Super Fly is a 1972 blaxploitation film and the genre is classic action and adventure. Super Fly is directed by Gordon Parks Jr., produced by Sig Shore, and written by Phillip Fenty. The film was released to theaters on August 4, 1972 and has a running time of approximately 91 minutes. Geoff Andrew from Time Out said the film was, "One of the most successful of the early '70s blaxploitation cycle". Ron O' Neal plays Youngblood Priest, Carl Lee plays Eddie, Fat Freddie and the dealer are played by Charles McGregor and Nate Adams. Julius Harris is the scatter, Sheila Frazier as Georgia, Polly Niles as Cynthia and Yvonne Delaine as Mrs. Freddie. The robbery victim in the film is played by henry Shapiro, K.C. as the pimp, and Jim Richardson as the junkie. Youngblood priest is a successful drug dealer residing in New York City, the capital of the world. Priest meets Fat Freddie and Nate Adams in his apartment to make their payments. Priest gives them a gun to go rob a mafia member after Fat Freddie discovers he is short on money. Priest tells his partner in crime Eddie he wants to leave the business, but after he scores big. He wants to gain one million dollars in four months. Eddie agrees to join Priest in winning big. Scatter, a friend and mentor to Priest, owns a restaurant and a retired drug dealer. The band The Curtis Mayfield Experience perform at the restaurant . Priest and Eddie arrive to discuss share his plans with Scatter and askes to provide him with thirty kilograms of coke. Eddie angers Scatter and next thing you know Scatter has a gun to his head because he said he couldn't help with providing the drug. Scatter finally changes his minf and they agree to a meeting time. Later, the three talk over a beer when Priest accidentally reveals to Freddie and Nate that he is picking up coke frome Scatter. That evening he has a romantic date with Georgia. The follwing day Freddie is arrested for assault and is forced to confess to narcotics detectives who found cocaine in his possesion. Freddie tells police about Priest and Eddie and how they planned on picking up a key of coke from Scatter. Later on Freddie is released and tries to hid eout but gets hit and killed. Meanwhile at the park, Priest tells his lover Georgia how much he wants to leave his New York life behind and start a new adventure with her. A suprised Eddie and Priest see dectectives as they arrive to pick up a key of coke from Scatter. Eddie is arested while Priest tries to escape by walking down a dark alley only to be ambushed. The detectives make a deal with the pair and tell them they can operate but must make payments of $10,000 a month. Priest feels uncomfortable, but Eddie happily agrees saying that 'the man' is on our side. After this scene there is a classic photo montage scene with Pusherman - Curtis Mayfield playing. While waiting for a potential buyer in a Harlem bar, three activists approach him but Priest isn't falling for their scam. The buyer arrives and they make a deal. By this time Priest has another girlfriend Cynthia. The pair get in an argument. Scatter arrives at the apartment to ask Priest for $20,000 in cash as he must leave town. Scatter is arrested shortly after and Priest meets with two mafia contractors to discuss business. Priest askes them for a contract for murder, his insurance policy. Priest tells Eddie the news that Scatter was killed, but suggests foul play and that the police were behind it in order to use him and Eddie to make larger buys and to stay in business. Priest desires to flee and get his half of his money. Eddie gives him his money and in turn tells the police Priest is gone with a briefcase full of money. Priest exchanges the briefcase with a disguised Georgia, however by the time he makes it to the car the police are there. They detain him until narcotics police arrive but Priest has the assurance that his money is safe as Georgia is walking away. The finale scene is gripping and out of the ordinary.
Priest (Ron O'Neal) is a drug dealer hoping to leave the life behind after making one last big score. he is tough, but exposes his heart to two women Georgia and Cynthia longing for new life without really getting the details. His personality fits like one who would slap a bad guy down yet he also has a gentleness. Eddie is his partner. Their empire consisted of fifty people, whom are considered "family". Priest wants a life of normalcy and Eddie suggests that he makes one million dollars before he leaves. "Never a dude like this one! He's got a plan to stick it to The Man!" is the tagline to the movie. The phrase "stick it to The Man!" The man here is refering to the "suckers" and crocked cops. Priest and Eddie lead the lives they live is because there is little else for young black men to do and they refuse to play ball with the largely white institution figures that have been holding their communities down for so long. Without growth in the black communities, drug dealers and pimps are purely a part of daily life.
The role of Priest is intresting. The idea of a straight haired, light skinned actor and his calm energy soft spoken and cleverness as a drug dealer took the character to another level. Overall he portrayed some stereotypes yet infused the character with a hard-edged valour. The music in this film is phenomenal. Mayfield's soundtrack plays through many of Parks' long cuts and wide shotsallowing Priest's car to fill the frame and give a sense of smoothness to the grimy streets. Their wardrobe has a 70's feel . There is even a tangled-legs-in-bathtub love scene. The overall movie is like a drama in that it does'nt contain much violence.
