Uptight

The mixture of historical tragedy (the aftermath of the assassination of Martin Luther King) with believable fiction creates an update of Liam O'Flaherty's "The Informer " (filmed in 1935) that is deserving of discussion and belated honors. A sensational cast of stage trained black actors (including one Oscar nominee, Juanita Moore) plays out their grief and anger in this drama that shows young revolutionaries changing how the civil rights war will be fought, and well meaning white activists aren't welcome. Raymond St. Jacques, Ruby Dee, Roscoe Lee Browne and Julian Mayfield lead the cast with Max Julien in major part as a rebel hunted down after committing a rebellion related killing that stirs up anger against an informant (Browne). I don't consider this blaxploitatiom in any traditional sense because there's a sense of sardonic irony in the typical fight against the white machine, and this is completely serious in the way it is presented as if it was based on truth. The scene where white ally Michael Baseleon is rejected and elder black leaders rip the younger revolutionaries for their methods is quite powerful, building in anger and showing differences between not only the races but the generations of the same race. Browne, playing a gay character, is brilliant as he faces the realization that he's now considered an outcast, for his betrayal, not his sexuality, and takes his punishment accordingly. The film is colorful, but there are no elements of humor inserted to lighten the atmosphere because the writers wisely deemed that inappropriate. Probably one of the deserving race films of classic status because it's absolutely no nonsense, and ultimately brilliant.

The film opening up with the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr brings the viewer automatically into the pain that was felt during this time. The helplessness that was brought on by his assassination that lead to a much deeper need for black people to protect themselves from the white man and the policed who were out to get them. The pain that Tank health throughout the whole film was evident as he went through the stages of grief starting in the beginning when he was kicked out of the militia. The fact that Tank was so willing to not only turn in Johnny but also to place the blame on Clarence just shows how truly lost and broken he is. What is truly heartbreaking is the amount of people in the film who see the good in tank and cannot imagine being betrayed by him so much so that they would defend him to the point of lying for him to protect him from the the reality of what he had done. The stages of grief are felt throughout the film by many characters, they are all beyond what they can handle. Although Tank escapes death towards the of the film he is forced to live with his choices and his grief and his hatred for not only himself but what he did which may be an even greater punishment. One that he could not handle which is why he chose to end his life on his own terms, with the help of those who wanted him dead.

I was very impressed by this film and am glad it was finally released on DVD. It is still relevant in 2021 and has even deeper meaning given how little has changed since 1968. It would make a great double bill with the recent film Judas and the Black Messiah. Similar themes but with significant differences. I hope this film becomes more well-known. It truly deserves attention by everyone interested in civil rights and the political conflict between people who want to be non-violent and the people who are willing to use weapons. In the middle are people who just need some money to live day to day and get basic needs met.

Uptight is gritty movie about racial issues in America after the death of Martin Luther King. The movie does a really good job of encapsulating the anger and helplessness felt by the African American communities at the time. It had a lot of dramatic long shots, with frenzied movement in the background, or odd distorted visuals that change the shape of characters. This added an interesting element to the movie, but it did not seem to hold the movie up, and it was a nice touch in my opinion. Alot of the scenes started with fixed shots, and then started to follow the action. There was also a lot of vibrant colour in the clothing of the actors, along with the settings in different scenes. I really liked this movie, and it was my favourite from this genre.

"Uptight" is an excellent dramatic work with a superb African American cast. This is director Jules Dassin remake of John Ford's "The Informer." Aside from the splendid acting the film contains innovative visual sequences that are unique and amongst the most interesting Jules Dassin has ever done. The scene which takes place in the street side arcade is one such example.

Director Jules Dassin reworks the Ireland-based tale "The Informer" (made into a film by John Ford in 1935 with Victor McLaglen in the lead role) into a black-militants vs whites tale following Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination in the US. Actress Ruby Dee also contributed to the script and acted in this film. Interesting visual sequences post-informant's dark deed. Julian Mayfield is interesting as the informer and for his contribution to the script. Evidently his acting and writing careers are limited to two feature films. Question: why give the title "Uptight" to this film? Tense, yes; anger, yes; controlled, definitely not. A below-average work of Dassin.

