User reviews

Jim Brown, the personification of coolness, is the nightclub owner who decides to avenge his brother's murder and begins a war against the local Mafia. Familiar but enjoyable, thanks largely to Brown's presence, and to some dynamic action scenes. Two interesting things: the use of wide-angle lenses during a fight scene, and a strong supporting role for the actor who was memorable as one of the two homosexual goons in "Diamonds Are Forever". (**1/2)

On those occasions when I have told people that I am a big fan of Italian actress Lucianna Paluzzi, I've usually been greeted with blank stares. When I add that she is the redheaded bombshell S.P.E.C.T.R.E. agent seen spilling out of her negligee in the James Bond movie "Thunderball" (1965), and also appeared in the sci-fi shlock classick "The Green Slime" (1969), only then do I get nods of recognition. Well, Ms. Paluzzi's role in "Black Gunn" (1972) was my reason for renting this film, and although her part turns out to be a small one, the film did still prove to be a decent night's entertainment. Here, ex-Cleveland Browns fullback Jim Brown stars as Gunn, an L.A. nightclub owner whose brother steals some money (and, more important, some books) from the Mob, and is later killed as a result. This naturally sets big Jim on the ol' vengeance trail. Whereas Superfly had "a plan to stick it to the Man," you might say that Gunn has a job to stick it to the Mob! He soon runs afoul of a whole slew of nasties, including Martin Landau and Bruce Glover (so memorable as one of the gay assassins in another Bond movie, 1971's "Diamonds Are Forever"). This film is actually pretty standard blaxploitation fare, but is nevertheless well put together and well acted by all. Perhaps the film's single best element is an exciting, funky, kinetic score by one Tony Osborne; what a great soundtrack CD this film should have! On the down side, some of the action scenes (particularly a climactic shoot-out on the L.A. docks) are a bit hard to follow, with overly fast cutting and dark exteriors. If the film offers any message or moral, I suppose it would be that you don't want to get on Jim Brown's bad side. But you probably suspected as much already, right?

Just watched this Jim Brown action movie on the Crackle site. He plays Gunn, a nightclub owner who vows vengeance after his brother-because of his involvement in a robbery-gets killed. Unlike most blaxploitation movies, this one takes it's time in developing the story though it threatens to get monotonous when sequences get too talky. Of the supporting cast, the most interesting player to me was Jim Watkins playing the only black officer-in this case, Lt. Ken Hopper-who is firm but fair in his dealings with Gunn. My favorite scene was the one where a couple of white women staying at his girlfriend's house start putting the moves on him before that girlfriend shoos them away but not before Gunn's shirt came off! Ooh, yeah! So on that note, Black Gunn is highly recommended.

Jim Brown once again shows us what screen presence is all about in this rather routine but enjoyable blaxploitation-action-melodrama. He plays the title character, who owns a club in L.A. One night, his younger brother Scott (Herbert Jefferson, Jr.), a member of a militant group, brings in the proceeds of a late night robbery, including some incriminating books; this brings down the wrath of the local mob. Before too long, Scott is dead and Gunn is therefore ripe for revenge.

The story is nothing special; it entertains solidly even if it's pretty predictable by and large. But director Robert Hartford-Davis (who went on to do "The Take" with Billy Dee Williams) handles a lot of this material with style. There's some eye candy on display (but no nudity), and the violence is potent all the way through the film. There's no shortage of slimy, reprehensible white villains to have fun booing; if nothing else, "Black Gunn" is enjoyable on a visceral level.

Brown is one cool customer, as so many of the best protagonists were in this sort of thing. You won't see him change his facial expression often, but you WILL see him take some lumps before this is over. However, as the primary nemesis, Martin Landau is almost thoroughly wasted, giving orders and throwing his weight around, but you never do see very much of the character.

Familiar faces scattered throughout the supporting cast also help to make it fun: Brenda Sykes (as Browns' gal pal), Luciana Paluzzi, Stephen McNally, Keefe Brasselle, Timothy Brown, William Campbell, Bernie Casey, Gary Conway, Tony Young, Jeannie Bell. The movie has a particularly strong role for Bruce Glover (of "Diamonds are Forever" fame) as a creepy white strong-arm man. He makes your skin crawl whenever he's on camera.

