Super Fly (1972)

Director:

Gordon Parks Jr.

Writer:

Phillip Fenty (writer)

Release Date:

4 August 1972 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Never a dude like this one! He's got a plan to stick it to The Man!

Plot:

Super Fly is a cocaine dealer who begins to realize that his life will soon end with either prison or his death...

Plot Keywords:

Drugs | Racial Slur | African American | Convertible | Racism

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Ron O'Neal	...	Priest
Carl Lee	...	Eddie
Sheila Frazier	...	Georgia (as Shiela Frazier)
Julius Harris	...	Scatter
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 Rolaf	...	Police

Also Known As:

Superfly (USA) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Norway:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Canada:14A | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 (video rating) (1988) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

East Village, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Sig Shore Productions

Trivia:

The Eldorado Cadillac driven by Priest was owned by KC, the pimp who makes an appearance in the nightclub scene. The deal was that KC would get a part in the movie (in the opening credit it says "and introducing: KC") in exchange for the use of his car.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Priest orders Fat Freddy to get his money back, you can see the crew man behind the door as they leave the apartment.

Quotes:

Georgia: Look maybe you should get out now now before something really bad happens. I could be happy with a plain life, a poor one if only you were.
Youngblood Priest: Look what would I do? With my record I can't even work civil service or join the damn army. If I quit now, then I took all this chance for nothing and I go back to being nothing. Working some jive job for chump change day after day. Well if that's all I'm supposed to do then they gonna have to kill me 'cause that ain't enough.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Boondocks: Tom, Sarah and Usher (#2.2)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

Give Me Your Love (Love Song)

Absolutely Classic Movie

If you are the kind of viewer that thinks blaxploitation movies are simply camp and you like to laugh at the clothes and whatnot, that's fine... I mean, they are movies after all, not secrets to curing cancer. However, if you are, it is a shame what you'll miss because this film (as with The Mack) is a superior character study and ultimately watchable. As is noted on the DVD commentary, while the clothes and vernacular seem outdated now, at the time they were 'state of the art' as it were. Another thing to remember when watching these films is the insanely low budgets necessitated short cuts like single takes and other such things that make a film 'feel' b-rate; however this film is first rate. O'Neal is excellent, as are Julius Harris and Sheila Frazier and the soundtrack is perhaps the best ever. ***** out of *****