Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes (1974) User Reviews

In addition to the modern cars...

[fearmaker2002 · 4/10 · 20 December 2008]

In addition to all the modern cars on the street, everyone in the movie keeps making declarative statements that it is 1956, as in "You know, this is 1956!" Also, all the white men have 70s haircuts and sideburns. The mayor would have been considered a bum, a beatnik or a surfer in 1956. Perhaps a missing subplot about a time machine wasn't fully explored. I don't know why they just didn't make it take place in present day except that the film is supposed to be based on a true story--In 1956!

If you are into blaxploitation, it's not a bad story--the main characters do their best considering the mangled plot, but Serene's secret wasn't much of a secret--if you can't figure it out right away you aren't paying attention even though it's 1956.

The other odd thing (among many odd things) is how this movie ends. It's a real WTF moment. Saying there are loose ends would be an understatement--Especially for 1956.

It's available on the "50 Drive-In Movie Classics" collection. At about 50 cents a movie, I can't complain. It's low budget but has some nudity and some cartoon-like violence. This also appears to be the only movie in this pack that takes place in 1956.

A numbers king pin tries to stay in business as the mafia and police close in around him. Its a below poverty production that is decent but deserving of a bigger budget

[dbborroughs · 6/10 · 24 June 2006]

This is a low budget, made on the cheap film that does possess some charm. The problem is that it meanders all over the place and never picks up any real steam. The plot begins with a sit down between Pasha and his Italian gangster counter part Big Tony (played by the top billed Frank DeKova aka Chief Wild Eagle from F-Troop in the first of his two scenes). Tony tells Pasha he has to hand everything over to him and his boys or they will kill him. Pasha's girl kills Tony's man, which you would think woulds spark a gang war, it doesn't, instead it spurs the Mayor to try and close Pasha down. This leads to the numbers operation being moved, police raids and some talk about fighting back. The Italian mob does try to kill Pasha but it never amounts to much. This is a black-ploitation crime drama that is short on action.

The problem seems to be that they had almost no money to make this movie. its suppose to be set in 1956 but people wear clothes from the 1970's and the streets are filled with cars made well after 56. I'm guessing that they couldn't afford any money for blanks, or if they did they didn't have very many. What violence there is tends to be fist fights or beatings, which can be very bloody. Its disappointing especially after the opening scene. I had the sense while watching it that this was suppose to be a larger, more detailed story (there are details hanging off the screen that seem to connect to a longer story) and it wasn't filmed because of money or the film was unfinished.

Its a messy movie but I liked it. The writing is at times sharp and witty, even if the cast isn't up to it. There are numerous lines of dialog that deserve to be quoted. You have a bunch of interesting characters that seem very real. I also liked that the plot never went where you expected it to go, even though it became clear early this was headed for left field by a completely new route. Its best described as a low budget attempt at something other than your typical crime drama (black or white). No it won't win any awards but if you're an adventurous film goer it deserves to be seen, if for no other reason than to imagine it remade by Mario Van Peebles, Quentin Tarantino or the Hughes Brothers. You probably won't rave, but it will stick in your head.

Cheap Blaxploitation With A Spark Of Possibility

[VonCouch · 5/10 · 24 June 2008]

I just saw this film a few days ago under the name "Jive Turkey". In it, a numbers kingpin tries to keep control of his empire. In the process, he has to go against the Italian mob, the cops, snitches and all kinds of unscrupulous folks.

As far as low-budget blaxploitation goes (and really, what isn't?), it's not that bad. The acting is decent, sometimes even good. The direction and cinematography is competent, sometimes even great. But what really stands out here is the story. Yeah, yeah. Same old brother-against-whitey plot that's in 99 out of a hundred of blaxploitation films. But there's a desperation in there that shines through. The best example is a scene of Russian roulette between the kingpin and the mafia boss. It's actually fairly well acted and well written.

There's some confusing moments, like what the hell is up with the murdering-psycho man-girl that everyone wants to bang? And there's sprinkles of cheesy acting and poor production values. But there's actually a lot in here that, given better people behind it, could equal a pretty damned good movie. As it is, however, it's certainly above average on the Z-grade blaxploitation flick.

All in all, recommended.

Low Budget Blaxploiter Period Piece - Dire!

