Three the Hard Way (film)
Encyclopedia
Three the Hard Way is a 1974 action blaxploitation
film starring Fred Williamson
, Jim Brown
, and Jim Kelly
, written by Eric Bercovici and Jerrold L. Ludwig and directed by Gordon Parks, Jr.
. Featuring the three biggest black action stars of the 1970s in their first movie together, the film chronicled the group's adventures in foiling the plot of white supremacists plotting to kill the black population of the United States by poisoning the water supply.
(Shaft
1971) and director of the blaxploitation classic Superfly (1972) the film stars the three biggest black action stars of the era; Jim Brown (The Dirty Dozen
, El Condor
, Slaughter
) as record producer Jimmy Lait, Fred Williamson (Black Caesar
, Bucktown) as entrepreneur Jagger Daniels, and Jim Kelly (Enter the Dragon
, Black Samurai
, Black Belt Jones
, One Down Two to Go) as martial arts master Mister Keyes.
The story line starts out with Jimmy Lait coming across his friend wounded and dying. Lait learns from him that the man had escaped from a secret medical experimentation facility. Later in the hospital, the delirious man tells Lait that there is someone who aims to “kill us all” and that they have a way of doing it. However, Lait has to return to the studio to supervise a recording session with a group he manages, The Impressions (who also sing the soundtrack for the movie). He leaves his girlfriend Wendy Kane played by Sheila Frazier (Superfly, The Super Cops
, Starsky and Hutch
) to watch over his friend in the hospital. When Wendy is out of the room a man climbs through the window and shoots Jimmy’s friend in cold blood. Wendy walks back in as this is happening and she ends up being kidnapped by the assassin. After finding out about her kidnapping, Jimmy begins a quest to find the whereabouts of his girlfriend but encounters many attackers trying to stop him and he soon realizes that this job is too much for one man. Jimmy enlists the help of his friends Jagger Daniels and Mister Keyes (named “Mister” by his mother so people would be forced to show him respect) and the three start a rampage of gun fights, fist fights, and explosions to save their race.
The three actions stars soon find out that they must defeat a worldwide plot of black genocide concocted by the evil, and nefarious Monroe Feather played by Jay Robinson
(Hawaii Five-0, Planet of the Apes
, Cheers
). Monroe Feather is the leader of a secret neo-nazi, white supremacist organization whose chief scientist Dr. Fortrero, played by Richard Angarola, has developed a serum that is lethal and only affects African Americans. The organization plans to deploy the serum into the water systems of New York
, Detroit, and Los Angeles
, the hometowns of the three heroes, and kill off the black populations.
The movie continues through action scenes and explosions with the three protagonist easily killing and/or disposing of numerous henchmen of the racist organization. Two of the most memorable scenes are Mister Keyes’ New York City fight scene versus a group of crooked police and the interrogation of a captive white supremacist by the female friends of Jagger Daniels. In the former scene, Keyes is framed by NYPD officers by them placing cocaine in his car. Keyes is then confronted by a street cop and upon realizing the officers intentions he engages in a series of martial art kicks, punches, and chops to foil a series of crooked police and get out of the situation. In this scene Jim Kelly shows off his trademark Bruce Lee
-like fighting techniques that made him one of the most famous black actor martial-artist of all time. In the latter scene, the three are unable to make a captured man give up his secrets so Jagger Daniels makes a call to his three multi-cultural friends (black, white, and asian): The Countess played by Pamela Serpe, The Empress played by Irene Tsu, and The Princess played by Marie O’Henry. These three feminine dominatrixes arrive in style. They are riding blue, red, and white Japanese racing motorcycles with matching leathers suits. The three women are all business and “hungry” to inflict real damage to their captive in order to make him talk. Daniels shows the women much respect and warns Keyes to stay out of their way or he “might not survive.” The dominatrixes, bearing their nude chest, approach the captive man who is in a room by himself. The man, seemingly unafraid at first, believes he is going to have sex with the three women because of their appearance at first. However, he soon finds out he is in for great amounts of pain and humiliation when the women open up their “equipment bags.” After some time the women notify the three heroes that the man is ready to talk and they find him in a corner shaking in the fetal position. After the men hear what the captive has to say, the women return to continue their craft but upon seeing them once more the supremacist lets out a yelp and falls over, dead.
is a term that has come to define a multitude films during the 1970s that features at least one African American main character and themes concurrent with the Black Pride
movement of the time. In an essence, blaxploitation has become a genre in its own right but it is hard to define exactly what films fall into this genre. Many believe it is the collection of 1970s black action films that promoted black culture however some disagree with this point. One of the leading directors of the time, Gordon Parks Sr., -father of Gordon Parks Jr. and director of one of the genre’s most famous films, Shaft- takes offense to the term “blaxploitation” and and the classification of his films as such a movie. In any case, the blaxploitation genre can be defined as a group of 1970s era films that were black-cast or black-themed and were “created, developed, heavily promoted to young, inner-city, black audiences.”
