Mean Johnny Barrows

Director: Michele Lupo, Fred Williamson, Fred Williams Michele Lupo

Overview

A Vietnam War veteran (Fred Williamson) is discharged from the Army, and becomes involved with mobsters when he is unable to find a job. The gang uses him on a job when one of the thugs (Roddy McDowall) and his girlfriend (Jenny Sherman) decide to provoke a gang war.

Product Details

Release Date:	06/29/2017
UPC:	0191091167663
Original Release:	1975
Source:	Film Detective
Language:	English
Time:	1:30:00
Sales rank:	53,200

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits

Fred Williamson	Johnny Barrows
Roddy McDowall	Tony Da Vince
Stuart Whitman	Mario Racconi
Anthony Caruso	Don Da Vince(as Tony Caruso)
Luther Adler	Don Racconi
R.G. Armstrong	Richard
Elliott Gould	Prof. Theodore Rasputin Waterhouse
Mike Henry	Carlo Da Vince
Aaron Banks	Capt. O'Malley
Gregory Bach	Body Guard
Jim Brown	Actor
John LaMotta	Antonio Goti(as Johnny LaMotta)
Lee Van Cleef	Actor
Leon Kennedy	Actor
Fred Williams	Actor
Paul Riser	Composer

Technical Credits

Charles Walker

Jolivett Cato

Michele Lupo	Director
Lee B. Winkler	Executive Producer
Charles Walker	Screenwriter
Fred Williamson	Director,Producer
Jolivett Cato	Screenwriter
Jack DeBron	Special Effects
Fred Williams	Director

Editorial Reviews

Fred Williamson's self-directed cinematic vehicles tend to be cheap programmers but this early effort stands out from the pack because it has a more personal tone. The script for Mean Johnny Barrows is surprisingly drama-driven, focusing on the societal problems faced by its title character and mostly backgrounding its action elements until the third act. Williamson also distinguishes himself by abandoning his usual cocky persona to offer a more inward, less self-assured performance. The film's other casting choices tend to be odd - the distinctly non-Italian Stuart Whitman, Roddy McDowell and Mike Henry all play Italian mobsters here - but everyone takes their respective roles seriously and deliver committed, low-key performances that fit the film's moody style. Whitman in particular offers a nice, world-weary turn as a mob boss and there's also an amusing one-scene cameo by Elliott Gould as a loquacious street bum. Williamson's direction suffers from technical crudeness but he has a decent eye for framing and is capable of the occasional bit of directorial flair: a gangsters' meeting in a nocturnal graveyard is particularly effective. There's a certain amount of silliness here (the last-minute appearance of a certain character during the finale and the fight that follows is likely to prompt a chuckle) but Mean Johnny Barrows has got an odd, memorable vibe that makes it worthwhile viewing for blaxploitation enthusiasts.