A stuntman turned actor and then later director, Charles Bail helmed two Blaxploitation epics during his 20 plus years of calling the shots behind the camera. “Black Samson” marked Bail’s cinematic debut at the helm, and he made a name for himself, going on to direct the “Cleopatra Jones” sequel “Cleopatra Jones and the Casino of Gold.” Afterward, he made “The Gumball Rally,” and later directed his share of prime-time television shows, among them “CHiPs,” “Manimal,” “Knight Rider,” “Dragnet,” “Adam-12,” and “Baywatch Nights.” During his television years, Bail took time off to direct “Choke Canyon” (1986) and “Street Corner Justice” (1996). As Blaxploitation pix go, “Black Samson” isn’t as well-known as his “Cleopatra” sequel, but it features a dashiki-clad African American role model who stood out from the line-up of sartorially elegant heroes and he shunned firearms! Instead, in the tradition of President Theodore Roosevelt, Samson walked softly and carried a big stick. When he isn’t cracking heads with his lance, he balls up his own fists of fury to pummel the opposition.
In the screenplay by “Kiss of the Tarantula” scribes Warren Hamilton Jr. and Daniel Cady, Black Samson (Rockne Tarkington of “The No Mercy Man”) owns a strip bar in Los Angeles where he keeps a lion behind the bar in plain sight as his mascot! No, this king of the beasts never gets loose to gnaw on the bad guys! Basically, Black Samson keeps a brotherly eye on the neighborhood surrounding his drug free haven where not only his customers—both black and white—can live in peace and harmony but also without the scourge of narcotics polluting their lives. He emerges as a self-appointed benefactor who defends the weak and cares for the poor. For example, he keeps a homeless, elderly, black man, Old Henry (Napoleon Whiting of “Giant”), on his payroll to plink out funky tunes on a piano. Meantime, Samson has made a gentleman’s agreement with a nearby funeral home director, Arthur (Michael Payne of “Good Guys Wear Black”), who steers his coke dealers clear of Samson’s bailiwick. For the record, these two dudes grew up as soul brothers, but they went their separate ways into different livelihoods. Nevertheless, Arthur warns Samson that the latter is living on borrowed time before the gluttonous Italians try to muscle in on his environs and hook everybody he knows and loves on cocaine.
Indeed, the arrogant, reckless spawn of a Mafioso, Johnny Nappa (William Smith of “Any Which Way You Can”), plans to push drugs in Samson’s community. Naturally, our eponymous hero refuses to let Johnny and his thugs gain so much as a toehold. When Johnny’s lawyer approaches Samson with the prospect of a 20 percent take of drug sales, our hero threatens to throw him from the roof of his bar into the street. Afterward, Johnny sends his men in to change Samson’s mind but to no avail. Literally, Samson wields a ceremonial lance which is as tall as he is, and he can be devastating as Johnny learns to his chagrin.
The only thing “Black Samson” lacks is an appealing Top 40 hit title tune to give it some vibe. Bail and his scenarists keep the action coming in this predictable but entertaining R-rated, 88-minute crime yarn. As villainous Johnny Nappa, brawny William Smith sports a pencil-thin, Snidely Whiplash mustache and never misses a chance to use the N-word. As it turns out, Johnny’s peace-loving mafia don of a father, Joseph Nappa (Titos Vandis of “Stiletto”), draws the line at violence and advises his volatile son to forget about taking over Samson’s district. Sadly, numbskull Johnny refuses to abide by his father’s non-violent agenda, and he sets out to eliminate Samson. Eventually, Johnny declares open war on Samson, while his torpedoes abduct Samson’s girlfriend, Leslie (Carol Speed of “The New Centurions”), and hold her hostage. Earlier, Johnny had dispatched a sexy little dame, Tina (Connie Strickland of “Act of Vengeance”), to audition as a topless dancer in Samson’s bar. Yes, prepare yourself for some modest frontal nudity. Samson hires her because she displays talent, and Johnny orders Tina to learn everything she can about Samson and his operation. At the same time, Johnny warns Tina to steer clear of any romantic entanglements with Samson.
The grand finale of “Black Samson” is pretty spectacular. First, Bail treats us to a careening demolition derby of an auto chase with Johnny’s reckless henchmen chasing Samson and his girlfriend through teeming city streets. These villains crash headlong into one car after another that they encounter along the way. After they destroy their own cars, these thugs carjack other vehicles and resume their pursuit. Eventually, Samson lures them into his neighborhood where the residents have prepared a special reception for the Italians. As soon as Samson speeds down the street of his quarter, a truck pulls out across the road effectively blocking any pursuit. Later, two wrecker trucks close off the street at the other end! Predictably, the LAPD doesn’t show up until Samson has thoroughly beaten egotistical Johnny to a bloody pulp, while Samson’s supporters have trapped Nappa’s mafia torpedoes in the street below and showered them with a barrage of sticks, bricks, stones, and kitchen appliances! The amount of stuff the residents rain down on the antagonists is simply incredible. “Black Samson” reminded me of a town-taming western with Samson appointing himself the moral crusader who thwarts these drug dealers and furnishes congenial services as a bar owner for the neighborhood.
