tavm Largely because I read Pam Grier was in this, I was curious about seeing Hit Man so when I found it at my local library, I snapped it up! She plays a porn film actress who eventually gets on lead Bernie Casey's bad side because of something involving a relative of his she did something bad to. Casey is looking for info on why his brother was found dead but the people he runs into tell him nothing but lies. Plenty of sex and nudity (Yes, Ms. Grier is one of those who unclothe themselves) and some violence sprinkled throughout. I must admit I couldn't keep track on why certain sequences were happening but for the most part, I didn't care. So on that note, Hit Man is worth a look for anyone very interested in these blaxploitation pics from the early '70s.

Scott LeBrun This blaxploitation styled second filming of Ted Lewis's novel "Jack's Return Home" - filmed just the previous year as the crime classic "Get Carter" - is an acceptable diversion. It has a good cast playing a variety of seedy characters, and a lot of hip dialogue. It's anchored by the cooler than cool Bernie Casey, the former football player who segued into a respectable career as an actor. It's all familiar enough for those who've seen "Get Carter", although it comes up with some different settings for the action, such as a wildlife preserve and a dog fighting ring.Casey plays a character named Tyrone Tackett, a tough as nails dude who travels from Oakland to L.A. to investigate the death of his brother Cornell. To do this, he must navigate the criminal underworld, including the adult entertainment business, making the acquaintance of people such as porn star Gozelda (a typically radiant Pam Grier)."Hit Man" isn't anything special, but it's reasonably fun, with a script written by the movies' director, George Armitage. Produced by Roger Cormans' brother Gene (who was always more of a hands-on producer than his more famous sibling), its soundtrack (music by H.B. Barnum) is as engaging as anything else done for the blaxploitation genre. The cinematography is by future director Andrew Davis, who shot four features for Corman. There is some pretty potent violence near the end as well as a serving of female nudity.Casey, who has a solid presence on screen, is well supported by Ms. Grier, Sam Laws as used car salesman Sherwood Epps, Candy All as Tyrones' niece Rochelle, Don Diamond as white mobster Nano Zito, Ed Cambridge as porno theatre entrepreneur Theotis Oliver, Roger E. Mosley as muscle man Huey, and Marilyn Joi as the aptly named Rita Biggs. Paul Gleason, a fixture in Armitages' filmography during this time, appears uncredited as a crooked cop.Casey's Tackett does exhibit some of the same ruthlessness as Michael Caines' Jack Carter, and is overall enjoyable to watch.Six out of 10.

snicewanger I first saw this movie at a Blaxploitation Film Festival in 1992. Bhetty Whaldron and Roger Mosley {The Mack was also shown} were among the guest stars. Mosley admitted in the post film commentary the everybody knew that it was a black version of Get Carter. It came under fire at the time of it's release for it's racial stereotypes, but it was a big hit at the drive ins and neighborhood theaters across the country. Bernie Casey was better know at the time for his NFL career but would come to be regarded as a handsome and talented leading man and of course the incredibly beautiful Pam Grier was on her way to becoming a cult movie legend.This is a real guilty pleasure film and is a real time capsule piece to see how black men and women were coming to be regarded in 1970's cinema.

Uriah43 "Tyrone Tackett" (Bernie Casey") is a hit man for the mob in Oakland who flies back to his old hometown of Los Angeles to investigate the mysterious death of his brother. Once he arrives he gets very little cooperation from those who knew his brother and this causes him to dig deeper. Eventually clues turn up which indicate a possible Los Angeles mob connection to the pornographic film industry with friction coming from the local mob boss who doesn't like outsiders snooping around on his turf. Now, from what I understand there are a number of people who consider this to be a blaxploitation version of the movie, "Get Carter" which was filmed a year earlier. Having never seen that particular film I can't really comment one way or the other. What I can say, however, is that I found this movie to be enjoyable due in large part to the way this film kept me guessing as to what would happen next. Likewise, I thought Bernie Casey put on a pretty good performance. On the other hand, there were a number of good characters who I thought should have been given more screen time and I was rather disappointed that one of the ladies: "Gozelda" (Pam Grier), "Laurel Garfoot" (Lisa Moore) or "Rochelle Tackett" (Candy All) weren't given a more graceful exit. There were also some sex scenes and nudity which lacked any real passion or sensuality. It was just there. Even so, the film overall wasn't too bad and I rate it as slightly above average.