The Mack

The Mack is not simply a 'blaxploitation' movie. You can take it seriously as a drama and it works very well. It depicts a time and place honestly, even as it is still making drama out of this world of pimps and hookers and cops and violence and money. It's crude, but it has a kind of inherent integrity that's hard to explain.

Max Julien may break out into a grin or smile once too much, but he can, and does, carry this movie really well. He makes this entire thing become alive in a way that he is likable and charismatic, and yet carries a level of authority. You don't doubt for a second that he can become this Mega-Pimp.

The scummy police men are played so slimy they transcend typical trash and become epically trash-tastic (the worst white cops maybe in any 70's movie?), and Richard Pryor as the not-really-comic sidekick helps a good deal too.

Great music, real dramatic conflict, and DAMN do some people get f****d up here! Most weird but enjoyable scene for me (and maybe the closest it gets to being so OUT-there exploitation-y) is when Goldie is giving his "orientation" bit to the hookers in the planetarium. I want to watch that on a loop.

If you want to get an insider's glimpse into the world of pimpin', look no further than "The Mack." Often compared to the other, better known black movies of the 1970's, which tend to focus more on drugs and street justice, "The Mack" incorporates both of those elements, but with a heavy focus on pimpin'. It gives outsiders a glimpse into the life of a pimp through the eyes of 1973's official Pimp of the Year, Goldie ("The Mack" shows that this dubious title is actually given out in an annual event, one similar to the Oscars). Goldie's strengths are his strong pimp hand, which he uses early and often, and the fact that he always gets his percentage on time (as in "woman better have my percentage"). Although his brother (fyi: one of magnum p.i.'s sidekicks)dedicates his life warning people about pimps and drug pushers, Goldie continues his lavish lifestyle, going so far as to bring his women to the annual Pimp Softball and Barbeque Outing (for a pimp, Goldie sure knows how to swing the lumber). But, with a tragic ending, Goldie must examine his life and is forced to make a huge decision.

If you are looking for great acting, a movie where you can hear what the people are saying (everyone speaks really softly), or good music, look elsewhere. Also, although Richard Pryor gets second billing in this movie, he is seen in the movie less than a pimp in daylight.

On the other hand, I think the strengths of this movie are the costumes and the "pimp insight" one can gain. If you want a crash course on what it takes to be a respected pimp (fine clothes, ability to wear sunglasses during all hours, have an unruly afro, kill people using dynamite, play a lot of craps and three card monty), then look no further than "The Mack". However, if that is not your intended goal, look further, look much much further.

In this, one of the most popular of blaxploitation films, the charismatic Max Julien shines as Goldie, a man fresh from a stretch in prison who quickly rises to the role of top pimp in the city of Oakland. Adding complication to his life are the activities of a pair of crooked racist white detectives (Don Gordon, William Watson) and the requests of top mobster The Fatman (George Murdock) for Goldie to return to the small time. What the film truly benefits from is a sterling group of actors. Julien is engaging as the cool, calm & collected super pimp. The under-rated Gordon scores as a very bad bad guy, Roger E. Mosley is effectively intense as Goldie's activist brother, lovely Carol Speed is endearing as Lulu the prostitute, as is Juanita Moore as Goldie's loving mother, and Dick Anthony Williams has a field day as flamboyant Pretty Tony. Richard Pryor's performance, decidedly more dramatic than comedic, is solid, and he proves to be a good sidekick. The film itself is fairly overlong, but as scripted by Robert J. Poole and directed by Michael Campus, it tells a decent story in an interesting enough way, and it doesn't shy away from brutality. It gives laymen an insider's perspective by consulting with a number of real-life pimps, and shows how their lifestyle affects everything that they do. They even have barbecues, softball games, and an annual Pimp of the Year contest. By the end it's managed to portray Goldie in a complex fashion, showing that he hasn't acted THAT differently from the ruthless Hank (Gordon). Yet, of course, we can't help but side with Goldie during the finale as his nemesis has clearly gone too far. It's here that Goldie has to make an important decision. An indelible influence on pop culture, particularly Quentin Tarantino, "The Mack" immerses us in this appropriately seedy world. It's good fun, with a very hip score by Willie Hutch, and captures its time and place extremely well & remains convincing throughout. It doesn't waste time getting to the action, and features some memorable lines and exchanges. It may not be for everybody - some people may indeed feel that it's glorifying those in the prostitution business too much - but it does a compelling job at portraying a very real and very old profession, and very real part of life. Seven out of 10.

When you see "I'm Gonna Git You Sucker" and others of the like, you won't find it nearly as funny until you see this. From the Player's ball to the outrageous kills to make it to the top, you can't help but laugh.

Even the plot review on the box totally misleads you into thinking this is about a man trying to clean up his neighborhood. It isn't, but you won't care.

For fun, try a drinking game. Drink every time someone says "man". I assure you will be drunk in the first 10 minutes or else you wish you were.

Said be one of the seminal blaxploitation movies ever made I must say I will probably never become a fan of the genre. Goldie (Max Julien) has just left prison after serving 5 years in state penitentiary. On his return his is offered the opportunity to become a pimp. With hope to better his existence he agrees and quickly becomes one of the best in the business with 10 girls to his name. He improves not only his life but also that of his mother. All this success garners unwanted interest of the local drug distributors, rival pimps and corrupt cops wanting some greasing. On the other side of this is Goldie's older brother Olinga (Roger E. Mosley), who is a black activist trying to clean up the streets from drugs, prostitutes and crime.

The influence this movie had on hip hop and pimpdom is quite obvious. The costumes and the moves of artists such as Snoop Dogg are all The Mack. But in hindsight was this movie really deserving all its praise? Yes, it has some very interesting quirky scenes (especially those involving cops) and all in all remains a fun, if outdated watch. But watching it now I don't seem to be able to find the magic behind the movie. The storytelling is very disjointed and jumpy with a whole lot of sequences happening chaotically and with no purpose. The dramatic flow of the movie is severely lacking and as such I never felt pulled into the story, which left me watching it not too intently by the second hour.

Acting is definitely a big plus of the movie and everyone from the cast does a standout job. Some of the scenes are definitely worth note, but the movie as a whole stumbles and crawls all too often to really make you want to rewatch the flick.