The dynamic cast and the equally dynamic soundtrack (composed by Tony Osborne) make this a most agreeable (if forgettable) way to kill an hour and 37 minutes.

Seven out of 10.

Black Gunn (1972)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

Fun blaxploitation film has Jim Brown playing Gunn, a club owner who has to seek revenge against the Mafia after they kill his younger brother. Gunn teams up with his brother's "Black Power" group and they try and locate the man (Martin Landau) responsible for the death. If you're a fan of blaxploitation then this here is going to offer enough to keep you entertained from start to finish. The story itself was pretty standard for this type of film but it's good enough to keep the film moving and Brown turns in a nice performance in the lead. I think the lead actor was always the most important thing to a film like this and Brown doesn't disappoint as he can kick enough ass to keep a smile on your face and deliver enough lines to make you laugh. Brown does get a more dramatic moment when he discovers his brother's dead body but this scene really doesn't work too well especially when he's crying with no tears. Bruce Glover adds a lot of fun as one of the racist Mafia guys and many will remember him from his roles in CHINATOWN and BIG BAD MAMA II (what a double feature that would be). Landau, years before his Oscar, does a decent job in his few scenes as the top dog. Vida Blue, who won the Cy Young award a year before making this, appears briefly as does other sports stars like Mike Thomas and Mike Bass. As normal for a film like this, there's all sorts of hysterical racist dialogue being screamed out with most of it dealing with watermelon but that just adds to the fun when Brown finally breaks them down. We also get all sorts of bloody violence with your expected shoot out at the end but the highlight remains the cool, laid back Brown doing his thing.

This Jim Brown film was made just after SLAUGTER and SLAUGHTER'S BIG RIP-OFF and seems an awful lot like these two films. Aside from a few plot elements and a few name changes, you'd swear that this is a Slaughter film--with the tough and laconic Brown once again taking on the mob. This isn't a bad thing, as these three films, though similar, are better than the usual Blaxploitation film--with better production values, better scripts and better acting.

The film begins with a group of Black Panther-like men robbing a mob hangout. When they also happen to pick up a book detailing mob payoffs, the mobsters say "you're dead men"--at which point the dumb part of the film occurs. Now think about it--you rob the mob and they promise to kill you while you are holding guns on them. What is your next move? You kill the dirty muthas, of course!! But, these nit-wits run away instead--and several were shot by the mobsters because these idiots didn't think to take their guns!!! Aye, aye, aye. Fortunately, this is the only seriously dumb moment in the film...trust me.

While the mob isn't sure who did this robbery, they decide to just start beating up and threatening everyone in the ghetto. Later, they somehow assume that Gunn's brother was involved and spend a lot of time and energy trying to find him. This brings Gunn (Jim Brown) into this mess. While he had nothing to do with the robbery, he has little choice but to fight these jive turkey racists--led by Martin Laundau (though he wasn't in the movie all that much). Eventually, it's a one-man vendetta--Gunn versus the mob--leading to a very typical finale--with a bazillion explosions and dead folks everywhere.

One aspect of the film could have been better. This film is just jam-packed with Black athletes--some who were very famous. However, for the most part, they are more like cameo appearances and I was hoping to see more of them. Sure, Brown and Bernie Casey were in the film--but they were in a lot of films of the genre. Although he's barely in the film, the super-star of the day for baseball, Vida Blue (24-8 the season before making this film and MVP/Cy Young Winner) appeared as a character--the only time he acted (if you can call it that). In addition, football players Tim Brown, Deacon Jone and Gene Washington were in small roles--and give little to do as well. There also was a Tommy Davis listed in the credits. This could be THE Tommy Davis that played for the Dodgers (among other ball teams) but couldn't pinpoint this for sure. With all these talents, it sure would have been nice if it had been more of an ensemble approach--such as when Roy Jefferson, Mike Thomas and Mike Bass (all who at one time played for the Washington Redskins) played in BROTHERHOOD OF DEATH. It's an opportunity lost, but still even with Jim Brown alone, it was a pretty entertaining, though formulaic, film.