[Scott_Mercer · 4/10 · 22 March 2006]

*** YO MAN! LOOK OUT FOR THE SPOILERS!!! ***

I saw this under the reissue title of "Jive Turkey." This MUST have gotten some play at the inner-city grindhouses back in the 1970's. And those poor souls that sat in a theater and watched it must have wanted their $2.00 admission back.

Where to begin? This is a crime action flick with a mostly black cast, released in 1974. So far, so good. But it is also a PERIOD PIECE that takes place in 1956. Whoa. And they don't pull it off successfully. The costumes are not right, everyone's hair is just too big, and you can see 1973 cars driving by in the background of most of the exterior shots. Okay, I know, it's low budget. But the producers clearly bit off more than they could chew here.

As far as the plot, here it is: Italian mobsters try to muscle in on the racket of the iron-fisted "Pasha", big daddy of the numbers rackets in The Hood. (I think it's filmed in Cleveland, but it's never specified. I saw an Ohio license plate at one point.) He'll let the Eye-Ties sell heroin, but Pasha doesn't sully himself with such things, 'cause only some people shoot smack, but EVERYBODY runs the numbers.

But once the Mafioso (played by F-Troop's Frank DeKova!) starts messing' with the Pasha, some heavy duty s*** is gonna go down. There's a few hits, stabbings, shootings, some time at the local cathouse, and a drag queen hit man (not revealed as a man until the end of the film -- although I've seen much uglier transvestites, it was no big shock that she was a man). Some highly bloody murders here, with the psycho hit queen laughing maniacally as the camera lens is covered in fake blood.

In the end, "Pasha" kills the Mafioso (just strangles him to death, that's kind of lame), wipes out the "rat" in his own organization, and blows town with a butt load of cash before the cops can get at him (it's an election year and they can't be bribed right now). Our "hero" survives yet again.

The writing is okay, with a few good zingers here and there. The acting is not bad (if you want some really bad acting in a movie like this, check out THE GUY FROM HARLEM), but no great shakes either. The direction is acceptable, but the poor execution of the 1956 setting is highly distracting. Didn't allow me to suspend disbelief for a second. One more thing I should mention is the music by ERNIE BANKS! Is that Mr. Cub, or a different Ernie Banks?

There is some entertainment value here, and the whole effect is quite shlocky, so I give it a 4. You could do worse. Of course, if you're a fan of this genre, you need to check this out. Definitely a rare item, and probably one of the few period pieces from the classic Blaxploitation period. Available on a 50 Movie DVD box set called "Drive-In Classics," but I doubt this played at too many drive-ins. This same box set also contains THE GUY FROM HARLEM among other treats of bargain basement celluloid.

Boring blaxploitation

[Wizard-8 · 26 December 2013]

There's a big laugh in this movie's opening, which proclaims what we're going to see is a true story, but then states that the names, places, and events have been changed to protect the innocent - uh, wouldn't all that then make the movie complete fiction? Whether or not the movie has basis in fact, all the same it ends up being an almost complete bore that is badly made. I see other commenters have pointing out the movie's various anachronisms, so I won't bother to list them. But the script and the direction are more of a problem. The movie for the most part is far too serious for its own good, without a sense of fun and with the characters endlessly talking about boring topics. I will say some of the acting by the participants actually is okay, but that only helps a little. Whether you're looking for a serious (while engaging) movie or a blaxploitation romp, this movie simply doesn't work for any audience.

Italian and black mobsters battle for control over Harlem in this blacksploitation flick.

[planktonrules · 5/10 · 11 December 2016]

In the early 1970s, one of the most profitable genres in films were the Blacksploitation movies. Some were made by major studios and featured excellent actors and scripts. Most were made by tiny studios and with second-rate acting, scripts and effects. Regardless, they all were quite entertaining and watching new black heroes and anti-heroes fighting 'the man' was quite enjoyable...especially for audiences not used to seeing their race winning against the traditional white establishment. Considering the cultural and political climate at the time, it's easy to see why these films were wildly successful.

"Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes" ("Jive Turkey") is one of those movies in the second group--very low budget and not particularly polished. Most of the cast are obviously not experienced actors and the production values are not great--especially since the film is supposed to be set in 1956 but looks mostly like 1974! It was obviously made on the cheap and has a homemade quality about it. But despite its shortcomings, is it any good?

