Gordon’s War (1973) 20th Century Fox/Action RT: 90 minutes Rated R (language, violence, nudity, sex, drugs) Director: Ossie Davis Screenplay: Howard Friedlander and Ed Spielman Music: Angelo Badalamenti (credited as “Andy Badale”) and Al Elias Cinematography: Victor J. Kemper Release date: August 9, 1973 (US) Cast: Paul Winfield, Carl Lee, David Downing, Tony King, Gilbert Lewis, Carl Gordon, Nathan C. Heard, Grace Jones, Jackie Page, Charles Bergansky, Adam Wade, Hansford Rowe, Warren Taurien, Ralph Wilcox, David Connell. Box Office: $823,282 (US)
Rating: ***
As far as blaxploitation movies go, Gordon’s War is a pretty good one. Although you might not know it by name, you’ll certainly recognize it as one of the primary influences on the 1988 blaxploitation spoof I’m Gonna Git You Sucka. The hero, soldier Gordon Jackson (Winfield, The Terminator), returns home from Vietnam after his beloved wife dies from a heroin overdose. He quickly learns Harlem isn’t the same as when he left. The streets have been taken over by criminals that flood the city with H, even getting young children hooked. He decides to do something about it. He gathers together a few Army buddies and wages war against the pushers and pimps destroying his city. See what I mean? Of course, you do.
Unlike other blaxploitation heroes, Gordon and his friends Bee (Lee, Super Fly), Otis (Downing, Up the Sandbox) and Roy (King, Hell Up in Harlem) have a carefully planned-out strategy that involves a little more than targeting and killing bad guys. Don’t forget, they’re trained military men operating in a war zone. They’re armed to the teeth and determined to rid the streets of drugs and crime. Their plan basically comes down to forcing criminals out of business, stopping the flow of drugs into Harlem and taking down lead scumbag Spanish Harry (Lewis, Across 110th Street). Naturally, this bothers the white criminal organization that really runs the illegal enterprises in black neighborhoods. They want Gordon and his guys taken out.
Directed by acclaimed actor Ossie Davis (Cotton Comes to Harlem), Gordon’s War tries to be more than a routine action picture by adding a layer of seriousness in showing urban squalor and addressing social issues (i.e. crime, prostitution and drugs) that typically plague poor black neighborhoods. It lets us see the damaging effects they have on good people who can’t afford to live elsewhere. It drags a little in the middle section with scenes of both sides planning their next moves in the escalating war for control of the streets. However, there are some good, bloody action scenes with the fights and gun battles, topped off by a thrilling car vs. motorcycle chase through the streets. It’s all played out to a groovy score by Angelo Badalamenti (credited as “Andy Badale”) and Al Elias.
The late Winfield was always one of my favorite actors. He consistently stood out in movies as varied as Sounder, Carbon Copy and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. He does a fine job as the angry, broken-hearted protagonist in Gordon’s War. He’s a vigilante fighting for a good cause, the right cause. Well, somebody has to as there aren’t any cops in sight. It could be they’re afraid to set foot in Harlem, a lawless hellhole run by criminals who prey on the weak by getting them hooked on dope. ANYWAY, he helps make Gordon a plausible hero in that he’s not indestructible or infallible. Shortly after beating the hell out of the creep he holds responsible for his wife’s death, he gets his ass handed to him after being cornered by the creep’s associates. He and his men make a few mistakes, but none as big as the bad guys thinking they can escape justice.
Please don’t think Gordon’s War is completely serious. There’s fun to be had watching Gordon’s soldiers set the bad guys up for a big fall with tricks like tagging their cars with infrared spray paint. One pimp has his purple boots tagged with infrared shoe polish. Later, a hitman who tries to kill Gordon buys it Live and Let Die-style via a can of aerosol deodorant and a cigarette lighter. It’s still cool. Needless to say, it makes for an occasionally uneven movie.
I first heard of Gordon’s War in ’84 when it aired on one of the local UHF channels. I tried watching it, but couldn’t get into it knowing it was edited for TV. I finally caught it uncut on cable in the late 90s. What can I say? It’s a good flick. It has its flaws. Also, I couldn’t help but consider the futility of the heroes’ actions. In reality, they’d have accomplished nothing as there’s always another POS ready to fill the vacancy left by a dead or imprisoned dealer. Junkies will always find ways to obtain drugs. The very idea of a drug-free Harlem is pure fantasy. The makers of movies like Gordon’s War don’t want you to consider such things though. Fine, I’ll humor them since they actually made a pretty good action movie. At the very least, it’ll hold the attention of genre fans.
TRIVIA TIDBIT: Look for rocker Grace Jones in an early role as a drug courier intercepted by Gordon and his men.