The 1960s provided much of the social events and culture that lead to the development of the blaxploitation genre. The Civil Rights movement
, Vietnam War
, assassinations of Malcolm X
, Martin Luther King Jr. and the Kennedys, and the inner-city race riots of Watts
, Detroit and Newark
magnified the need for tolerance and unity among Americans. Along with these events, the Black Power
movement brought black culture and customs to the forefront of the American eye. White Americans were cautious but also intrigued and developed and appreciation by black culture especially hairstyles, fashion, catchphrases, and music. This push towards the inclusion of black culture into popular culture allowed for black films to be marketed to the general public. Featuring black themes and black casts, films like Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967) and The Dirty Dozen (1967) and actors like Sidney Poitier
and Jim Brown were well-received and became Hollywood stars.
However, as Sidney Poitier’s films appealed to the white masses and the black bourgeoisie Jim Brown’s films were popular among the younger, vigilant, and politically-oriented black audiences. While white upper and middle class Americans were moving out of the inner cities and into the suburbs, black families were moving into these vacated spots. The value of the black dollar, in relation to the entertainment industry, took on more importance because they represented the cities of America. In an effort to attract this money Hollywood focused efforts on appeasing the desires and expectations of America’s new urban class.
One of the first movies designed to fit this plan was United Artists’ Cotton Comes to Harlem which was released in 1970 and became the biggest grossing black film to date bringing a revenue of over $15.4 million. In an instant, movies featuring blacks and incorporating black themes were moved from the background to the limelight in the film industry. Following Cotton Comes to Harlem, Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song (1971) took $450,000 to make and grossed over $12 million in less than a year. While Cotton Comes to Harlem used inoffensive and familiar characters, Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song presented a character who portrayed black male anger, sexuality and pride that were current themes in urban ghettoes across the nation. This movie set a blueprint for many to come after it following relatively the same formula. Shaft (1971), directed by Gordon Parks Sr., was maybe the most popular film of the genre. Using a paired down main character compared to Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, Gordon Parks was able to turn the protagonist John Shaft (played by Richard Roundtree) into a national icon even among white males. John Shaft’s suits, belts, coats, cologne, and swagger personified cool in 1970s America. The film also featured and Oscar and Grammy winning song “Theme from Shaft
” which was performed by black music star Isaac Hayes
. Shaft provided another two aspects that would be prevalent in future blaxploitation movies: the perception of cool, and a catchy, popular soundtrack.
Another of the biggest films of the era was Superfly (1972). Directed by Gordon Parks Sr.’s son Gordon Parks Jr., Superfly amplified the representation of black style especially in the areas of language and clothing. If Shaft took blaxploitation to the mainstream, then Superfly took blaxploitation to the top of the box office knocking off The Godfather as the highest grossing film in America according to the 4 October 1972 edition of Variety
. For a film that took only $500,000 to make, Superfly showed Hollywood of the potential of blaxploitation films to make a lot of money with low budgets. Using simple sets and settings, blaxploitation directors were able to focus on the themes of the movies such as machismo, sexuality, feminism, and black pride to entice moviegoers rather than visual effects.
Three the Hard Way was more or less born from this formula. Directed by Gordon Parks Jr., Three the Hard Way took the three biggest black action stars of the time -NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown, former NFL player Fred Williamson, and martial artist Jim Kelly- and produced an action-packed spectacle filled with machismo, gunplay, fight scenes, nudity, and black pride. This film had a higher budget and more special effects than previous blaxploitation movies with over 20 cars being exploded. In an effort to get away from some of the criticism of Superfly, that it glorified black criminals as heroes for the black community and its use of extensive nudity and derogatory speech, Gordon Parks Jr. took a different approach with Three the Hard Way and let the action do most of the entertaining. With limited nudity, less profanity, and glorified characters such as a record executive, business man, and martial artist, Parks’ film showed black heroes in a new light. The black star could take on many of the virtues that white America also looked upon favorably.
on 7 December 1934 Gordon Parks Jr. was nicknamed Butch by his grandfather. In 1940, the Parks family moved from Minneapolis to Chicago and the elder Gordon started his career in the film, photography, journalist industry. When he was sixteen, Gordon Parks Jr. and his family moved to Paris, France where his father was assigned for two years by Life
Magazine. While in Paris, Parks Jr. developed his love for the fine arts and travel that influenced his later career as a filmmaker and director. Parks enrolled in the American School in Paris and learned French as a second language. In school, Parks took up painting and began his first efforts at directing on student plays. On weekends and holidays, Parks would accompany his father on journalistic adventures to concerts, museums, and other towns such as St. Tropez and Cannes.
