Poor Pretty Eddie (1975)

Poor Pretty Eddie Poster

A wrong turn on a jazz singer's road trip results in her car breaking down near an isolated lodge run by a faded starlet and a cocksure, volatile country singer.

Introduction
"Poor Pretty Eddie" is a 1975 American exploitation film directed by Richard Robinson, David Worth, and Chris Robinson. It stars Leslie Uggams, Michael Christian, Shelley Winters, Slim Pickens, and also Dub Taylor. The film's story focuses on the themes of racism, racial stress, and extreme physical violence in the middle of the background of the country Deep South.

Story
"Poor Pretty Eddie" tells the story of Elizabeth Wetherly (played by Leslie Uggams), a successful African American jazz vocalist, that experiences cars and truck difficulty while traveling to Hollywood for a tryout. Her automobile breaks down in a remote rural community, where she satisfies Bertha (played by Shelley Winters), the proprietor of a decrepit hunting lodge that doubles as a motel. With no various other choices, Elizabeth reluctantly chooses to remain at the motel.

As she ends up being familiarized with the citizens, Elizabeth fulfills Eddie Collins (played by Michael Christian), a young white technician who desires be a country vocalist. Regardless of numerous red flags, such as his unbalanced behavior as well as possessiveness over Bertha, Elizabeth continues to be polite towards him. Their initial communication rapidly turns sour when Eddie ends up being envious of his sweetheart's interest in the direction of the novice at a celebration gone to by the motel's eccentric guests.

The following day, Eddie repair services Elizabeth's auto, yet little bit does she know that he intentionally tampered with it. When her auto breaks down once again just a couple of miles beyond the town, Elizabeth is required to return to the motel. Throughout her remain, she is subjected to unrelenting bigotry and also intimidation from several of the town's citizens.

Eddie's obsession with Elizabeth quickly rises, leading him to kidnap her as well as brutally rape her at gunpoint. Throughout her bondage, Eddie compels her to participate in a twisted unplanned "wedding celebration" event, as he believes that marrying her will certainly somehow assist him accomplish popularity as well as lot of money.

Elizabeth's horrible ordeal comes to a head with the appearance of Keno Jackson (played by Slim Pickens), a jagged constable, that finds the truth concerning Eddie's crimes. Rather than aiding Elizabeth, nevertheless, Keno is figured out to take issues into his own hands and retaliate the perceived betrayal by Eddie in the direction of the community's white supremacist worths.

Styles as well as underlying messages
Externally, "Poor Pretty Eddie" is a survival scary tale embeded in a gothic, country landscape. Nevertheless, it likewise discovers deeper motifs such as bigotry and also the scary atrocities that can be committed in its name, exposing the target market to the twisted way of thinkings of its antagonists.

The film's representation of the abhorrent treatment of Elizabeth highlights social problems of racial bias as well as discrimination, emphasizing exactly how these ingrained predispositions negatively influence the lives of innocents. It clearly showcases the harsh nature of bigotry and its terrible repercussions in the life of an African American woman, that is caught in the terrible consequences of her browbeaters' hate-fueled delusions.

Essential reception
Taking pleasure in mixed testimonials, doubters commonly laud "Poor Pretty Eddie" for its surprising and troubling nature. Some say that it offers audiences with a harrowing take a look at the extreme facts of racial hatred as well as discrimination in America. Others, nevertheless, criticize the movie for utilizing exploitation tropes and also using graphic scenes of violence to send its message, seeing it as an exceedingly harsh and also exploitative representation of the topic.

Overall, "Poor Pretty Eddie" is a debatable and fascinating film that sheds light on horrifying elements of bigotry in the Deep South during the 1970s. It works as a disturbing pointer of the damages that deeply embedded bias as well as disgust can inflict on individuals and neighborhoods alike. While not for the pale of heart, the film has actually made a particular niche cult complying with amongst those fascinated by its unflinching expedition of these difficult styles.

Top Cast

  • Leslie Uggams (small)
    Leslie Uggams
    Elizabeth 'Liz' Wetherly
  • Shelley Winters (small)
    Shelley Winters
    Bertha
  • Michael Christian
    Eddie Collins
  • Slim Pickens (small)
    Slim Pickens
    Sheriff Orville
  • Ted Cassidy (small)
    Ted Cassidy
    Keno
  • Dub Taylor (small)
    Dub Taylor
    Justice of the Peace Floyd
  • Lou Joffred
    Odell
  • Red Lawson
    Claude, the Salesman
  • Sherif Smith
    The Deputy