I'm not sure why the Mill Creek Entertainment company thought that this movie was deserving of a Blu-ray release. Don't get me wrong, I did enjoy some elements of it. Since it's a blaxploitation movie from the 1970s, it has many of the fun trademarks of the genre, such as the clothing, hair styles, attitude, slimy bad guys, nudity, and so on. Also, the movie does boast some good action sequences here and there (love those splattery blood wounds!) Unfortunately, there are less action sequences than most viewers will be expecting and demanding. The movie instead is strung along with many long (and slow) sequences of talking, which often doesn't advance the plot that much. In fact, it takes almost half the movie before the character of Gunn is enraged and decides to take revenge. And even when the character of Gunn is engaged on the path of revenge, the performance by Jim Brown more often than not makes the character seem disinterested and bored. The movie also ends on a note with several plot threads clearly not given a proper conclusion. There are definitely worse blaxploitation movies than "Black Gunn", but there are definitely some that are much better. I'd only recommend it to fans of the genre who have already seen the better efforts and are really craving for more, and who are willing to put up with the aforementioned defects the movie has.

When a black militant group led by "Scott Gunn" (Herbert Jefferson Jr.) break into a gambling operation and steals cash and some important ledgers from a West Coast syndicate it ignites the possibly of severe racial unrest which then becomes a top concern for the local law enforcement. Since these ledgers are extremely important the mafia orders one of their newly promoted executives by the name of "Capelli" (Martin Landau) to track down whoever stole them and retrieve them by any means necessary. Although Scott downplays the situation his older brother, who operates a nightclub and simply goes by the name of "Gunn" (Jim Brown), realizes the danger and advises Scott to hide out until he can come up with a plan. Unfortunately, the mafia finds out where Scott is hiding and and kills him. And Gunn wants revenge. Anyway, for a "black exploitation" this one wasn't too bad. Jim Brown put on a decent enough performance as did Bruce Glover (as "Ray Kriley") and the aforementioned Martin Landau. I also liked the presence of both Brenda Sykes ("Judith") and Luciana Paluzzi ("Toni Lombardo"). All things considered, I thought this was one of the better films of this genre and I rate it as above average.

Black Gunn fails to ignite the screen as much as some other Jim Brown films have done.

There is nothing wrong with the movie but it lacks a spark, a happening that would make the movie unmissable.

Jim Brown basically plays Jim Brown (the same as all his films) so if you enjoy his fundamentals then fair enough you will appreciate the show.

But the lack of moments leaves you wanting more.

The story had plenty of potential but not enough imagination to capitalise on it.

If you are working your way through the world of Blaxploitation then you would include this in your journey but otherwise you can take it or leave it :)

Jim Brown deadpans his way through Black Action Film heaven. All the touchstones are here: The Mafia, a Black Panthers rip-off, drugs, trashy whores, nasty pimps, jittery dealers and even sweatier addicts, fist fights, gun play, drug dealers, revenge killings, psycho hit men, racial slurs, car chases, stolen cars, and explosions. Even more than that, plenty of early Seventies atmosphere here to enjoy: giant sedans, huge lapels, enormous hair, used car dealers, bowling, black revolutionaries, sexy stewardesses, and lots of fuzz guitar, tremolo and wah-wah pedals on all the music.

Jim Brown is a schmoove nightclub owner (this is an adult nightclub, kids, where the immaculately coiffed adults eat steak, drink whiskey and slow-dance to overproduced soul easy listening music) who's cooler than a cucumber popsicle. His uncool little brother is in with BAG, the Black Action Group, who get deep into it when they steal money and ledger books from THE MOB.