Paul Harris stars as Pasha...the black mob boss who controls Harlem. However, the white mobsters are looking to push into his territory and eventually you know it's going to erupt into an all-out war with Big Tony (Frank DeKova). Up until then, there is a lot of nudity, prepping for war and jive talk from the brothers...as well as the cops, who are ALWAYS working for the man, rousting the folks of Harlem and putting a cramp on Pasha's style...and man, does he have style!

The acting ranges from decent to terrible in this film. Blame the budget for this. But it is entertaining and never is dull-- especially when the trans assassin beats her johns to death with her high heels! And, like most of the blacksploitation pics, this one is very adult...with ample boobage, cursing, extreme violence (at a much higher level than usual for these films) and incredibly politically incorrect language!

Wow love the early 70's films

[scriptsurfer · 4/10 · 12 March 2009]

This is what a grind house fan likes most a movie of the era that is not the best but a treat for some. It has it's moments with classic and forgotten songs of the area, one is especially timely of that style's vibe. And Sweetman was a slick numbers runner in the urban mafia who had to help his boss fight the Italian mob who wanted to take over the urban mafia. Not the best film but fun for a watch. It turns out the writers and director didn't go on to do many films after this. Sometime the plot gets confusing and not many of the actors ever went on to do much else. Could be why they changed the title is that it didn't do to well when released. As a fan of African American cinema in the 70's it still is a must to see them all, and the best ones are the ones in the early seventies. I guess this was shot right around 1973. Thanks for reading.

A interesting film of 1974

[bryandott · 7/10 · 28 June 2023]

This film takes place in the mid to late 50s and it's about the numbers game. And of course the Italians want to take over the poor neighbourhoods of the ghettos. The Godfather of the ghettoes does not agree with us and wants to keep his numbers rackets going even though he has offered a piece of the hard drug action from the Italian godfathers.

I find this film an interesting quick watch with some really interesting songs in it. Good acting, and you know your basic Grindhouse feature of the time.

If you like" Blaxploitation" it is a definite must watch. You can find it for free on Tubi.

Please enjoy it.

Intermittently effective, but undercut by cheap production values and an unfocused screenplay

[lemon_magic · 5/10 · 9 August 2007]

When you first see a film like this included in a "Drive-In Movie" 50 pack, you expect it to be fairly crummy, but "Jive Turkey" (as it is titled in this collection) turned out to have some good things going for it. (BTW, I think the "Baby Needs A New Pair Of Shoes" title is a much better one for this film. It's unclear who the Jive Turkey is supposed to be - the Italian boss played by Dekova? The informer? Who?)

Some of the acting is surprisingly effective. Fortunately, this includes the lead role. Paul Harris (as the numbers king "Pasha") is the best thing about the movie and the main reason to see it. He really is a pleasure to watch, and he pretty much carries the movie. Most of the supporting actors tend to be stiff and amateurish; but even so,the director can often get a good reading of a nice zippy line of dialog out of his supporting cast when it really counts. There is even some snappy camera work in spots, and Ernie Banks chips in with a couple of nicely understated soul pieces that complement the atmosphere the film wants to generate. This happens often enough that the movie never sinks to the of camp or kitsch.

However, the screenplay and low budget production values cripple the director's attempt to generate a compelling experience. After a moderately interesting opening scene which promises a gang war between the black numbers racketeers and "Italian" gangsters, things just settle down into a meandering plod; you never really get the sense that Pasha is in any real trouble. Indeed, it's typical of the movie's problems that Pasha's enforcer 'Serene' kills the Italian bosses right hand man in that opening scene (in a contrived but reasonably compelling way), but nothing seems to come of it, and there seems to be no lasting consequence. Come to think of it, the opening credits feature a (badly staged) massacre by the Italians that also never is mentioned again.

The rest of the movie is more of the same. It's obvious that people worked their fingers to the bone to make the most out of a tiny budget; but good camera work and location scouting can't hide the fact that the movie is obviously a 70's production trying to pretend it was set in 1956. And it's a real shame that the producer and director didn't have a good story editor to help them polish their screenplay. The final showdown between Pasha and "Big Tony" doesn't make a lot of sense and doesn't really follow from anything that came before. The "surprise" revelations about 'Serene' and the identity of the informer in Pasha's organization are meant to end the film with a bang, but I saw both those plot twists coming in the first five minutes, and again, they didn't really organically connect with the rest of the plot.

