Foxy Brown (1974)

This was the second film in a double feature at the Paramount Theater last week. I thought I had seen this movie before but I must have been confusing it with Coffy, because it was all new to me. “Foxy Brown” is the epitome of blaxploitation films of the 70s. There is a mob story, corrupt cops, a heroic black central figure and a variety of bad guys of all races to get their asses kicked. Pam Greer is the lovely title character, a woman who gets motivated for vengeance when her undercover cop boyfriend is killed by a local mobster.

She decides to do some undercover work of her own to identify the big boss an bring them down. Pam Greer looks great and gets to wear several snazzy 70s style outfits. At one point her character infiltrates the criminal organization by becoming a call girl for the mob. 

This plot point allows a variety of shots of naked women, which is always a draw for these kinds of films. Greer herself is frequently photographed in the nude although less conspicuously than some of the other women in the film. There are a couple of transition shots that try to titilate the audience with Foxy getting dressed or undressed. She has a love scene with the boyfriend before he is killed and it is fairly explicit. 

Another feature of this type of movie is degradation of a woman by her captors. Since it is a Blaxploitation film, when Foxy is found out and sent to confinement by the mob, she is abused by a couple of hillbilly types. There is also a confrontation scene set in a lesbian bar, no nudity but girls fighting girls is a standard component of a film like this.

There is a local gang of community activists, sort of the Black Panther Party lite. They don’t rob banks, they just play vigilante against local drug dealers. When Foxy needs an army of backup for the climax of the picture, these guys show up and provide the support she needs.

Veteran Exploitation director Jack Hill wrote and directed this film. He had also made Coffy the year before and it was at the last minute that it was decided to change the lead character to a different persona, rather than making this a direct sequel. The film that was first on this double bill was “Jackie Brown” an homage to these kinds of movies with violence and witty dialogue to get our attention rather than gratuitous sex scenes.