Shaft (1971)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Gordon Parks

Writers:

Ernest Tidyman (novel)
Ernest Tidyman (writer) ...
(more)

Release Date:

2 July 1971 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

The mob wanted Harlem back. They got shaft...up to here.

Plot:

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

Plot Keywords:

Mafia | Detective | Kidnapping | Gangster | Urban Decay

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 4 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Richard Roundtree	...	John Shaft
Moses Gunn	...	Bumpy Jonas
Charles Cioffi	...	Vic Androzzi
Christopher St. John	...	Ben Buford
Gwenn Mitchell	...	Ellie Moore
Lawrence Pressman	...	Sergeant 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
Edmund Hashim	...	Lee
Drew Bundini Brown	...	Willy
Tommy Lane	...	Leroy
Al Kirk	...	Sims
Shimen Ruskin	...	Dr. Sam
Antonio Fargas	...	Bunky
Gertrude Jeannette	...	Old Lady
Lee Steele	...	Blind Vendor
Damu King	...	Mai
Donny Burks	...	Remmy
Tony King	...	Davies
Benjamin R. Rixson	...	Bay Newfield
Ricardo Brown	...	Tuffy
Alan Weeks	...	Gus
Glenn Johnson	...	Char
Dennis Tate	...	Dotts
Adam Wade	...	Brother #1
James Hainesworth	...	Brother #2
Clee Burtonya	...	Sonny
Ed Bernard	...	Poerco
Eddie Barth	...	Tony (as Ed Barth)
Joe Pronto	...	Dom
Robin Nolan	...	Waitress
Ron Tannas	...	Billy
Betty Bresler	...	Mrs. Androzzi
Gonzalo Madurga	...	Counterman
Paul Nevens	...	Elevator Man
Jon Richards	...	Elevator Starter
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Gordon Parks	...	Apartment Landlord (uncredited)

Directed by
Gordon Parks

Writing credits
Ernest Tidyman		(novel)
Ernest Tidyman		(writer) &
John D.F. Black		(writer)

Produced by
Joel Freeman	....	producer
David Golden	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Isaac Hayes
J.J. Johnson

Cinematography by
Urs Furrer

Film Editing by
Hugh A. Robertson

Casting by
Judith Lamb

Art Direction by
Emanuel Gerard

Set Decoration by
Robert Drumheller

Costume Design by
Joseph G. Aulisi		(as Joe Aulisi)

Makeup Department
Martin Bell	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Steven P. Skloot	....	unit production manager (as Steven Skloot)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ted Zachary	....	assistant director
Allan Wertheim	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Sound Department
Lee Bost	....	sound
Hal Watkins	....	sound

Stunts
Bob Herron	....	stunts (uncredited)
Joe Pronto	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Ron Zarilla	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)

Casting Department
Sylvia Fay	....	extras casting

Music Department
Tom McIntosh	....	technical assistant to composer

Other crew
Tom Miller	....	unit publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
• Shaft Productions Ltd.

Distributors

• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (1971) (USA) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1975) (USA) (TV) (original airing)
• Inex Film (1971) (Yugoslavia) (theatrical)
• MGM-EMI (1971) (UK) (theatrical)
• Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) (197?) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Living Colour Entertainment (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (Germany) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Sylvia Fay/Lee Genick & Associates Casting  extras casting

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:X (original rating) | Iceland:16 | Argentina:16 | South Korea:15 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:R (Manitoba/Ontario) | Finland:K-16 | Netherlands:16 (video rating) | Norway:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Cafe Reggio, MacDougal Street, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

The women backing vocalists in the film's theme song are Telma Hopkins and Joyce Vincent Wilson from Tony Orlando & Dawn.

Goofs:

Continuity: 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.

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!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Just Shoot Me!: What the Teddy Bear Saw (#3.1)" (1998)

Soundtrack:

Bumpy's Lament

Shaft was/is/will be the man

I am an old-school man from Motown, and I was at the premiere showing in June of 1971 at the Palms Theatre. The impact and impression that is left in your mind dictates how one feels about anything. Shaft, starring Richard Roundtree, made it's mark on me then, and does now. From the opening scenes in the streets, to the end theme, when John Shaft came through the window...at the time, no Black man exercised such a strength of will and character as he did. the music score of Issac Hayes did/does/will be as timeless as the movie. The storyline was compelling, characters well-developed and colorful, the direction of Gordon Parks set a new standard, and even the fashion and wardrobe made a statement. Can you dig it?