SuperFly TNT (1973)

Harlem hustler Priest (Ron O’Neal) is back in a sequel to the hit Superfly (1972).

This time, he is persuaded to leave his Rome hideout, where he is now retired and financially secure, to smuggle arms to anti-government forces in Umbia, West Africa, in an attempt to start a revolution.

Although O’Neal’s performance in the original 1972 movie was the stuff of legend, he also directs this sequel and unfortunately, as a result, much of the film is confusing and vague, with pointless and tediously long scenes.

Sheila Frazier reprises her role from the original movie as Priest’s loyal, understanding (and extremely attractive) girlfriend while veteran actor Roscoe Lee Browne delivers the movie’s best performance as the eloquent, outspoken Dr Lamine Sonko, the African official who hires Priest.

A young Robert Guillaume makes his movie debut in Superfly TNT as Jordan Gaines, a black American writer who befriends Priest in Rome.

In stark contrast to Curtis Mayfield‘s brilliant musical score from the original movie, the African-Caribbean-styled musical soundtrack for TNT, performed by Osibisa, is dreadful and seems completely out of context for the streetwise Priest character.

It’s little surprise that this sequel bombed in cinemas and took forever to be released on video.

Priest
Ron O’Neal
Dr Lamine Sonko
Roscoe Lee Browne
Georgia
Sheila Frazier
Jordan Gaines
Robert Guillaume
Matty Smith
Jacques Sernas
Lefebre
William Berger
Customs Man
Roy Bosier
George
Silvio Noto
Lisa
Olga Bisera
Rik
Rik Boyd (Federico Boido)
Rand
Dominic Barto

Director
Ron O’Neal