Hit Man is a 1972 American Crime film directed by George Armitage and starring Bernie Casey, Pam Grier and Lisa Moore.[1] It is based on the Ted Lewis's novel Jack's Return Home, more famously adapted as Get Carter, with the action relocated from Britain to the United States.
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Tyrone Tackett, (Bernie Casey) travels to Southern California for the funeral of his brother, but becomes involved in the illegal underworld of drugs, prostitution and gambling that his late brother was also caught up in. Tyrone’s brother left behind his young daughter Rochelle Tackett, played by Candy All, and his prostitute wife. Tyrone visits the latter and forces her to buy some nice clothes and attend the funeral, after which she comes over for a drink with Tyrone and her late husband’s close friends. Tyrone meets his brother’s main partner in his car repossession business Sherwood Epps, played by Sam Law. Sherwood invites Tyrone to stay in town and the two become close friends.
Tyrone is threatened the following day by several individuals who had transgressions against Tyrone’s brother and make it known that Tyrone should now leave town and head to Oakland if he knows what’s good for him. Tyrone then visits Rochelle Tackett and offers his care and help to her, which she rejects. The film continues on with Tyrone making more acquaintances with his brother’s old friends and enemies until Rochelle is murdered after becoming involved in the pornography industry. Tyrone makes it his main objective for the rest of the film to hunt down and murder all those involved in Rochelle’s death.
Due to Hit Man’s blaxploitation genre qualities and stereotypes the NAACP and many African American communities condemned it. The themes of overly sexualized women, violence as justice, drug abuse and negative stereotypes towards African Americans gives heed to the condemnation of this film. Critics reviewed it as lacking in plot and lengthy screen time filled with sexual encounters, violence and Tyrone’s errands.
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