Super Fly (1972)

Summary

Super Fly is a 1972 Blaxploitation, crime drama 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. 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.