Cleopatra Jones (1973)

Curiosidades

Cleopatra Jones is a 1973 American blaxploitation film directed by Jack Starrett. Tamara Dobson stars as an undercover government agent who uses the day job of supermodel as her cover and an excuse to travel to exotic places. Bernie Casey, Shelley Winters and Antonio Fargas also feature. The film has been described as being primarily an action film, but also partially a comedy with a spoof tone. It was followed by the sequel Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold, released in 1975.

Background

Cleopatra Jones was made by Warner Bros. following the success of the Shaft series and AIP's films. It opened at a time when the Black Power Movement, Black Arts Movement, second-wave feminism, and an increasingly growing black feminism were all prevalent. From this social context emerged the desire for a black heroine who appealed to women through a combination of alluring femininity, female strength, and combat skill.

Although Cleopatra Jones contains themes relating specifically to the Black Power and feminist movements, it appeals to the general public and is said to be the "first blaxploitation film to use martial arts as part of its promotion." It appeals to audiences who enjoy action movies (such as the James Bond series) and has invited comparisons between Jones and Bond.

However, the film is also deliberately funny, with one-liners and over-the-top villains. These were presumably the work of co-writer Sheldon Keller, a veteran TV comedy specialist whose numerous credits include The Dick Van Dyke Show and Caesar's Hour.

Max Julien originally wrote the part of Jones for his then-girlfriend Vonetta McGee, but the part was eventually given to Dobson, a fashion model whose height inspired the film's tag line: "6 feet 2 inches of dynamite." Although blaxploitation films generally used sex to attract an audience, Cleopatra Jones was comparatively modest, containing no nudity or explicit sex. The wardrobe for the title character was designed by Giorgio di Sant' Angelo.

Just as Jones came from a poor, high-crime neighborhood, Dobson came from a working-class background. She grew up in Baltimore's inner city; her mother owned a beauty salon and her father worked at a railroad station. After earning a degree from the Baltimore Institute of Art, Dobson moved to New York City to become a model. Her race proved an obstacle until she caught the attention of movie producers searching for a black heroine.

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