In 1952 Parks moved back to White Plains, New York and graduated from High School. His parents separated and in attempt to distance himself from the career choice of his father, Parks took up a job in the clothing industry of New York moving racks. However, on of his father’s photo shoots he was invited to meet the infamous gang leader Red Jackson who brought the young Parks face to face with the inner-city reality he portrayed in many of his films including Superfly and Three the Hard Way. In 1957 Parks was drafted into the U.S. Army. On an excursion his convoy truck broke down and was close to being exposed to radiation from atom bomb testing which was taking place nearby. Because of this, Parks was discharged from the Army six months later and he returned to New York’s Greenwich Village
to play and sing folk music in bars and restaurants in the area. Because of their names, the Parks Jr. struggled from notoriety away from his father, Parks Sr. Many of Gordon Parks Jr.’s accomplishments have been mistakenly credited to the elder Parks. The two have been described by Parks Jr.’s stepmother as being in friendly competition. In any case, Parks Jr. released his classic, Superfly, the year after Parks Sr. released his cult classic, Shaft. The movie transformed the black film industry into a major player in Hollywood and allowed Parks Jr. to recruit action stars Jim Brown, Fred Williamson, and Jim Kelly for his film Three The Hard Way. After it’s release, Three The Hard Way came to be known as one of the premier action films of the blaxploitation genre.
’s 2002 HBO Documentary he declared Jim Brown “the greatest football player of all time.’’ An NFL Hall of Famer, Brown’s transition to movies was no easy task but a logical one given his broad appeal to black youth.
From his days as a four way sports star at Syracuse University
in football, lacrosse, basketball and track, controversy seemed to follow Jim Brown. Brown was only the second black football player at Syracuse and his proficiency on the field threatened some white fans. During his All-Pro career with the Cleveland Browns
, Jim Brown’s image was at it’s apex but controversy came again with the release of his 1964 autobiography Off My Chest. In his autobiography Jim Brown talked about race when he says, “The first thing the white man must understand the depth of our protest. Does he realize that the Black Muslim’s basic attitude toward whites is shared by almost 99 percent of the Negro population? I protest prejudice, but I am a prejudiced man. The white man has forced me to be prejudiced against him.” Later, Brown ran into legal troubles when allegations arose of his violence towards women. These issues coupled with his view of race pushed Jim Brown from the popular American athlete to “Jim Brown, angry black man” in the eyes of white America.
In any light, Jim Brown during his acting days was a natural action star due to his huge frame, burly appearance, and macho swagger. Brown was able to rise to the top of black action stars in the blaxploitation genre through a slew of movies. His presence in Three the Hard Way categorizes it as truly one of the must see action movies of the genre due to its cast alone.
Another effect the movie had, along with the blaxploitation genre in general, was the adaptation of the black action star who exemplified soul, style, sexuality, black pride, African ancestry, and male machismo. Also, the plot of Three The Hard Way has been copied and parodied most notably in the film Undercover Brother
. In Undercover Brother, protagonist Eddie Griffin
portrays “Undercover Brother,” a soulful crime-fighting vigilante who must stop the white-run “Man” before he destroys the black population of the United States through an ingested toxin. This plot is similar to Three The Hard Way. Also, the Man’s second in command is named Mr. Feathers, played by Chris Kattan
who is named after Monroe Feather from Three The Hard Way.
Black Dynamite
, a satirical parody of the blaxploitation genre, contains quite a few plot elements reminiscent of Three the Hard Way. The title protagonist (played by Michael Jai White
, is a kung-fu master, and the plot revolves around a malt liquor tainted with ingredients that shrinks black mens' genitalia.
’s former group The Impressions, the soundtrack featured the songs “That’s What Love Can Do,” “Three The Hard Way,” and “Make a Resolution.” The album got mixed reviews from critics and was described as “quickly recorded with little feel” . Most of the songs feature a sweet-sounding harmony over a light funk background.
Blaxploitation
Blaxploitation or blacksploitation is a film genre which emerged in the United States circa 1970. It is considered an ethnic sub-genre of the general category of exploitation films. Blaxploitation films were originally made specifically for an urban black audience, although the genre's audience...
film starring Fred Williamson
Fred Williamson
Fred "The Hammer" Williamson is an American actor, architect, and former professional American football defensive back who played mainly in the American Football League during the 1960s.-Football career:...
, Jim Brown
Jim Brown
James Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
, and Jim Kelly
Jim Kelly (martial artist)
James M. "Jim" "the Dragon" Kelly is an American athlete, actor, and martial artist who came to prominence in the early 1970s. He is best known from his performance as Williams in the 1973 Bruce Lee film Enter the Dragon.-Early life:...
, written by Eric Bercovici and Jerrold L. Ludwig and directed by Gordon Parks, Jr.
Gordon Parks, Jr.
Gordon Roger Parks, Jr. was an American film director best known for the film Super Fly.Parks was the son of Sally Alvis and late photographer and director Gordon Parks...
