Hit Man

1972 "He aims to please."
5.7| 1h30m| R| en| More Info
Released: 20 December 1972 Released
Producted By: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Synopsis

Bernie Casey portrays Tyrone and Pamela Grier plays a sultry skin-flick star in this first Americanized remake of the iconic Michael Caine action film Get Carter. From Watts to the West Side, from porno parlors to a high-rise, from motel dives to a crime kingpin’s sprawling pleasure dome, from corner hangouts to a wildlife preserve, Tyrone covers a lot of real estate, busts a lot of heads.

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Reviews

Mjeteconer Just perfect...
StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.
Bluebell Alcock Ok... Let's be honest. It cannot be the best movie but is quite enjoyable. The movie has the potential to develop a great plot for future movies
Allison Davies The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.
Woodyanders Tough and determined ex-con Tyrone Tackett (a strong and commanding performance by Bernie Casey) infiltrates a sordid Los Angeles criminal underworld so he can exact revenge on the folks who killed his brother. Writer/director George Armitage relates the gripping story at a swift pace, maintains a hard-hitting gritty tone throughout, further spruces things up with inspired touches of dark humor, and presents a vivid depiction of a seamy milieu replete with choice seedy locations and a delightfully degenerate rogues' gallery of colorful lowlife characters. Moreover, Armitage makes a potent and provocative point on how revenge can strip a man of his humanity and reduce him to the level of a scary and savage monster. The fine acting from an on the money cast keeps this movie humming: the ever-foxy Pam Grier as brash porn starlet Gozelda, Lisa Moore as saucy motel proprietor Laural Garfoot, Bhetty Waldron as shifty prostitute Irvelle Way, Sam Laws as amiable used car salesman Sherwood Epps, Candy All as the bitter Rochelle, Don Diamond as slimy mobster Nano Zito, and Ed Cambridge as the irascible Theatis Oliver. Popping up in nifty bits are Marilyn Joi, John Daniels, and Paul Gleason (as a corrupt cop). The abundant tasty gratuitous female nudity provides lots of extra sizzle. H.B. Barnum's funky-chilling score hits the groovy jazzy spot. The sharp cinematography by Andrew Davis rates as another plus. Well worth a watch.
snicewanger I first saw this movie at a Blaxploitation Film Festival in 1992. Bhetty Whaldron and Roger Mosley {The Mack was also shown} were among the guest stars. Mosley admitted in the post film commentary the everybody knew that it was a black version of Get Carter. It came under fire at the time of it's release for it's racial stereotypes, but it was a big hit at the drive ins and neighborhood theaters across the country. Bernie Casey was better know at the time for his NFL career but would come to be regarded as a handsome and talented leading man and of course the incredibly beautiful Pam Grier was on her way to becoming a cult movie legend.This is a real guilty pleasure film and is a real time capsule piece to see how black men and women were coming to be regarded in 1970's cinema.
Paul Andrews Hit Man starts as Tyrone Tackett (Bernie Casey) lands in L.A. for his brother Cornell's funeral, while there he also intends to find out who killed him. At first everyone tells him the same story that Cornell committed suicide but as he digs deeper he ruffles the local gangsters feathers, he uncovers a seedy world of porn & it all leads back to mob boss Nono Zito (Don Diamond). Then Cornell's daughter Rochelle (Candy All (!)) is murdered & that makes Tyrone even madder, he intends to settle the score & avenge his brother's & niece's murders...Written & directed by George Armitage this seems to be know as some sort of Blaxploitation remake of Get Carter (1974), while I admit I've never seen Get Carter I find that difficult to believe especially since Hit Man was actually based on a novel called 'Jack's Return Home' by Ted Lewis, anyway Hit Man is good for a few laughs but little else. For the first hour or so it's fairly slow going with Tyrone going around town asking about his brother, then when he finds out the action kicks in along with some sleazy porno sub plot although it's a little to late to save it. The thing I like about Hit Man is the dialogue, it's absolutely hilarious & one of the best has to be at Cornell's funeral when someone goes up to Tyrone & says 'Cornell was one fine dude', there are countless racial slurs & terms & just downright plain laugh out loud funny Blaxploitation dialogue. Hit Man is a film with so many quotable lines it puts Quentin Tarantino to shame. Unfortunately the racist, funny, un-PC foul mouthed dialogue is the only thing Hit Man has going for it because otherwise it's a dull slow moving lifeless action flick without any action.Director Armitage does alright, it looks suitably nice enough although that was probably down to cinematographer Andrew Davis who went on to be a big budget Hollyoood action film director himself with flicks including Above the Law (1998), Under Siege (1992), The Fugitive (1993), Chain Reaction (1996), A Perfect Murder (1998) & the Arnold Schwarzenegger film Collateral Damage (2002). The action scenes are mostly just shoot outs, the blood used at the end looks like bright red paint. I have to mention the fashions here as well, they are a hoot to look at as Tyrone goes around wearing a silly hat at a 45 degree angle on his head! Some of those collars are so big the people wearing the shirts might take off if there was a strong gust of wind & the colours are so garish this could only have been made in the 70's. The hair-dos are pretty funny at times as well. Sure this all adds to the fun & camp value but, well there's just not much of a film to go with it if you know what I mean. Animal lovers should beware as there is a scene set during an illegal dog fight, two pit-bulls are set against each other in a fight to the death & I know how some people get upset by cruelty to animals even if it is faked like here.Technically the film is fine, it's reasonably well made with decent production values, I'm not sure where that Lion that kills Gozelda (Pam Grier) comes from though? I didn't know Lions roamed free throughout L.A.? The acting is suitably over-the-top with Casey making a cool hero.Hit Man is an alright film if only for it's unintentionally funny dialogue & 70's fashions, it's watchable on a silly level but I doubt I'll ever want to watch it again.
vulture75 An excellent version of the Ted Lewis book, Jack's return home. Although the style and acting is below the high standard of Hodges' classic Get Carter, it conjures up some novel death scenes and some cool dialogue. Caine said "You're a big man, but you're out of shape. Me, it's a full time job." Bernie Casie said, "You're a big cat, but don't be selling me no wolf ticket." Quality. If you liked Carter, you'll like Hit Man.