Friday Foster (1975)

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Friday Foster (Pam Grier) is a photographer for "Glance" magazine. She sneaks out to the airport to secretly photograph a black billionaire flying in at night. She manages to capture on camera an assassination attempt. She tries to do some investigating while becoming a target herself.While this film has all the elements of a Blaxplotation film, it is more subdued. There are less colorful characters, less pimps, and the music is less whack-a-da and more softly soulful.Film includes Carl Weathers, Scatman Crothers, Jim Backus, and Eartha Kitt.Brief sex and nudity (Rosalind Miles, Pam Grier, + others)

Friday Foster is an ensemble piece that portrays a broad spectrum of the African American community. When her childhood friend is murdered, Friday, a journalist turned detective sets out to find her killer, all while being pursued by someone who wants her dead because of something she's seen. I loved the idea of a film full of Black people who are funny and campy and intent when tackling the idea of powerful Black men unifying!

Poor Yarbro (Carl Weathers). When attempting to kill Friday Foster (Pam Grier), he catches her coming out of the shower. Can any man focus on the task at hand when faced with all that beauty? No wonder he slips in trying to accomplish his mission.A typical blaxplotation film about an assignation attempt uncovered by our intrepid hero Friday, who just won't quit in her search for truth, justice, and a couple of roles in the hay with Senator Hart (Paul Benjamin) and Ford Mallotte (Godfrey Cambridge). But, it is buddy Colt Hawkins (Yaphet Kotto) who ends up with the prize. Lucky man! Also featuring Eartha Kitt, Scatman Crothers, and Ted Lange, this 70s trip is just the thing to get the juices flowing. The lovely Pam never fails to delight.

This would be one of the last in the infamous black exploitation films and this effort was definitely a step down from some of the others although it's still fairly entertaining. Story is of course about Friday Foster (Pam Grier) who's a former model but now works as a photographer for a magazine called Glance and she's assigned to go to the airport and photograph the arrival of Blake Tarr (Thalmus Rasulala) who's a very successful black businessman. While snapping off some shots Friday is a witness to an attempted murder plot and Tarr is wounded but she gets the photo's of the whole event.*****SPOILER ALERT***** Friday starts snooping around but she is the target of one of the assassins (Carl Weathers) who recognizes her and she enlists the aide of her good friend Colt Hawkins (Yaphet Kotto) who's a private detective. Things lead to Senator David Lee Hart (Paul Benjamin) and Friday thinks that he may be behind the whole thing but as it turns out it's actually someone whom no one suspects and they're trying to kill all the other black leaders.This film was directed by Arthur Marks (Bucktown, Detroit 9000) who has the experience in making these films but since he also wrote the story he can be looked at for most of the flaws here. This seems to lack the immediacy and raw edge of the other more affluent films such as "Coffy" and instead we're subjected to a film that is easily more comedic and convoluted. Kotto usually plays heavies and bad guys but in a change of pace he's regulated to being more of a sidekick here following Grier from one predicament to another. The script has Grier's character stopping at nothing to find out about who killed her friend and she steals a hearse at a funeral and later a milk truck. The story also has her going to bed with both businessman Tarr and Senator Hart without any qualms but she's still supposed to be attracted to Kotto's character Colt! Clearly the story could have been tightened up a bit but there are still reasons to view this including the familiar cast which has Eartha Kitt, Scatman Crothers, Ted Lange, Godfrey Cambridge, and a wheelchair bound Jim Backus. It wouldn't be a Pam Grier blaxploitation film without her nude scenes and she has about 3 of them which showcase her curvy and luscious body. Not one of the better films in this genre but one of the last which possesses enough fun and exploitation to satisfy it's fans.