. Featuring the three biggest black action stars of the 1970s in their first movie together, the film chronicled the group's adventures in foiling the plot of white supremacists plotting to kill the black population of the United States by poisoning the water supply.
Plot
Three The Hard Way was released in 1974 and is considered one of the classic action movies of the blaxploitation genre. Directed by the acclaimed Gordon Parks Jr., son of Gordon ParksGordon Parks
Gordon Roger Alexander Buchanan Parks was a groundbreaking American photographer, musician, poet, novelist, journalist, activist and film director...
(Shaft
Shaft (1971 film)
Shaft is a 1971 American blaxploitation film directed by Gordon Parks, released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. An action film with elements of film noir, Shaft tells the story of a black private detective, John Shaft, who travels through Harlem and to the Italian mob neighborhoods in order to find the...
1971) and director of the blaxploitation classic Superfly (1972) the film stars the three biggest black action stars of the era; Jim Brown (The Dirty Dozen
The Dirty Dozen
The Dirty Dozen is a 1967 film directed by Robert Aldrich and released by MGM. It was filmed in England and features an ensemble cast, including Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, Telly Savalas, and Robert Webber. The film is based on E. M...
, El Condor
Condor, El
El Condor is a 1970 film directed by John Guillermin.Jim Brown and Lee Van Cleef lead a band of Apaches against a fortress commanded by Patrick O’Neal...
, Slaughter
Slaughter (film)
Slaughter is a 1972 Blaxploitation film which was released during the early 1970s Blaxploitation film era. It was directed by Jack Starrett and is stars Jim Brown as an African American Vietnam Veteran and former Green Beret captain who is referred to only by his last name Slaughter. He seeks...
) as record producer Jimmy Lait, Fred Williamson (Black Caesar
Black Caesar (film)
Black Caesar is a 1973 American blaxploitation film, starring Fred Williamson and Gloria Hendry. The film was written and directed by Larry Cohen. It is a remake of the 1931 film Little Caesar. It features a notable musical score by James Brown , his first experience with writing music for film...
, Bucktown) as entrepreneur Jagger Daniels, and Jim Kelly (Enter the Dragon
Enter the Dragon
Enter the Dragon is a 1973 Hong Kong martial arts co-production with Golden Harvest and Warner Bros. studios, directed by Robert Clouse; starring Bruce Lee, Jim Kelly and John Saxon. This is Bruce Lee's final film appearance before his death on July 20, 1973...
, Black Samurai
Black Samurai
Black Samurai is a 1977 American blaxploitation film directed by Al Adamson, starring Jim Kelly. The script is credited to B. Readick, with additional story ideas from Marco Joachim...
, Black Belt Jones
Black Belt Jones
Black Belt Jones is a 1974 American Blaxploitation action film. The main musical theme was performed by the funk guitarist Dennis Coffey. The film was featured as number 38 on the documentary The 50 Worst Movies Ever Made.-Plot:...
, One Down Two to Go) as martial arts master Mister Keyes.
The story line starts out with Jimmy Lait coming across his friend wounded and dying. Lait learns from him that the man had escaped from a secret medical experimentation facility. Later in the hospital, the delirious man tells Lait that there is someone who aims to “kill us all” and that they have a way of doing it. However, Lait has to return to the studio to supervise a recording session with a group he manages, The Impressions (who also sing the soundtrack for the movie). He leaves his girlfriend Wendy Kane played by Sheila Frazier (Superfly, The Super Cops
The Super Cops
The Super Cops is a 1974 film starring Ron Leibman and David Selby, directed by Gordon Parks. The film is based on the book The Super Cops: The True Story Of The Cops Called Batman and Robin by L.H. Whittemore...
, Starsky and Hutch
Starsky and Hutch
Starsky and Hutch is a 1970s American cop thriller television series that consisted of a 90-minute pilot movie and 92 episodes of 60 minutes each; created by William Blinn, produced by Spelling-Goldberg Productions, and broadcast between April 30, 1975 and May 15, 1979 on the ABC...
) to watch over his friend in the hospital. When Wendy is out of the room a man climbs through the window and shoots Jimmy’s friend in cold blood. Wendy walks back in as this is happening and she ends up being kidnapped by the assassin. After finding out about her kidnapping, Jimmy begins a quest to find the whereabouts of his girlfriend but encounters many attackers trying to stop him and he soon realizes that this job is too much for one man. Jimmy enlists the help of his friends Jagger Daniels and Mister Keyes (named “Mister” by his mother so people would be forced to show him respect) and the three start a rampage of gun fights, fist fights, and explosions to save their race.
The three actions stars soon find out that they must defeat a worldwide plot of black genocide concocted by the evil, and nefarious Monroe Feather played by Jay Robinson
Jay Robinson
Jay Robinson is an American actor specialising in character roles. He was born in New York City.-Career:Robinson began his acting career in summer stock theatre and repertory companies, and eventually made his way to the Broadway stage, where he appeared in Shakespeare's As You Like It and Much...
