no hubcaps. Later in the shot, one flies off. In later scenes, it loses the remaining hubcaps.

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Quotes

Mommy: Cleo, no wise cracks? No jokes? No begging? No pleading?
Cleopatra Jones: No way, Fatso!

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Connections

Referenced in Without Walls: Kiss My Baad Assss Ice-T's Guide to Blaxploitation (1994)

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Soundtracks

Love Doctor
Music and Lyrics by J.J. Johnson
Performed by Millie Jackson

User Reviews

Not a great movie but deserves to be seen

It deserves to be seen because it features the incredible Antonio Fargas, as a mob little boss, with cool clothes and hilarious jive talking. In my opinion Antonio is a great actor, each time i saw him i was stunned by his rhythmic talking and the way he moves. It deserves to be seen because it features Shelley Winters as Mommy, a lesbian red-head old mob chieftain whose angriness and sadism are really funny to see (in my European DVD, there is no scene in which she receives a feet massage!). Plot, kung-fuish fight scenes are not fantastic, Tamara Dobson who plays the leading role is a nice-looking tall woman who does not play very well and does not do really sexy stuff (she does not match with Pam Grier), but i nevertheless had a good moment seeing this movie, and i hope you will too. Cleopatra drives an awesome car, the car chase scene is good, and she wears a majestic afro haircut, and like Pam Grier in Foxy Brown she changes clothes before each scene, it's like a fashion review, it is cool.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 July 1973 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dynamite Jones

Filming Locations:

Watts, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$2,977,024

Company Credits

Production Co:

Warner Bros., William Tennant Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1