Penitentiary (1979 film)

Penitentiary
Poster for the original cinema release
Directed by	Jamaa Fanaka
Produced by	Jamaa Fanaka Alicia Dhanifu Robert Edelen Irving Parham
Written by	Jamaa Fanaka
Starring	Leon Isaac Kennedy Wilbur White Thommy Pollard Hazel Spears Donovan Womack
Cinematography	Marty Ollstein
Editing by	Betsy Blankett Millicevic
Distributed by	The Jerry Gross Organization
Release dates	December 1979 (1979-12)
Running time	93 min.
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$100,000 (est.)

Penitentiary is a 1979 Blaxploitation film starring Leon Isaac Kennedy as Martel "Too Sweet" Gordone that deals with the wrongful imprisonment of a black youth.

Plot

Martel Gordone had been wandering aimlessly through the desert when he is finally picked up by an African-American woman driving a van dubbed the "Shaggin’ Wagon". The woman, Linda, who picks him up is actually a prostitute on her way to some clients. On the way to the diner where the two parties are to meet Linda and Gordone (nicknamed "Too Sweet" because of his uncontrollable addiction to Mr. Goodbar) spark an interest in each other, but Linda decides to wait until after she has finished with her clients, “You know, honey, it’s got to be business before pleasure, and I’m sure you’re a real pleasure.”^[1] They reach the diner and Linda meets with her clients, but when Gordone doesn’t like how she is being treated, he decides to confront the two for their unruly behavior. The confrontation does not bode well for Gordone, for after a little tussling he is knocked out and falls to the ground. He wakes up to find that he has been charged for the murder of one of the bikers whom he had confronted earlier.^[2]

Gordone is sent to jail and becomes cellmates with a man who goes by the name of "Half Dead." While in his cell, Gordone has to defend himself from constant advances from his cellmate and after a couple of more advances Gordone decides to defend himself from the brute. The two battle it out in the cell until the walls are covered with sweat and blood and Gordone rises triumphantly. The wailing and begging of the prisoner who Gordone beats up attracts a lot of attention; and as it just so happens, there is an illegal boxing tournament that goes on within the prison, led by Lieutenant Arnsworth. The winner of the tournament is allowed to leave the prison on early parole because Lieutenant Arnsworth can pull a few strings on the parole board, and Gordone feels as though he would be able to win it. The only thing that stands in his way is a man by the name of Jesse "The Bull" Amos, who is in charge of everything within the prison and is the leader of the prison's strongest gang.

Cast

• Leon Isaac Kennedy – Martel "Too Sweet" Gordone
• Wilbur White – Sweet Pea
• Thommy Pollard – Eugene T. Lawson
• Hazel Spears – Linda
• Donovan Womack – Jesse Amos
• Floyd Chatman – Hezzikia "Seldom Seen" Jackson
• Gloria Delaney – Peaches
• Badja Djola – "Half Dead" Johnson
• Chuck Mitchell – Lieutenant Arnsworth
• Cepheus Jaxon – Poindexter
• Dwaine Fobbs – Lying Latney Winborn
• Ernest Wilson – Cheese
• Will Richardson – Magilla Gorilla

Crew

• Jamaa Fanaka – Producer/Writer/Director
• Alicia Dhanifu – Co-Producer
• Robert Edelen – Executive Producer
• Irving Parham – Co-Producer
• William Anderson – Music
• Andre Douglas – Music
• Frankie Gaye – Music
• Marty Ollstein – Cinematographer
• Betsy Blankett Millicevic – Film Editor
• Adel A. Mazen – Art Director
• Gregory Lewis – Makeup

Production

This film was the third movie directed by Jamaa Fanaka. Fanaka made the film while he was still a student at UCLA thanks to government grants. These grants were not substantive enough to allow Fanaka to film in more than a few locations which consisted of the UCLA campus, a derelict prison, and a few parks. Aside from the limited locations, there was also a limited amount of talent that could be afforded by Fanaka. Despite these limitations Penitentiary was still the top-grossing independent film of that year.^[3]

Critics

"A tough, disturbing and relatively uncompromising look at contemporary prison life, Penitentiary is a solid third feature for Jamaa Fanaka and rates as one of the 'blackest' pictures to come along since the Blaxploitation trend waned.” ^[3]

"The bargain-basement production values add an air of gritty credence to the film, but the uneven acting is irksome. The only characters that seemed at all three-dimensional were Lt. Arnsworth and Seldom Seen. Chuck Mitchell seemed right at home as the cigar-chomping guard. It's no wonder that he would be one of the few actors go follow the film with any sort of distinction, even if his claim to fame was as the titular owner of a strip club in the teen sleazefest classic, Porky's. Floyd Chatman only has one other credit listed at the Internet Movie Database, and it's certainly a shame that he was not a mainstream actor. Seldom Seen is the elder statesman of the cellblock, a wise old man who has spent most of his life behind bars... He isn't as harsh, but has the same tough-but-loving charm....The movie's biggest disappointment is Leon Isaac Kennedy. Despite the film's success, his career never took off. It's no wonder. His mugging and smirking do not seem to match the character at all, and when he does express rage and anger, there is no conviction behind the emotions.” ^[3]

Historical significance/importance

Throughout the film there are several references to people as “property”, as in the dialogue between Eugene and Too Sweet:

Eugene: "But I happen to be Jesse's property; as you gathered last night."

Too Sweet: "Property? Is that what you think of yourself: somebody's property?"

Eugene: "Aw, come on, man. You know what's happening. Everybody knows what's happening. I've been, as they say, 'tampered with.'" ^[1]

Though this might seem like simple discourse, the dialogue brings to mind the ideology of previous decades which held that African Americans were simply property, and therefore had no rights.^[4] That idea was a precursor to the later segregation period of American History and the director was wise enough to introduce this aspect of American History into the dialogue of a movie based in prison. More important than the reflection of the trend on the widescreen are the things that go on behind the scenes, which Fanaka clearly demonstrated in the film (though certain attributes are strictly fictional, like early parole by winning the fights).

Sequels

Fanaka produced two sequels to the film over the ensuing decade.

The first sequel, Penitentiary II, was released in 1982.^[5] It was a direct sequel that followed the exploits of "Too Sweet" Gordone shortly after his release from prison. It was notable for the early casting of Mr. T as Gordone's trainer, Glynn Turman as his brother-in-law, and Ernie Hudson recast in the villainous role of "Half Dead." The film was released theatrically in the United States by MGM^[6] in April 1982 and grossed $3,178,542 at the box office.^[7]

The second sequel, Penitentiary III, was released in 1987.^[8] The plot centers on "Too Sweet" Gordone's time in prison, where he is sent after beating another boxer to death in a performance enhancing drug-fueled fugue state. The film was released theatrically in the United States by The Cannon Group^[9] in September 1987 and grossed $1,392,616 at the box office.^[10]

Home video release

Both the original film and its first sequel were released on DVD by Xenon Entertainment in 2000.^[11][12] Both film contain an audio commentary by writer/director Jamaa Fanaka and are currently out-of-print. They were subsequently re-released by Xenon on DVD in 2006.

ArrowDrome DVD re-released the film in February 2012 in the United Kingdom. The releases carry over the aforementioned commentary by Fanaka and include a collector's booklet.^[13]

Sound Track

“Kissy Face” – written, produced and performed by Mark Gaillard and The Slim and Trim Band.^[14]

External Links

• Penitentiary at the Internet Movie Database

References