(Hawaii Five-0, Planet of the Apes
Planet of the Apes (1968 film)
Planet of the Apes is a 1968 American science fiction film directed by Franklin J. Schaffner, based on the 1963 French novel La Planète des singes by Pierre Boulle. The film stars Charlton Heston, Roddy McDowall, Kim Hunter, Maurice Evans, James Whitmore, James Daly and Linda Harrison...
, Cheers
Cheers
Cheers is an American situation comedy television series that ran for 11 seasons from 1982 to 1993. It was produced by Charles/Burrows/Charles Productions, in association with Paramount Network Television for NBC, and was created by the team of James Burrows, Glen Charles, and Les Charles...
). Monroe Feather is the leader of a secret neo-nazi, white supremacist organization whose chief scientist Dr. Fortrero, played by Richard Angarola, has developed a serum that is lethal and only affects African Americans. The organization plans to deploy the serum into the water systems of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Detroit, and Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, the hometowns of the three heroes, and kill off the black populations.
The movie continues through action scenes and explosions with the three protagonist easily killing and/or disposing of numerous henchmen of the racist organization. Two of the most memorable scenes are Mister Keyes’ New York City fight scene versus a group of crooked police and the interrogation of a captive white supremacist by the female friends of Jagger Daniels. In the former scene, Keyes is framed by NYPD officers by them placing cocaine in his car. Keyes is then confronted by a street cop and upon realizing the officers intentions he engages in a series of martial art kicks, punches, and chops to foil a series of crooked police and get out of the situation. In this scene Jim Kelly shows off his trademark Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
-like fighting techniques that made him one of the most famous black actor martial-artist of all time. In the latter scene, the three are unable to make a captured man give up his secrets so Jagger Daniels makes a call to his three multi-cultural friends (black, white, and asian): The Countess played by Pamela Serpe, The Empress played by Irene Tsu, and The Princess played by Marie O’Henry. These three feminine dominatrixes arrive in style. They are riding blue, red, and white Japanese racing motorcycles with matching leathers suits. The three women are all business and “hungry” to inflict real damage to their captive in order to make him talk. Daniels shows the women much respect and warns Keyes to stay out of their way or he “might not survive.” The dominatrixes, bearing their nude chest, approach the captive man who is in a room by himself. The man, seemingly unafraid at first, believes he is going to have sex with the three women because of their appearance at first. However, he soon finds out he is in for great amounts of pain and humiliation when the women open up their “equipment bags.” After some time the women notify the three heroes that the man is ready to talk and they find him in a corner shaking in the fetal position. After the men hear what the captive has to say, the women return to continue their craft but upon seeing them once more the supremacist lets out a yelp and falls over, dead.
Blaxploitation
BlaxploitationBlaxploitation
Blaxploitation or blacksploitation is a film genre which emerged in the United States circa 1970. It is considered an ethnic sub-genre of the general category of exploitation films. Blaxploitation films were originally made specifically for an urban black audience, although the genre's audience...
is a term that has come to define a multitude films during the 1970s that features at least one African American main character and themes concurrent with the Black Pride
Black pride
Black pride is a slogan indicating pride in being black. Related movements include black nationalism and Afrocentrism.The slogan has been used in the United States by African Americans to celebrate heritage and personal pride. The black pride movement is closely linked with the developments of the...
movement of the time. In an essence, blaxploitation has become a genre in its own right but it is hard to define exactly what films fall into this genre. Many believe it is the collection of 1970s black action films that promoted black culture however some disagree with this point. One of the leading directors of the time, Gordon Parks Sr., -father of Gordon Parks Jr. and director of one of the genre’s most famous films, Shaft- takes offense to the term “blaxploitation” and and the classification of his films as such a movie. In any case, the blaxploitation genre can be defined as a group of 1970s era films that were black-cast or black-themed and were “created, developed, heavily promoted to young, inner-city, black audiences.”
The 1960s provided much of the social events and culture that lead to the development of the blaxploitation genre. The Civil Rights movement
Civil rights movement
The civil rights movement was a worldwide political movement for equality before the law occurring between approximately 1950 and 1980. In many situations it took the form of campaigns of civil resistance aimed at achieving change by nonviolent forms of resistance. In some situations it was...
, Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, assassinations of Malcolm X
Malcolm X
Malcolm X , born Malcolm Little and also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz , was an African American Muslim minister and human rights activist. To his admirers he was a courageous advocate for the rights of African Americans, a man who indicted white America in the harshest terms for its...
, Martin Luther King Jr. and the Kennedys, and the inner-city race riots of Watts
Watts
-People:*Watts , the surname of several people*Watts S. Humphrey , American software engineer often called the father of software quality*Watts , a Canadian record producer-Fictional characters:*Watts family in EastEnders...
