Gordon's War is a 1973 blaxploitation action film written by Howard Friedlander & Ed Spielman, directed by Ossie Davis and starring Paul Winfield.
Contents
Plot
Gordon, a soldier from Harlem, returns home from his tour of duty in Vietnam to find his old neighborhood has been taken over by drug dealers and pimps. Outraged and heartbroken after his wife dies of a heroin overdose, he partners with three other ex-Vietnam soldiers and pledges to use their combat experience to go to war against the criminals.
Cast
Paul Winfield as Gordon Hudson
Carl Lee as Bee Bishop
David Downing as Otis Russell
Tony King as Roy Green
Gilbert Lewis as Harry "Spanish Harry" Martinez
Carl Gordon as Luther "The Pimp"
Nathan Heard as "Big Pink"
Grace Jones as Mary
Jackie Page as Bedroom Girl
Chuck Bergansky as White Hitman
Adam Wade as Hustler
Hansford Rowe as Dog Salesman
Warren Taurien as "Goose"
Ralph Wilcox as Black Hitman
David Connell as Hotel Proprietor
Rochelle LeNoir as Gordon's Wife
Charles McGregor as Jim, Drug Dealer On Subway Station Platform (uncredited)
Soundtrack
The music heard throughout the film has become a well-respected album in its own right, performed by Badder Than Evil, Barbara Mason, New Birth and Sister Goose And The Ducklings.
Most songs were composed and performed by Badder Than Evil, a funk / R&B project of Albert Sahley Elias (credited as Al Elias) and Angelo Badalamenti (credited as Andy Badale). Their track Hot Wheels (the chase) has been sampled by scores of artists including Public Enemy, Coldcut and Blade.
Reception
The New York Times called it an inconclusive film, one that had a "format and substance—a black theme dramatized, for practical, constructive purposes—remain exceeded by its goal." Jacob Knight of Birth.Movies.Death called it "one of the most valuable works to come out of '70s Blaxploitation."