The Spook Who Sat by the Door (1973)

Director:

Ivan Dixon

Writers:

Melvin Clay (writer)
Sam Greenlee (novel)
(more)

Release Date:

23 December 1981 (France)

Genre:

Action | Drama | Crime

Tagline:

The controversial best selling novel now becomes a shocking screen reality.

Plot:

A black man plays Uncle Tom in order to gain access to CIA training, then uses that knowledge to plot a new American Revolution.

Plot Keywords:

CIA | Revolution | Race War | Racism | Black Power

Cast

Lawrence Cook	...	Dan Freeman
Janet League	...	Joy
Paula Kelly	...	Dahomey Queen
J.A. Preston	...	Dawson
Paul Butler	...	Do-Daddy Dean
Don Blakely	...	Stud Davis
David Lemieux	...	Pretty Willie
Byron Morrow	...	General
Jack Aaron	...	Carstairs
Joseph Mascolo	...	Senator Hennington
Elaine Aiken	...	Mrs. Hennington
Beverly Gill	...	Willa
Bob Hill	...	Calhoun
Martin Golar	...	Perkins
Jeff Hamilton	...	Policeman
Margaret Kromgols	...	Old Woman
Tom Alderman	...	Security Officer
Stephen Ferry	...	Colonel
Kathy Berk	...	Doris
Stephen Ferry II	...	Boy Guardsman
Frank Lesley	...	TV Commentator
Harold Johnson	...	Jackson
Anthony Ray	...	Shorty (as Pemon Rami)
Audrey Stevenson	...	Mrs. Duncan
John Charles	...	Stew
Ponciano Olayta Jr.	...	Mr. Soo (Instructor I)
Sidney Eden	...	Instructor II
Colostine Boatwright	...	Dancer
Johnny Williams	...	Waiter
Cora Williams	...	Woman I
Bobbie Gene Williams	...	Woman II
Ernest Robinson	...	Stunt Gaffer (as Ernie Robinson)
Doug Johnson	...	CIA Trainee #1
Lenard Norris	...	CIA Trainee #2
Mark Williams	...	CIA Trainee #3
Walter Lowe	...	CIA Trainee #4
Robert Franklin	...	CIA Trainee #5
Harold Harris	...	CIA Trainee #6
Jim Heard	...	CIA Trainee #7
Kenneth Lee Orme	...	CIA Trainee #8
Don Greenlee	...	CIA Trainee #9
Johnnie Johnson III	...	Cobra #1
Frank E. Ford	...	Cobra #2
Maurice Wicks	...	Cobra #3
Perry Thomas	...	Cobra #4
Clinton Malcome	...	Cobra #5
Orlanders Thomas	...	Cobra #6
Larry Lawrence	...	Cobra #7
Rodney McGrader	...	Cobra #8
Tyrone R. Livingston	...	Cobra #9 (as Tyrone Livingston)
Ramon Livingston	...	Cobra #10
James Mitchell	...	Cobra #11
Virgie Johnson	...	Cobra #12

Directed by
Ivan Dixon

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Melvin Clay		writer (as Mel Clay)
Sam Greenlee		novel
Sam Greenlee		screenplay

Produced by
Ivan Dixon	....	producer
Sam Greenlee	....	producer
Thomas G. Neusom	....	associate producer

Original Music by
Herbie Hancock

Cinematography by
Michel Hugo

Film Editing by
Michael Kahn
Thomas Penick

Art Direction by
A. Leslie Thomas		(as Leslie Thomas)

Set Decoration by
Cheryal Kearney
Sheryl Kearney

Costume Design by
Henry Salley

Sound Department
John Speak	....	sound mixer

Casting Department
Cassius Weathersby	....	casting assistant

Other crew
Jerry Whittington	....	location projectionist: Dailies

Production Companies

• Bokan

Distributors

• United Artists (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• Video City Productions (1985) (USA) (VHS)
• Monarch Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

102 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Colour:

Colour

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Norway:16 (1974) | USA:PG

Filming Locations:

63rd Street & Cottage Grove Avenue, Woodlawn, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

Bokan

Trivia:

According to Sam Greenlee, the outdoor scenes filmed in Chicago were shot without permits.

Quotes:

Dan Freeman: [confronting members of the Cobras street gang] Shut up... and listen! The big-time, bad-ass Cobras. Pumpin' away at the Pigs from the rooftops during the riots last summer? Oh, yeah! I know what ya's into. With .22 rifles and pistols did about as much damage as a mosquito to a elephant's ass! What did you expect to hit from that range, with those weapons at night? You might as well as *thrown* the damned pieces at the Pigs! You *really* wanna mess with Whitey? I can show you how. *I* can show you how!

Movie Connections:

Spoofs Gone with the Wind (1939)

All POWER TO the PEOPLE!!

This interesting drama hits dead on point for those of who dream of a better government and a better America .In the film ,a racist politician losing in the polls and fearing the loss of the so-called Negro vote decides to give the people a few crumbs off the table by allowing some black men to be recruited into the CIA. Certain under handed deals are made to insure none of these men will succeed ,however one guy makes it through all the rigorous training and educating. And in an incredible graduation scene (see it to believe it!)is congratulated for being the 1st of his race into the CIA. The films budgetary restraints are apparent throughout, but the entire cast deliver good performances most convincingly the main character.I won't spoil it suffice to say the guy gets to put all the training to very good use,as he resigns from the racist system and sets out to make real change for his community. I would give this 15*s