, Detroit and Newark
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
magnified the need for tolerance and unity among Americans. Along with these events, the Black Power
Black Power
Black Power is a political slogan and a name for various associated ideologies. It is used in the movement among people of Black African descent throughout the world, though primarily by African Americans in the United States...
movement brought black culture and customs to the forefront of the American eye. White Americans were cautious but also intrigued and developed and appreciation by black culture especially hairstyles, fashion, catchphrases, and music. This push towards the inclusion of black culture into popular culture allowed for black films to be marketed to the general public. Featuring black themes and black casts, films like Who’s Coming to Dinner (1967) and The Dirty Dozen (1967) and actors like Sidney Poitier
Sidney Poitier
Sir Sidney Poitier, KBE is a Bahamian American actor, film director, author, and diplomat.In 1963, Poitier became the first black person to win an Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Lilies of the Field...
and Jim Brown were well-received and became Hollywood stars.
However, as Sidney Poitier’s films appealed to the white masses and the black bourgeoisie Jim Brown’s films were popular among the younger, vigilant, and politically-oriented black audiences. While white upper and middle class Americans were moving out of the inner cities and into the suburbs, black families were moving into these vacated spots. The value of the black dollar, in relation to the entertainment industry, took on more importance because they represented the cities of America. In an effort to attract this money Hollywood focused efforts on appeasing the desires and expectations of America’s new urban class.
One of the first movies designed to fit this plan was United Artists’ Cotton Comes to Harlem which was released in 1970 and became the biggest grossing black film to date bringing a revenue of over $15.4 million. In an instant, movies featuring blacks and incorporating black themes were moved from the background to the limelight in the film industry. Following Cotton Comes to Harlem, Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song (1971) took $450,000 to make and grossed over $12 million in less than a year. While Cotton Comes to Harlem used inoffensive and familiar characters, Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song presented a character who portrayed black male anger, sexuality and pride that were current themes in urban ghettoes across the nation. This movie set a blueprint for many to come after it following relatively the same formula. Shaft (1971), directed by Gordon Parks Sr., was maybe the most popular film of the genre. Using a paired down main character compared to Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song, Gordon Parks was able to turn the protagonist John Shaft (played by Richard Roundtree) into a national icon even among white males. John Shaft’s suits, belts, coats, cologne, and swagger personified cool in 1970s America. The film also featured and Oscar and Grammy winning song “Theme from Shaft
Theme from Shaft
"Theme from Shaft", written and recorded by Isaac Hayes in 1971, is the soul and funk-styled theme song to the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film, Shaft...
” which was performed by black music star Isaac Hayes
Isaac Hayes
Isaac Lee Hayes, Jr. was an American songwriter, musician, singer and actor. Hayes was one of the creative influences behind the southern soul music label Stax Records, where he served both as an in-house songwriter and as a record producer, teaming with his partner David Porter during the...
. Shaft provided another two aspects that would be prevalent in future blaxploitation movies: the perception of cool, and a catchy, popular soundtrack.
Another of the biggest films of the era was Superfly (1972). Directed by Gordon Parks Sr.’s son Gordon Parks Jr., Superfly amplified the representation of black style especially in the areas of language and clothing. If Shaft took blaxploitation to the mainstream, then Superfly took blaxploitation to the top of the box office knocking off The Godfather as the highest grossing film in America according to the 4 October 1972 edition of Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
. For a film that took only $500,000 to make, Superfly showed Hollywood of the potential of blaxploitation films to make a lot of money with low budgets. Using simple sets and settings, blaxploitation directors were able to focus on the themes of the movies such as machismo, sexuality, feminism, and black pride to entice moviegoers rather than visual effects.
Three the Hard Way was more or less born from this formula. Directed by Gordon Parks Jr., Three the Hard Way took the three biggest black action stars of the time -NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown, former NFL player Fred Williamson, and martial artist Jim Kelly- and produced an action-packed spectacle filled with machismo, gunplay, fight scenes, nudity, and black pride. This film had a higher budget and more special effects than previous blaxploitation movies with over 20 cars being exploded. In an effort to get away from some of the criticism of Superfly, that it glorified black criminals as heroes for the black community and its use of extensive nudity and derogatory speech, Gordon Parks Jr. took a different approach with Three the Hard Way and let the action do most of the entertaining. With limited nudity, less profanity, and glorified characters such as a record executive, business man, and martial artist, Parks’ film showed black heroes in a new light. The black star could take on many of the virtues that white America also looked upon favorably.
Gordon Parks Jr.
