Sheba, Baby [Dual Format Blu-Ray + DVD]

I realize most of the "less than favorable" reviews here are due to comparison with COFFY and FOXY BROWN, and that's really unfortunate. Taken by itself, SHEBA BABY is still an enjoyable and entertaining Pam Grier movie. Here she plays a no-nonsense Chicago-based private investigator who returns to Louisville to protect her father from mob forces muscling in on his loan business. The story plays out like many cop/detective shows from the 70s, but despite the PG rating there's plenty of action here and Pam always gets her man (her confrontation with the hustler in the car wash is a riot!). Of course the PG rating means virtually no nudity (Pam stays between the sheets for her only "nude" scene), but she still looks great and (quite nicely!) dons a wetsuit for much of the last third of the film. The film also boasts a funky 70s soundtrack, including vocals by Barbara Mason. Unfortunately the soundtrack LP is long out of print and quite rare, however I would certainly welcome a CD reissue. The DVD also features a trailer for the film that's quite fun ("Slammin' Pam... giving the gun brothers the frizzies and their boss man the tizzies!"). Sure this isn't COFFY or FOXY BROWN, but that shouldn't stop anyone from enjoying SHEBA BABY.

This is the first of Pam Grier's efforts that I would not lump wholly in the exploitation category. Sure, there's lots of gunplay and a redundant catfight. That said, the dialogue here avoids the tongue-and-cheek quality that was evident in "Coffy" and "Foxy Brown" and the villains here are more realistic and not as cartoonish. The underlying theme here are the underworld elements that threaten legitimate black entrepreneurs. Because the film deals with the threat more seriously the message becomes more potent. Even in this low-budget effort Grier just commands the screen like any of her contemporaries and would give a run for the money for today's top actresses. She was definitely ahead of her time. I can't recall if Halle Berry thanked her in her Oscar speech. She does not appear nude here but she looks so fabulous clothed that your imagination will do somersaults. Timeless entertainment.

With the Oscars fighting off accusations of "whitewashing" the awards this year, maybe everyone should just pack into the Dolby Theater and watch Sheba, Baby, Pam Grier's 1975 Blaxploitation thriller which casts her as a tough but tender private detective out to protect her father from neighborhood thugs trying to take over the family business. As the lyrics say in the film's theme song, "She's a dangerous lady, and she's well put together."

Grier was actually trying to get out of the Blaxploitation business after her breakout success with Coffy and Foxy Brown. But producers lured her back for another go with the promise of a more glamorous role and a PG rating that would make the film more accessible for a general audience. It's the latter creative decision that winds up making Sheba, Baby an also-ran when compared to the best films of the Blaxploitation era, often feeling like a cast off TV pilot rather than a polished feature film.

Sheba Shaye (Grier) leaves Chicago to set things right for her father and his partner (Austin Stoker) back in Louisville where a criminal syndicate is buying up all the local businesses on the block. There's obviously bigger money behind it all, so Sheba uses her old connections to kick ass and take names, leading her to "The Shark," a slick insurance tycoon using local muscle to make his millions.

Written and directed by William Girdler (Grizzly), the film's script is more of a "suggestion" as each scene meanders through pointless dialogue and romantic entanglements as it kills time between action sequences. Speaking of which, Girdler stages a couple of memorable ones: the first a fun chase scene shot during the Kentucky State Fair and the second a squib-filled shootout on the Ohio river complete the speedboats and jet skis. As expected, Grier acquaints herself quite well in all of them, looking fabulous in high heels, short shorts and wetsuit alike.

But the toned down sex and violence leaves the film struggling to justify its existence beyond Grier's presence. The ghetto '70s vibe, complete with comic relief pimps and a funkadelic theme song, are good for some surface-level kicks. But Sheba, Baby just doesn't give its fierce leading lady much to worth with.

Arrow Video offers up a damn fine presentation none-the-less, with an "I-dare-you-to-find-a-speck-of-dirt" high definition transfer and several worthwhile extras including an interview with producer David Sheldon (who also shows up on one of the two included audio commentaries), a Blaxploitation overview with film historian Chris Poggiali along with a photo gallery, trailer and liner notes.

Blaxploitation, sheba, movie, louisville, kentucky, tough chick cinema, 1970s, Pam Grier is one of the fines women on this planet, This is very good movie for all the right reasons. It was a nice movie for my collection.

i own just about every movie this lady is in to be by far she (Pam Grier) is one of the greatest black actresses of all time. and still today the way she carries herself in all of her movies she is baaaaad love it