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Across 110th Street

Name: Across 110th Street
Director: Barry Shear
Released: 1972
Duration: 102 min

Representation Score

3.1/10

Limited

1972

Director

Barry Shear

Runtime

102 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Across 110th Street stands out for its gritty, urban realism and its refusal to rely on sanitized Hollywood clichés. By centering the story in Harlem and utilizing a predominantly Black cast, the film disrupts the era's homogeneous casting norms. The characters of color are central drivers of the plot rather than peripheral figures. However, the film remains tethered to traditional genre constraints regarding gender. The narrative is almost exclusively driven by male protagonists and antagonists, offering very little space for women's ability to drive the story or representation. This creates a stark contrast between the film's progressive racial casting and its conventional masculine framework. Ultimately, the film's strength lies in its sophisticated critique of social structures. It avoids simple moral dichotomies, instead presenting crime as a byproduct of poverty and systemic tension. This nuanced approach to authority and survival provides a textured look at the urban hierarchy.

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Category Breakdown

Does Across 110th Street have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters. The story centers on the conflict between criminal factions and law enforcement.

How does Across 110th Street portray gender?

Limited

The story follows a traditional, male-centric structure where female characters are largely absent from the central power struggle, resulting in a lack of women's ability to drive the story.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Across 110th Street?

Excellent

The film excels by centering the narrative in Harlem with a predominantly Black cast. These characters play a significant role in driving the plot through complex interactions.

How does Across 110th Street represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film critiques systemic socioeconomic pressures using moral relativism. It portrays law enforcement with cynicism, framing police as obstacles rather than stabilizing forces.

Does Across 110th Street include disability representation?

Minimal

There is no significant depiction of visible or invisible disabilities within the narrative.

Present on Screen

Authentic racial representation through a predominantly Black cast.
Nuanced exploration of systemic socioeconomic pressures and poverty.
Sophisticated, non-didactic critique of established institutional authority.

Limited or Absent

Lack of women's ability to drive the story and representation within the central plot.
Absence of LGBTQ+ characters or non-straight relationships.
Reliance on a traditional, male-centric narrative structure.

Official Synopsis

In a daring robbery, some $300,000 is taken from the Italian mob. Several mafiosi are killed, as are two policemen. Lt. Pope and Capt. Mattelli are two New York City cops trying to break the case. Three small-time criminals are on the run with the money. Will the mafia catch them first, or will the police?

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