Gordon Parks Jr. is the son of Gordon Parks, the award-winning director. A notable director in his own right, Gordon Parks Jr. is known for such films as Superfly and Three the Hard Way. Born in Minneapolis, MinnesotaMinnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
on 7 December 1934 Gordon Parks Jr. was nicknamed Butch by his grandfather. In 1940, the Parks family moved from Minneapolis to Chicago and the elder Gordon started his career in the film, photography, journalist industry. When he was sixteen, Gordon Parks Jr. and his family moved to Paris, France where his father was assigned for two years by Life
Life (magazine)
Life generally refers to three American magazines:*A humor and general interest magazine published from 1883 to 1936. Time founder Henry Luce bought the magazine in 1936 solely so that he could acquire the rights to its name....
Magazine. While in Paris, Parks Jr. developed his love for the fine arts and travel that influenced his later career as a filmmaker and director. Parks enrolled in the American School in Paris and learned French as a second language. In school, Parks took up painting and began his first efforts at directing on student plays. On weekends and holidays, Parks would accompany his father on journalistic adventures to concerts, museums, and other towns such as St. Tropez and Cannes.
In 1952 Parks moved back to White Plains, New York and graduated from High School. His parents separated and in attempt to distance himself from the career choice of his father, Parks took up a job in the clothing industry of New York moving racks. However, on of his father’s photo shoots he was invited to meet the infamous gang leader Red Jackson who brought the young Parks face to face with the inner-city reality he portrayed in many of his films including Superfly and Three the Hard Way. In 1957 Parks was drafted into the U.S. Army. On an excursion his convoy truck broke down and was close to being exposed to radiation from atom bomb testing which was taking place nearby. Because of this, Parks was discharged from the Army six months later and he returned to New York’s Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village, , , , .in New York often simply called "the Village", is a largely residential neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. A large majority of the district is home to upper middle class families...
to play and sing folk music in bars and restaurants in the area. Because of their names, the Parks Jr. struggled from notoriety away from his father, Parks Sr. Many of Gordon Parks Jr.’s accomplishments have been mistakenly credited to the elder Parks. The two have been described by Parks Jr.’s stepmother as being in friendly competition. In any case, Parks Jr. released his classic, Superfly, the year after Parks Sr. released his cult classic, Shaft. The movie transformed the black film industry into a major player in Hollywood and allowed Parks Jr. to recruit action stars Jim Brown, Fred Williamson, and Jim Kelly for his film Three The Hard Way. After it’s release, Three The Hard Way came to be known as one of the premier action films of the blaxploitation genre.
Jim Brown
Jim Brown is the most notable and main protagonist of the film playing the role of recording producer Jimmy Lait. Brown was a controversial choice at the time because of his dealings in his personal life. However, Brown’s switch from professional athlete to movie star broadened his notoriety and appeal even more. In Spike LeeSpike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee is an American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, has produced over 35 films since 1983....
’s 2002 HBO Documentary he declared Jim Brown “the greatest football player of all time.’’ An NFL Hall of Famer, Brown’s transition to movies was no easy task but a logical one given his broad appeal to black youth.
From his days as a four way sports star at Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
in football, lacrosse, basketball and track, controversy seemed to follow Jim Brown. Brown was only the second black football player at Syracuse and his proficiency on the field threatened some white fans. During his All-Pro career with the Cleveland Browns
Cleveland Browns
The Cleveland Browns are a professional football team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are currently members of the North Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Jim Brown’s image was at it’s apex but controversy came again with the release of his 1964 autobiography Off My Chest. In his autobiography Jim Brown talked about race when he says, “The first thing the white man must understand the depth of our protest. Does he realize that the Black Muslim’s basic attitude toward whites is shared by almost 99 percent of the Negro population? I protest prejudice, but I am a prejudiced man. The white man has forced me to be prejudiced against him.” Later, Brown ran into legal troubles when allegations arose of his violence towards women. These issues coupled with his view of race pushed Jim Brown from the popular American athlete to “Jim Brown, angry black man” in the eyes of white America.
In any light, Jim Brown during his acting days was a natural action star due to his huge frame, burly appearance, and macho swagger. Brown was able to rise to the top of black action stars in the blaxploitation genre through a slew of movies. His presence in Three the Hard Way categorizes it as truly one of the must see action movies of the genre due to its cast alone.
Effect on Popular Culture
Along with director Gordon Parks Jr.’s other notable film Superfly, Three The Hard Way had a lesser but still substantial effect on popular culture. Starting with the soundtrack which lit up airwaves and featured songs by The Impressions. The catchy tunes of the movie had audiences not only hyped up during the movie but also after the film back in their homes and cars.Another effect the movie had, along with the blaxploitation genre in general, was the adaptation of the black action star who exemplified soul, style, sexuality, black pride, African ancestry, and male machismo. Also, the plot of Three The Hard Way has been copied and parodied most notably in the film Undercover Brother
Undercover Brother
Undercover Brother is a 2002 American comedy film starring Eddie Griffin and directed by Malcolm D. Lee. The screenplay is by Michael McCullers and co-executive producer John Ridley, who created the original internet animation characters. It spoofs blaxploitation films of the 1970s as well as a...
