Shaft in Africa

The Shaft series goes global with a weak storyline, no excitement and one-dimensional characters.

Detective John Shaft is hired by foreign diplomat Emir Ramila, played by Cy Grant, to help catch a gang that is illegally supplying Africans for tedious labor and not enough wages in Europe. Shaft does some training in local languages and customs before disguising as a native to trap the recruiters. However, Ramila’s minion Wassa, played by Debebe Eshetu, is a double-agent and the criminals know Shaft’s identity from the beginning. After several attempts on his life, Shaft kills Wassa while escorting a group of Africans to a crowded residence in France. When he slips off to give Ramila his report, gangsters burn the residence and kidnap one of the Africans. Shaft follows several leaders to find out that Vincent Amafi, played by Frank Finlay, the leader of the criminals, has a number of Africans imprisoned in the dungeons beneath a cellar formerly used as a Gestapo prison, which he intends to blow up. In the end, the Africans escape and kill Amafi and Shaft blows up the empty cellar.

The conclusion of “Shaft in America,” released in 1973, has a badly written finale to a badly written film, with Shaft an entirely unnecessary character, present just to provide the postscript. Actually, there’s not a moment’s suspense or a single original twist in the entire film. From the beginning, we know who the bad guys are, who the traitor is and the fact that Shaft’s cover is blown. TV Guide mentions in their review, “None of this affects his plodding along with his original mission anyway, moving from chase to gunfight in as formulaic a manner as possible.” The basic concept is of course entirely ridiculous, with the terminally stylish Shaft passing as a native. He says as much to his employers, but they insist he can learn all the needs in no time, and he does. Following a scene of Shaft’s fighting naked early in the film, the by-now necessary example of his attractive expertise are squeezed into the plot in so many ludicrous ways. Amafi’s girlfriend, played by Neda Arneric, is described by TV Guide as “a nymphomaniac who shows up on board the ship ferrying the Africans to Europe. Marveling at the heft of Shaft, she lures him into bed for what she later declares to be the best lovemaking of her life, afterward naturally helping him to escape--and dying as a result.” Ramila’s daughter, Aleme, played by Vonetta McGee, resists Shaft’s charms in America, then shows up out of nowhere on the African plain to sleep with him then disappears again, after saying that because of him, she is going to forego the traditional female circumcision of her tribe.

Never exciting, the film at least keeps up a decent pace and avoids getting boring, with the location filming providing a nice diversion. The equivalent between low wages and slave labor is a bit of a stretch, but the script’s heart would appear to be in the right place, even if Shaft’s is suspect.

TV Guide mentions, “Despite his humanitarianism in the previous film, he takes this job purely for the money, not for any moral reasons, showing little interest in the plight of the Africans--but becomes incensed and springs into action when one of the bad guys kills a dog.” Logic is completely absent, from the very first scenes of Shaft keeping his car parked in Manhattan’s Central Park straight through to his being given a secret spy camera that he keeps inside the stick he’s continually hitting people with.

Writer Stirling Silliphant has been involved with the “Shaft” series since the beginning. His production company was the one who made the first film. TV Guide mentioned, “A former executive in advertising and promotions at Disney and Fox, he had scripted or co-scripted numerous notable book adaptations (NIGHTFALL, VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED, IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT) as well as working in television on "Naked City" and "Route 66." The year before SHAFT'S BIG SCORE, he adapted the novel THE POSEIDON ADVENTURE (1972) into a blockbuster film; the year after, he did the same with THE TOWERING INFERNO (1974) for SHAFT'S BIG SCORE director John Guillermin.” Guillermin’s future would be even bigger disasters like the “King Kong” films, while Shaft moved to television for a short-lived before coming to a halt.

I would say that if you get the chance to pass this one up, do so. A couple of times, this movie put me to sleep that I had to rewind the parts that I missed. I even had to stop the movie for a while and take a nap because I was that annoyed with the movie. This movie is solely responsible in almost ending the character’s career until so many years later when another sequel came out that was actually the best of the sequels. If you want to know how much better, then check in for next Friday when I end “Shaft Month” off with that review. Now I have to recover since I really had a lot of work this week with the Star Wars movies. Before I burn myself completely out, I need a much deserved week rest.