Super Fly (1972 film)  

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Super Fly is a 1972 Blaxploitation film directed by Gordon Parks, Jr., starring Ron O'Neal as Youngblood Priest, an African American cocaine dealer who is trying to quit the underworld drug business.

This film is known for its soundtrack, written and produced by soul singer Curtis Mayfield (see Super Fly (soundtrack)). Super Fly is one of the few films ever to have been outgrossed by its soundtrack.

Leading man O'Neal directed a sequel to the film that was released less than a year later, Super Fly T.N.T.; Super Fly producer Sig Shore directed a second sequel in 1990, The Return of Superfly.

Plot

Priest (Ron O'Neal) is an up-and-coming cocaine dealer in New York City. On his way to a meeting point in Harlem early one morning he is mugged by two junkies. Priest beats one up and gives chase to the other, beating him until he gets the money back. Afterwards, Fat Freddie and Nate Adams, Priest's main dealers, turn up at his apartment to make their payments. When Fat Freddie doesn't have his money, Priest warns him that either he is going to get his money by robbing someone or he will put his wife out on "whore's row". Priest gives them a gun and the pair go out to rob a gangster after they follow him to New Jersey. Priest then goes to meet his partner in crime, Eddie (Carl Lee), who is playing craps downtown, to discuss his future plans. The pair go back to Eddie's apartment where Priest tells Eddie he wants out of the business but wants to make one last big score: to make one million dollars in four months. Eddie at first tries to talk him out of retiring, but reluctantly goes along with Priest's idea.

Later that night, Priest and Eddie arrive at Scatter's restaurant. Scatter (Julius Harris) is a retired drug dealer who was a mentor to Priest. After watching the band (The Curtis Mayfield Experience) play, the two go into the kitchen to discuss business with Scatter. Priest tells Scatter his plans and that he needs him to provide him with 30 kilograms of coke.

Scatter gets frustrated at them and tells them he cannot help. After Eddie angers Scatter, Scatter puts a gun to his head. Scatter then agrees to supply Priest the drugs. The trio agree to a meeting time and Priest and Eddie leave to meet Fat Freddie and Nate. Freddie has Priest's money from the successful holdup and the three of them talk over a beer. Priest accidentally reveals to Freddie and Nate that he is picking up one key of coke from Scatter. Priest then goes home to a romantic evening with his girlfriend, Georgia (Sheila Frazier).

The following day, Freddie is arrested in Harlem for assault and is questioned by narcotics detectives who beat him into a confession. Freddie rats out Priest and Eddie and tells the police that there are around 50 other dealers and that Priest and Eddie are picking up a key of coke that night from Scatter. Freddie is released but tries to escape outside the police precinct, and is hit by a car and killed. Meanwhile Priest and Georgia are in Carl Schurz Park planning to leave New York together.

Later that night, Priest and Eddie go to pick up one key of coke from Scatter but the detectives are waiting. Alerted, Priest walks away but one of the detectives follows him down a dark street, where Priest is ambushed and held at gun point; Eddie has already been arrested. The detectives make a deal with the pair: They can operate, but must make payments to the police of $10,000 a month. Priest obviously is uncomfortable with this but Eddie happily agrees.

The pair then goes on to sell a kilo of cocaine. Priest and Eddie arrive in a bar in Harlem to meet a potential buyer. While they are waiting, three black activists approach them and try to shake Priest down. Priest demands they leave. Their buyer arrives, samples the cocaine and agrees to make a deal.

Priest gets into an argument with his other girlfriend, Cynthia, at her apartment. Scatter arrives at the apartment with information about 'The Man' and asks Priest for $20,000 in cash to leave town. After Scatter leaves, he is arrested by the narcotics detectives. The police no longer need Scatter and dispose of him in his Rolls Royce by giving a heroin overdose. Priest learns of this, and meets with two mafia hit men to get rid of the detectives.

Priest arrives at Eddie's apartment and discusses the murder of Scatter. Priest suggests the police were behind it in order to use him and Eddie to make larger buys and to stay in business. He demands his half of the money and wants to get out. Eddie gives Priest his share and then calls the detectives and tells them that Priest has left with a briefcase full of money. Priest then exchanges his briefcase in the elevator with Georgia, who is in disguise. By the time he arrives to his car, the police have arrived. They detain him until the narcotics detectives come and then they all leave. Priest watches Georgia leave with his money, knowing it's safe.

Priest is then escorted to the waterfront where Deputy Commissioner Reardon (Sig Shore) is waiting for him. Reardon, who is running the extortion racket, chastises Priest for wanting to leave the business. A fight breaks out and Priest uses his karate skills to overcome the detectives. Reardon then pulls his gun and the fighting stops. Priest then explains he has put a hit on Reardon and his family if any harm comes to him from the police. Reardon claims that Priest doesn't have any money for something like that as they open his briefcase — and dirty clothes fall out. Priest then hops into his customized Cadillac Eldorado and drives off, victorious.