. In Undercover Brother, protagonist Eddie Griffin
Eddie Griffin
Edward James "Eddie" Griffin, Jr. is an American actor and comedian. He is best known for his sitcom, Malcolm & Eddie along with co-star, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, and his role in the 2002 comedy film Undercover Brother as the film’s title character.-Early life:Griffin was born in Kansas City,...
portrays “Undercover Brother,” a soulful crime-fighting vigilante who must stop the white-run “Man” before he destroys the black population of the United States through an ingested toxin. This plot is similar to Three The Hard Way. Also, the Man’s second in command is named Mr. Feathers, played by Chris Kattan
Chris Kattan
Christopher Lee "Chris" Kattan is an American actor/comedian, best known for his work on Saturday Night Live.-Early life:Kattan was born in Sherman Oaks, California. His father, Kip King, was an actor and voice actor who appeared on the series Reno 911! as Larrie Plum. His mother, Hajnalka E....
who is named after Monroe Feather from Three The Hard Way.
Black Dynamite
Black Dynamite
Black Dynamite is a 2009 American film starring Michael Jai White, Salli Richardson, Arsenio Hall, Kevin Chapman and Tommy Davidson. It is a spoof of 1970s blaxploitation films...
, a satirical parody of the blaxploitation genre, contains quite a few plot elements reminiscent of Three the Hard Way. The title protagonist (played by Michael Jai White
Michael Jai White
Michael Jai White is an American actor and martial artist who has appeared in numerous films and television series. He is the first African American to portray a major comic book superhero in a major motion picture, having starred as Al Simmons, the protagonist in the 1997 film Spawn...
, is a kung-fu master, and the plot revolves around a malt liquor tainted with ingredients that shrinks black mens' genitalia.
Soundtrack
Performed by Curtis MayfieldCurtis Mayfield
Curtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly...
’s former group The Impressions, the soundtrack featured the songs “That’s What Love Can Do,” “Three The Hard Way,” and “Make a Resolution.” The album got mixed reviews from critics and was described as “quickly recorded with little feel” . Most of the songs feature a sweet-sounding harmony over a light funk background.
Cast
- Jim BrownJim BrownJames Nathaniel "Jim" Brown is an American former professional football player who has also made his mark as an actor. He is best known for his exceptional and record-setting nine-year career as a running back for the NFL Cleveland Browns from 1957 to 1965. In 2002, he was named by Sporting News...
as Jimmy Lait, record producer - Fred WilliamsonFred WilliamsonFred "The Hammer" Williamson is an American actor, architect, and former professional American football defensive back who played mainly in the American Football League during the 1960s.-Football career:...
as Jagger Daniels, Chicago businessman - Jim Kelly (martial artist)Jim Kelly (martial artist)James M. "Jim" "the Dragon" Kelly is an American athlete, actor, and martial artist who came to prominence in the early 1970s. He is best known from his performance as Williams in the 1973 Bruce Lee film Enter the Dragon.-Early life:...
as Mister Keyes, martial artist - Sheila Frazier as Wendy Kane, kidnapped girlfriend of Jimmy Lait
- Jay RobinsonJay RobinsonJay Robinson is an American actor specialising in character roles. He was born in New York City.-Career:Robinson began his acting career in summer stock theatre and repertory companies, and eventually made his way to the Broadway stage, where he appeared in Shakespeare's As You Like It and Much...
as Monroe Feather, head of white supremacist group - Charles Mcgregor as Charlie
- Howard PlattHoward PlattHoward Platt is an American stage and television actor, singer and director, best known for his role as "Officer Hopkins", or"Hoppy" in the hit NBC-TV comedy series Sanford and Son from 1973-1977...
as Keep - Richard Angarola as Dr. Fortero
- David ChowDavid ChowDavid John Chow is a fictional character in the CBS soap opera The Young and the Restless, portrayed by actor Vincent Irizarry from January 9, 2007 to August 1, 2008.-Character biography:...
as Link - Marian Collier as Eva
- Junero Jennings as House
- Alex RoccoAlex RoccoAlex Rocco is an American actor. His roles have ranged from comedy to playing gangsters in Mafia movies.-Early life:...
as Lt. Di Nisco - Corbin BernsenCorbin BernsenCorbin Dean Bernsen is an American actor and director, known for his work on television. He is best known for his roles as divorce attorney Arnold Becker on the NBC drama series L.A. Law, and as retired police detective Henry Spencer on the USA Network comedy-drama series Psych...
as Boy - Renie Radich as Girl
- Janice Carrol as Nurse
- Irene TsuIrene TsuIrene Tsu is a Chinese American actress who started in the film adaptation Flower Drum Song in 1961 and has had many subsequent roles in TV and films...
as the empress