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Hit!

Name: Hit!
Director: Sidney J. Furie
Released: 1973
Duration: 135 min

Representation Score

4.1/10

Fair

1973

Director

Sidney J. Furie

Runtime

135 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Hit! is a significant piece of the Blaxploitation era, mainly through its subversion of racial casting norms. By placing Black characters in positions of authority and central importance within an international thriller, the film challenges the era's standard casting hierarchies. However, the film remains tied to the conventional clichés of 1970s action cinema. It relies on a standard revenge-driven structure and adheres to traditional gender roles where female characters have passive roles. Ultimately, the film's impact lies in its disruption of the 'white hero' archetype, even as it operates within a narrow, straight-centered social framework.

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Category Breakdown

Does Hit! have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The movie includes a typical heterosexual romance involving the main character's daughter. There are no visible LGBTQ+ narratives or diverse gender identities presented in the story.

How does Hit! portray gender?

Fair

The plot revolves around a traditional gender hierarchy, focusing on a male federal agent's grief. Female characters provide emotional tension but have passive roles and are often victims.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Hit!?

Excellent

The film stands out by featuring Black actors like Billy Dee Williams and Richard Pryor in leading roles. This breaks the era's tendency to place Black performers in secondary or stereotypical roles.

How does Hit! represent religion and culture?

Fair

The story critiques systemic corruption through the drug trade, maintaining a traditional moral focus on personal vengeance rather than a radical political critique.

Does Hit! include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not depict significant physical or neurodivergent disabilities. The plot centers on the tragic consequences of substance abuse without exploring disability ability to act.

Present on Screen

Centers Black leadership by casting Billy Dee Williams and Richard Pryor in commanding roles.
Breaks 1970s cinematic norms by placing Black characters in positions of authority.
Features a charismatic central figure that challenges the racial homogeneity of mainstream action films.

Limited or Absent

Relies on passive female characters whose roles are defined primarily by their victimization.
Adheres to traditional, straight-centered social structures and romantic subplots.
Follows a conventional, revenge-driven narrative structure common to the era.

Official Synopsis

A federal agent whose daughter dies of a heroin overdose is determined to destroy the drug ring that supplied her. He recruits various people whose lives have been torn apart by the drug trade and trains them. Then they all leave for France to track down and destroy the ring.

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