Shaft (1971)

Shaft (1971), an American blaxploitation crime action thriller film directed by Gordon Parks and written by Ernest Tidyman and John D. F. Black, is based on Tidyman’s novel of the same name and marks the first installment in the Shaft film series. In January of that year, private detective John Shaft receives word that a group of gangsters are after him. quickly taking action, he confronts one of them in his office building and forces him to lead him to their accomplice who is waiting inside. A brief scuffle ensues, resulting in one of the men falling out of a window while the other reveals that Bumpy Jonas, head of an organized crime family in Harlem, wants to meet with Shaft uptown. After being questioned about the incident at the police station by Lt. Vic Androzzi and another detective, Shaft is granted 48 hours to continue his investigation on the streets.

He meets with Bumpy, who tearfully discloses that his daughter has been kidnapped. Initially, Shaft dismisses the young woman, accusing her of running away or being under the influence. However, Jonas informs him that she was actually headed to college when she was taken. He then asks Shaft to help ensure her safe return, and Shaft agrees. Upon receiving advice from Bumpy, a black militant leader, Shaft sets out to find him. A shootout takes place with an unknown attacker before Shaft locates Buford. Later on, Androzzi reveals that it was actually Shaft, not Ben, who was the intended target. The uptown hoods led by Bumpy Jonas and the downtown Mafiosi are engaged in a deadly feud that has resulted in other deaths. Androzzi expresses concern over how the situation is perceived as a conflict between races and fears it may escalate into a full-blown race war.