Set in Cleveland in the days after Martin Luther King's funeral, this gorgeous film interweaves several stories about what seems like typical Black urban America. There are people struggling to survive, there are revolutionaries (this is 1968), and there is the leading man, Tank, who is troubled by failure and drink, and by King's death. So crime in the name of racial justice collides with ordinary people who have their own kind of individual justice, or just decency, but strained and compromised. In a way, this is about life, ordinary life, except the times are not ordinary at all, and the drama of having a social cause elevates and distorts ordinary things. The director, Jules Dassin, is known for a couple or three great noirs, and maybe that suits the mood here, twenty years later. But the big credit is just him taking on a movie with this kind of topical meaning, and with sincerity. The political meeting in the center of movie is a bit clichéd no doubt, but it feels close enough to get the point across. The story has classic roots, in a weird way-it's based on a 1925 book, "The Informer," about the Irish resistance. It was made into a British (ironically) film in 1929, and then a more famous (and highly regarded) 1935 John Ford film. This tranferrance to the Black Revolution, with parallels to the Black Panthers in their insistence that guns are necessary to real revolution, is strong and interesting, and it comes straight from the period, without the filters and aesthetic distance that a later film would have not avoided. I have to say this is a beautiful film. Almost every scene is at night, and the stark interiors and dramatic exteriors, with layers of light and rain and sweat (and a notable early scene in the shower) make it really sizzle. Cinematographer Boris Kaufman really gets it. It's vivid just on visual terms (including a 720 degree camera spin after a shootout, another at the end). He shot "On the Waterfront" and "Baby Doll" and "Long Day's Journey into Night" for just three classics. However, it isn't uniformly thoughtful, and an attempt at some humorous surreal commentary at a funhouse is both fun and awkward. This is followed by a born-again street preacher who might seem believable to some but it seems more symbolic, and pushy. But then, this is followed a scene of family and friends in a big, quiet meeting where Tank arrives drunk, and the editing and filming seems to compare to the careful head shots in Dreyer's "Passion of Joan of Arc." Seriously. This is an almost entirely black cast, and set in squalid, cramped inner city situations. Look for fabulous performances by Ruby Dee (as a mother filled with dignity), and Rosco Lee Jones (as a homosexual), in addition to Tank, played by Julian Mayfield. For those who like blaxploitation films, this is more sincere and yet still filled with the exaggerations and details of urban Black America from that same era (or actually a few years before most of them).

I've never seen this film, but am an admirer of Dassin & many of the actors in its cast. So I'd love to see it released to home video & aired on TV. One way to make this happen is to vote for its home video release on the TCM website (www.tcm.com). Just enter the film's title in the search window, then look for the home video voting sidebar. I'm especially intrigued by the other comments here describing the film's fidelity to the post-ML King assassination mood and its Cleveland location. I've never been to Cleveland, but sure remember what Oakland was like at that time! And it's interesting that the movie's setting is a Midwestern industrial center other than Chicago--an unusual choice. But, mainly, I'm curious to see what a maker of several outstanding US & European film's (e.g., "The Naked City," "Topkapi") made of US race relations in the late 60s.

...this was actually a great movie...it was made during a tumultuous time in urban black America and it reflected the conflict...outstanding performances from max julien (don't want to even HEAR about the mack) this was a real blood and soul performance..raymond st. Jacques, ruby dee, dick williams, frank silvera, roscoe lee brown...this was a tremendous movie with a heart and soul you just don't see...if you ever, EVER, get a chance to see this....do it. There would not be many movies that combined intelligence and substance for numerous black actors and actresses in the same setting. Way ahead of it's time. These folks were truly inspired, hats off to the director (Jules Dassen) for creating a lasting work..

I remember this film seeing it as a child. It left a strong and vivid impression on me and may have contributed to my choosing a career in the performing arts. It would be later(much later) that I would find out how important Jules Dassin was to the world of cinema. I'm hoping that like Ivan Dixon's film will be transferred to DVD soon so that a new generation of fans can appreciate the artistry. Julian Mayfield didn't get the kind of support or backing that could have led to a rich and prolific career. Seeing that Ruby Dee's in the cast lets you know that this is not your average shoot-em-up. 1968 was such a watershed year. Even from the perspective of a 10 year old I sensed earth-shaking events were going on and this film is sort of a thumbnail etching of that time.