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The undisputed queen of Blaxploitation is, of course, Pam Grier, and I’ve seen most of her work from that era. While “Foxy Brown” is probably her most famous role, I prefer the superior “Coffy” as my favorite of her Blaxploitation films. A lesser-known but still noteworthy actress in the genre is Tamara Dobson, who had only a handful of films to her name but made her mark as the titular heroine in “Cleopatra Jones.”
“Cleopatra Jones” follows the story of a stylish and tough-as-nails special agent, Cleopatra Jones, who works for the U.S. government in its war on drugs. When a ruthless drug kingpin named Mommy, angered by Cleopatra’s destruction of a massive poppy field, retaliates by targeting a rehabilitation center run by Cleopatra’s boyfriend, the agent returns to Los Angeles to take down Mommy’s empire. Using her sharp wit, martial arts skills, and an iconic Corvette Stingray, Cleopatra battles corrupt cops, street thugs, and Mommy’s goons.
“Cleopatra Jones” kicks off differently from the usual Blaxploitation fare, opening in a Middle Eastern setting where we’re introduced to Cleopatra as she oversees the fiery destruction of a massive poppy field. But it doesn’t take long for the film to shift gears into a more familiar urban landscape, where corrupt cops plant drugs on Black men during ruthless police raids, setting the stage for Cleopatra to bring her brand of justice to the streets.
The movie goes out of its way to establish Cleopatra as a larger-than-life figure from the moment she steps off a helicopter, exuding confidence and authority. Upon landing in L.A., she’s immediately targeted by a couple of Mommy’s goons, who, in a stroke of criminal genius, decide that the crowded airport lobby is the perfect spot for an assassination. But Cleopatra is always a step ahead—outsmarting them by making a surprise entrance from the baggage conveyor belt, leading to one of many over-the-top fight scenes where we’re expected to believe Tamara Dobson is a skilled martial artist.
IMDb categorizes this movie as Action, Crime, and Thriller, but that doesn’t quite hold up today. Maybe in the ’70s it did, but by modern standards, “Cleopatra Jones” is pure action-comedy. It packs in everything you expect from a Blaxploitation film—despite being an earlier entry in the genre, it’s already overflowing with the classic tropes that would come to define it. The result is a film that’s unintentionally hilarious but wildly entertaining. Anyone expecting a serious crime thriller is in for a disappointment, but those who embrace its over-the-top style are in for a great time.
“Cleopatra Jones” is packed with over-the-top characters, none more outrageous than the villainous Mommy, played by Shelley Winters, who constantly showers compliments on a rotating cast of beautiful young women who bring her things. Antonio Fargas plays her sleazy underling, running the turf where the rehab center is located, and in a bizarre touch, he even has a white British servant. But Cleopatra is the baddest of them all, effortlessly taking down every opponent without breaking a sweat. She’s also a full-on style icon, rocking a new outfit in nearly every scene. While Tamara Dobson doesn’t bring much range to the role, it hardly matters—Cleopatra Jones only needs to be cool, and that’s something Dobson delivers in spades.
“Cleopatra Jones” is a much more lighthearted Blaxploitation film compared to grittier entries like “Coffy” or “Foxy Brown“. There’s no nudity, no sexual violence, and the overall tone is far less intense. The racist white cops are more of a nuisance than a real threat, limiting their villainy to busting up the rehab center and planting drugs on a recovering addict. In most Blaxploitation films, a brutal or tragic death would serve as the catalyst for the hero’s vengeance, but here, a few broken windows and a busted-down door are enough to set Cleopatra into action. Watching this film, it’s easy to see how later parodies like “Black Dynamite” found their inspiration.
