Cool Black private eye John Shaft is hired by a crime lord to find and retrieve his kidnapped daughter.
Score
Isaac Hayes' theme—still the greatest entrance music ever
Direction
Gordon Parks photographing Harlem like holy ground
Acting
Roundtree invented a whole archetype in one film
Director
Gordon Parks
Richard Roundtree
John Shaft
Moses Gunn
Bumpy Jonas
Charles Cioffi
Vic Androzzi
Christopher St. John
Ben Buford
Gwenn Mitchell
Ellie Moore
Lawrence Pressman
Sergeant Tom Hannon
Victor Arnold
Charlie
Sherri Brewer
Marcy
Rex Robbins
Rollie
Camille Yarbrough
Dina Greene
Joseph Leon
Byron Leibowitz
Arnold Johnson
Cul
Dominic Barto
Patsy
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Gordon Parks was the first Black director to helm a major studio action film. He shot Shaft guerrilla-style in actual Harlem locations, often without permits, because the studio barely cared what happened in 'that market.'
Richard Roundtree wasn't first choice—he got the role after the original pick demanded script approval. The leather coat was borrowed. The 'black private dick who's a sex machine' line? Hayes ad-libbed it in the recording booth.
US