The greasy mobsters aren't gonna put up with that, so they put out the word: find those lousy #$$%*#* and kill 'em. But little brother hid the ledgers at Gunn's nightclub/suave bachelor pad. So they kill the brother anyway, and that REALLY makes Gunn mad. It's all-out war now, and Gunn has to avoid both the Fuzz and BAG on his one-man war of vengeance. There are some slow spots here and there, but the action sequences make up for the few slack bits. Brown is not going to be doing heavy drama anytime soon, but he does what he does here extremely well. Highly recommended for fans of Black Action Cinema.

Right from the opening credits the music gets this joint a-jumpin' and it never lets up. Easily one of the best movie scores of the 70s. It helps that the movie is actually pretty good. The plot doesn't necessarily offer anything new in and of itself, but the directing, acting and dialogue are way above average for 70s so-called blacksploitation movies. This is a quality production. I like the way it mixed in frank talk about black-white relations. And it was refreshing that the main character was faithful to his girlfriend. Also have to say Jim Brown surprises me each time out with his acting ability. OK, I'm not saying he's Sidney Poitier, but he could carry his weight. But I gotta admit I was disappointed by the way they wrapped it up. Too much shooting, lots of dead bodies piling up. It felt like a letdown, to be honest. Wouldn't be the first movie in Hollywood history that used cheap gunplay to conclude an otherwise good movie.

Don't be expecting anything beyond a well-done, and rather straight-forward blaxploitation which ticks all the boxes of its genre, but going about its business in a methodical manner. Well, the stinging violence, when it erupts, had a short-fuse and was always felt (Especially the scrappy Brown v Glover beat down). But a good amount of time is about the set-up, and therefore you get a good hour of bombastic music cues, hangout moments, or shakedown meetings. So it does take some time (and extra motivation) before the effortlessly cool Jim Brown goes to work. The relax facade becomes raging aggression, especially one scene which incorporated ten pin bowling and a drug dealing snitch. But the real big dogs are Martin Landau's calculative mafia boss and Bruce Glover's eccentric right hand man. Very good, and memorable performances. Likewise Brenda Sykes, even though her role was small.

Nothing like a good ole blaxploitation flick to pass some free time in the weekend. The movie had a bug flaw but I won't pick on it.

This one has Jim Brown go on a shooting spree when his kid brother gets involved with Black militants and disappeared.

It's a decent shoot-em-up with Martin Landau in a featured role, because there's always a white actor who's well known for that thing he did, so everyone knows who he is but not why.

The whole thing has a tired air of some one saw a movie and thought that what it needed was more shooting. In this case, it looks like Dashiell Hammet was somewhere in the junk DNA sequences, with almost inaudible echoes of The Maltese Falcon (wth the brutal, futile yet honest cops) and Red Dust, rendering this a decent time-waster.

A whiskey stream of consciousness review.

Watched in honor of the man, the myth, the legend, Jim Brown who passed away this past weekend. A mountain of a man, he is probably one of the few actors whose life accomplishments outweighs any of the characters he's played on the big screen. As the title character Gunn. Brown is smooth, and imposing while also displaying a soft side with the Ladies as well as his care for his militant brother who gets caught up in a world of revolutionary corruption. Gunn isn't into rocking the boat until circumstances involving his brother forces his hand to seek Justice... blaxploitation style. If you are familiar with the genre, you have seen it all before, but the cast easily moves this revenge yarn from a 4-5 to a 7 out of 10. Brown, beauties Brenda Sykes and Lucian's Paluzzi, and Bruce Glover ( who plays a particularly nasty heavy) are all outstanding and enjoyable. Bernie Casey also brings presence and credibility as the head of the black revolutionaries. Only Marty Landau might be wasted somewhat, but he still has that sinister smile and slime factor. Some sexy scenes and lots of explosions and exploding red paint squibs in the finale to make a rainy day watch a plus. Also! It has an outstanding score with flute, drums, and bass driving the film. See it with some Tumblin' Dice bourbon in hand.

In East L.A., Vietnam vet Scott Gunn leads a militant African-American Black Action Group team on a heist at an Italian mob's bookmaking operation. In addition to money, the group steals some of the illegal records. Scott seeks help from his nightclub owner brother Gunn (Jim Brown). Mobster Russ Capelli (Martin Landau) uses any violent means to retrieve their lost books.

