Sweet Jesus, Preacherman (1973)

I am only giving this movie a 1 for the great cast, though I can't imagine what any of them were thinking. This movie was horrible

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

After a funeral for what appears to be a very wealthy person, hit-man Roger E. Mosley (as Holmes) kills three men. The murders are increasingly painful, with the third man meeting a notably gruesome end. After this, Mr. Mosley meets with his employer, crime lord William Smith (as Martelli). Unhappy with the truck killing Mr. Smith wants Mosely to go undercover as a preacher and stop what's been interfering with Mr. Smith's operation. Mosley poses as "Jason Lee", a minister expected by the community who apparently meets his maker through the courtesy of Smith's henchmen. Mosley preaches and struts. Playing a sleazy politician, Michael Pataki (as Sam Sills) threatens to steal the show – trouble is, there isn't any show to steal. People strut around for a long time and we're never really sure how events connect. It's nice to see the Los Angeles locations and the first appearance of "The Jeffersons" maid Marla Gibbs, who became a big TV favorite.*** Sweet Jesus, Preacherman (5/25/73) Henning Schellerup ~ Roger E. Mosley, William Smith, Michael Pataki, Marla Gibbs

Even though it plays more like a TV movie than a theatrical release, this film captures early 70's LA street life inadvertently and entertainingly. Many scenes were shot out in the streets, at local joints, giving a glimpse of life at the time. Enjoyable scene at the nudie bar, and later at the girl's tiny apartment. Moseley is wonderful as the Preacherman, and there are many familiar faces in the cast throughout. It is not blaxploitation in the least, but rather a thought-provoking timestamp of urban black life, with the exploitation coming from the politicians and others involved with "Jason Lee", who quickly warms to his charade role as community and spiritual leader, while still bullying, beating and strong-arming those in his way. The action scenes are a bit stiff, the narrative a little slow moving, but there is much more to look at and be entertained by, like the mad fight in the baptismal font that cements Preacherman's destiny. Def worth watching.

The 70's produced a series of movies categorized as 'blaxploitation" films- low budget, campy cinema which featured a predominantly black cast. White actors were often cast as the villains, and a number of these movies were quite entertaining despite the bad dialog and low production values. The flashy 70's fashion and hip lingo add to the allure of these period pieces."Sweet Jesus, Preacherman" is unfortunately not one of the more worthy entries into this genre. Roger E. Moseley, best known for his role as Tom Selleck's sidekick "T.C." in CBS' Magnum, P.I. stars in the lead as a mobster looking to take control of the rackets while posing as a ghetto preacher. While an enjoyable character actor, Moseley lacks the magnetism of a Pam Grier, William Marshall or Fred Williamson to effectively carry the film.Lending the movie a degree of interest is bad guy extraordinaire William Smith, one of the greatest character actors ever, as Martelli, Moseley's boss. Smith was the master of making average to below average films watchable with his menacing portrayals and "Sweet Jesus" is no exception.Overall, not on a par with "Foxy Brown", "Blacula", "Black Gunn", "Coffy" and a number of other more enjoyable blaxploitation films of the time.

"Sweet Jesus,Preacher Man" was one of those blaxploitation movies that really didn't make any sense at times due to low budget action not to mention some of the worse dialogue ever heard. The film stars none other than Roger E. Mosley(who was in a lot of these blaxploitation films including the all-time classic "The Mack" starring Max Julian,which was released that same year as this film. Mosley was better known for starring opposite Tom Selleck in the classic television 1980's series "Mangum,P.I.")who portrays a hit man who poses as a Baptist preacher in a ghetto church(somewhere located in South Central Los Angeles,aka Watts)who takes over the rackets and the operations. William Smith(another actor for starring in several blaxploitation flicks)plays his boss Martelli. However,Mosley's character has been double-crossed and sets out to eliminated the competition including his boss,who tries to rip him off. The acting in this piece is horrible since this film was released in 1973,the same year what you may called "the era of Soul Cinema". The films that were released that year were "Coffy","The Mack","That Man Bolt","Hell Up In Harlem","Scream Blacula,Scream!","Hit Man","Trick Baby","Shaft In Africa","Cleopatra Jones",and this movie. "Sweet Jesus,Preacher Man" if you wanted to know was produced by MGM,the same company that was behind a lot of blaxploitation cinema including the "Shaft" movies when it was released in 1973.I haven't seen this movie in years,but some of the actors are very recognizable including Marla Gibbs of "The Jeffersons",and "227" fame as one of the women who plays the church deaconesses. Micheal Pataki is in this one too,so you can tell from the previous comment if Bill Smith is doing this you'll know is that bad off. Catch this rarely seen blaxploitation classic from the early 1970's.