Cleopatra Jones (1973)

I saw this film the weekend it came out in 1973 in downtown Baltimore, Tamara Dobson's hometown. Although that was 36 years ago, I remember it very well.1973 was about 5 years past the golden age of the beautiful but unbeatable-in-a-fight female heroine. A total fantasy, but as a middle-aged woman now, I still sometimes ask myself "What would Emma Peele do?" I found the early '70's heroines to be complete wimps compared to the late 60's heroines.So when the ad campaign hit in 1973 for "Tamara Dobson IS Cleopatra Jones," with the poster of the tall gun-toting Ms. Dobson, I begged and begged to go.I went downtown with an older woman friend of the family, and the two of us were literally the only white people in the entire packed theater of black people.In the film. the villains are all white and the good guys are all black. Also, there are many many scenes in which white people are killed by black people. During these scenes, the theater cheered wildly. This is probably not something you would notice watching the film on T.V., but believe me, if you are one of two white people in the theater, it makes a big impression.There was also a well-written and clever scene in the film in which one of Cleopatra's male assistants is lying in wait for the white villains. When they arrive, he pulls a gun on them and says "Guess what just jumped out of the woodpile?" The older woman who took me to the movie was southern. She thought this joke was hysterical and kept trying to explain it to me several times, with her extremely clear explanations catching the attention of everyone sitting around us. For those of you not blessed by an older southern friend, the phrase "Guess what just jumped out of the woodpile?" refers to the expression "N-word in the woodpile," a southern term for an unpleasant surprise.So what did I learn in my trip to the movies? 1) The term "blaxploitation" is totally false. This "blaxploitation" movie seemed to be about blacks who were superior in every way to whites, both morally and physically.2) It is really scary and uncomfortable being in the minority.

Though this entry into the "tough black chick" subgenre of 70's Blaxploitation doesn't feature the undisputed queen Pam Grier, it's sure to live on, thanks to the bizarre presence of two-time Oscar winner Winters as the colorful antagonist. Dobson, a true Amazon if there ever was one, plays a larger than life Federal agent who does everything in her power to rid the streets of illegal drugs and stop the trafficking at its source. She is shown at the start of the film ordering a massive poppy field to be burned. This ticks off drug queen Winters who proceeds to declare war on Dobson. Meanwhile, a shelter for reforming druggies, run by Dobson's beau Casey, is targeted by some over-eager members of the police force, chiefly nasty, racist McKinney. Also stirred into the mix is streetwise pusher Fargas, who reports to Winters, but would like his own territory. The various factions take each other on, frequently betraying one another until Dobson has to face down Winters in a campy finale. Dobson, a towering presence draped in designer clothes and furs who drives a mean corvette, is not a particularly strong actress, but she makes an unforgettable visual impression. Unusual for this type of film, she works hand in hand with the law, though she isn't afraid to branch out on her own when she wants to. Casey adds a nice dose of reality and concern into his role. He's basically got the "girlfriend" role, but he and Dobson make a nice couple. Winters is way, way out there, abandoning all subtlety. Sporting a series of garish wigs, most of them vibrant red, she wails and rails at everyone around her when she isn't fondling her female assistants. It's a shrill, outrageous performance, but she's never boring. Fargas is engagingly flamboyant. He would later play a lighter variation on this type of role (and others he specialized in during this time) on "Starsky & Hutch." Sykes appears as his main squeeze. She sings (badly) and makes almost no impression at all until the end when she registers fear and despair fairly well. Frazer is authentic as a police captain. He would essay similar roles on "Kojak" and "As the World Turns." McKinney, legendary as the depraved hillbilly rapist in "Deliverance", gives another effectively nasty performance here. Reportedly, he was quite a caring and considerate man in real life! Other familiar faces include Warren as a motocross racer, Rolle as a soul food restaurant owner and Popwell (notable for his roles in the "Dirty Harry" films) as one of Rolle's adventuresome sons. This film remains one of the less graphically violent and sexually exploitive of the genre and, on that point, may disappoint some viewers. Still, it's got decent music, acceptable production values, interesting locales and costumes and some snappy dialogue. This was likely one of the films that inspired the short-lived TV series "Get Christie Love" (a show that was partly derailed when its star Teresa Graves got religion and refused to do most of what her character was intended to do as a focal point of the series!)

Former model Tamara Dobson struts around in some wacky fashions with one mean afro, taking on drug dealer Shelley Winters who really is the quintessential embankment to protect low land from being flooded, if you know what I mean, in this oddity that also features Antonio "Huggy Bear" Fargas, Bernie "Lamda Lamda Lamda" Casey, Bill "Squeal" McKinney, Esther "Movin' on up" Rolle, and Albert "I gots to know" Popwell. Dobson's lack of acting skill is offset by watching her feign karate in an epic battle with Shelley Winters. Yeah, Cleopatra Jones may be silly, but it's a lot of fun too. If you want grit, watch Shaft. If you want sex and violence, watch Coffy. Yeah, Cleopatra Jones may be silly, but it's a lot of fun too.

Tamara Dobson plays the title character, the best dressed United States Agent in the history of cinema. She's on a quest for justice and for burning down poppy fields. Her rival is Mommy, played by Shelley Winters, who gives a subtle, restrained perf...naw, I'm fooling ya, she's re-defining over-the-top as she GNAWS on every single piece of scenery, all in a variety of Eva Gabor wigs. Seeing her rub the bottom of her young girlfriend, and then get her feet rubbed by the same girl...I wasn't sure if I was going to vomit or thank the movie gods that created this.Plot is virtually unimportant as Cleo battles the fuzz, Antonio Fargas and anyone who gets in her way. Movie is vintage fun and it was nice to see Esther Rolle in a small part. 6/10.