It's a blaxploitation film. It has greasy white villains. It's black power. There is a bit of action but the movie is slow. It strives to be a serious crime drama. After just recently watched the Dolemite biopic, this is the exact opposite of blaxploitation. It's the thing that the hated producers point to as something that Dolemite could never be. Jim Brown is the black superhero. One can't ignore that he's rather stiff as an actor. His size gives him screen presence and natural charisma but he is limited. It's not as cool as Shaft and it's not funny like Dolemite.

In 1972, two blaxploitation movies had similar plots: a group of black criminals successfully steal cash from a mafia money-counting outpost, followed by the inevitable thugs hunting them down... but in this case they only want Herbert Jefferson Jr as Scott Gunn, younger brother of our titular hero in Jim Brown's rich nightclub owner GUNN...

For the first half the smooth star's caught in-between a political pickle with the mafia against his hidden-away brother's militant black gang, including another ex-footballer Bernie Casey...

And while the plot involving used car salesman Martin Landau covering tracks for a promotion gets complicated, the truly formidable antagonist is Bruce Glover as Landau's racist, wild-eyed henchman...

Much like Anthony Franciosa in 110TH STREET, he ransacks random black neighborhoods with his own armed Italian goons... no longer Gunn's stomping grounds until this mafia-backed potboiler turns into a bonafide revenge flick after little brother's found and killed, so there's a rat out there, somewhere...

Which leads to a neo-noir/investigatory process of gathering suspect's last names, and, along with girlfriend Brenda Sykes and sidekick Timothy Brown while being shadowed by a black cop, Brown goes in and out of edgy scrapes...

Until an 11th hour genuine action sequence in what's more an intelligent thriller leading up, so, ironically, GUNN merely uses exploitative gunplay as icing on the cake.

I recently viewed Black Gunn (1972) on Tubi. The plot centers around a black nightclub owner whose brother crosses paths with the wrong white mob members. Initially trying to remain on the sidelines, he is compelled to take action when the mob's actions escalate.

Directed by Robert Hartford-Davis (Blood Suckers), the film features a cast including Jim Brown (Mars Attacks), Martin Landau (Ed Wood), Brenda Sykes (Mandingo), Bernie Casey (Revenge of the Nerds), and Luciana Paluzzi (Thunderball).

This is a classic blaxploitation picture where the societal bad guys are the good guys and law enforcement are the bad guys. Jim Brown is great as the main character but the supporting cast was inconsistent. There are some stiff performances and scenes that feel like a soap opera. The ladies in this are gorgeous and this has a great soundtrack. There's an office action scene in this that's classic 70s. The cat and mouse elements are fun to watch unfold.

In conclusion, Black Gunn is an enjoyable addition to the blaxploitation genre, not reaching greatness but certainly worth a watch. I would give this a 5.5/10 and recommend seeing it at least once.

The Character listed in the credits as "Ray Kelley" played by Bruce Glover is incorrect. The name of the character in the movie "Black Gunn" is "Ray Kriley". I hated that man and his name will forever be etched into my mind as far as remembrance of this great movie. Kudos to Mr. Jim Brown. This movie was one of a handful of movies that would normally go unnoticed by most, but Jim Brown was involved in projects that were not only "Blaxploitation" films, but sound and solid acting performances such as the legendary "Tick...Tick...Tick". While his acting could never rival his athletic accomplishments, Jim Brown made his mark on those who wanted to see action films. He helped to break down the myth that Black Actors and projects were not viable for the movie industry and he was a part in paving the way for Black Actors of today. Thank you, Mr. Brown.

Bought it on 16mm. Seriously flawed character motivation and gratuitous violence... Holes in the plot large enough to drive a '71 Caddy through... All the elements necessary for a hilarious and bewildering movie experience. The soundtrack is great although it surfaces about as frequently as the Loch ness Monster, bubbling up at unexpected and inappropriate moments. And how the hell did Martin Landau get in here? Bruce Glover is a shining beacon of kitsch. Solid, baby.