Still, I thought it was worth seeing once on the strength of Paul Harris' performance and for some moments of real interest and good film-making. I'd love to see what the Ransoms could have done with a real budget and a ghost writer to help them tighten their story ideas. As a previous reviewer mentioned, a revisionist filmmaker like Quentin Tarentino could work wonders with a remake.

Not worth seeking out, but if the "Drive In Move 50 pack" falls into your possession, this movie is worth taking the time to see.

NO JIVE TURKEY

[mmthos · 6/10 · 25 October 2020]

That meaningless retitle of "Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes" must have been to disguise it from association with the original title that didn't play well or generate much of a reception on initial release. But seeing is believing and, good reception or no, BNANPOS is absolutely the perfect title, and one that attracted me to watch, after my brother recommended it to me off a retitled dvd he saw it on, and said "See "Jive Turkey", you'll like it", and, I thought ,"With a title like that, really?"

Well, call it "Baby" or "Jive", I liked it.

Crazy Credits: Opening first states "Based on a true story" followed by "Story by" credit. Cute

Then "1956", and when it cuts to a machine gun massacre of innocents, first a frumpy lady attired in a dingy schmatta of indeterminate date, then a guy with a fro in a dashiki, AND THEN a kid on a stingray bike with a sissy bar, you no the low budget is not going to allow for accuracy in period details.

I don't get all these reviewers who claim to be such blaxploitation connoisseurs, and admit low budgets are a given in the genre, then nit-pick anachronisms (if that's your thing, yeah, you can sure have yourself a ball nit-picking away to your heart's content for almost an hour and a half with this one) and criticize the makers for being over-ambitious to even attempt such a period piece. I say, if you're such a long-time blaxploitation buff, by now you should've seen enough of the deficiencies of no-budgets to instantly ignore them and try to appreciate what they do manage to achieve under such constraints

Seen that way i do think this is an original, substantive effort, considerably better conceived and executed than most of its type

Contrary to everyone else, it was the aspects of the period setting that DID work that pleased me most, In spite of everything, at it's heart it successfully evokes the setting and the spirit of 1950's ghetto life and the criminals that ran it: the gambling parlors, the crap games, numbers running, opium dens full of prostitutes and hoods, but also Pop's barber shop, nickel candy at the corner store, soul food counters and Mama's home cooking. And that script full of '50s jive (I'm talking "Talk", not turkey), though also not free of anachronisms, often sounds like pure poetry. The dialogue of the few white characters is also accurate for the period: Bluntly, unapologetically.

Too bad the score, good in that '70s funkadelic way, doesn't contain a note resembling the popular "race" music of that time

Better acted overall than most blaxies, with a number of terrific character bits. I had seen Paul Harris in some minor roles early in his career (For Love of Ivy, Across 110th Street, The Mack) and i'm glad to see he got the lead in this. As Pasha, a Black Mafia "Don" his continuously strong expression with intention does much to unify the diverse personalities and ambitions coming from so many directions in the plot, and he carries the movie.

. . . . . Something should also be said about the Glamazon Serene (a one time film appearance by Don--that's right, not Dawn--Edmonson aka Tawny Tan), strictly a sideshow, even freak show, to the plot, but memorable, even unforgettable as one of the best OTT performances ever on screen.

Seekers of the usual dose of action and violence will be disappointed. It's all about the intrigue, and if you can get into that, it'll keep you involved. When violent action does occur, it is all the more effective, extremely violent and very gory, some of the best you'll see if you just wait for it.

Even I have to admit all the talk slows it down a bit, and even at less than 90 minutes, should have been cut down. They could start with cutting some of the grossest anachronisms, like the opening scene I mentioned above, although in that particular case, you'd also lose some of the much needed action. So film editing is hard

But I'm really glad my brother recommended it.

A Strange Take On Reality

[boblipton · 4/10 · 7 July 2020]

According to the credits, this is a true story, but with the names, locations and events changed.

Huh? In this case, the White actor is Frank DeKova, whose best known role was as an Indian chief on F TROOP. The movie is about Paul Harris, who runs a numbers racket, with the Mafia (referred to as "Chicago") muscling in and a mayoral election putting the pressure on. It's a potentially interesting idea, but the story is told in a disjointed fashion, with many scenes of people writing numbers in spiral notebooks. Frances Williams as the drug connection is amusing and Reginald Farmer as a street runner "Sweetman" might be interesting, but he wanders in and out.

If this is really 1956, then why...

[Smiling_Jolly_Roger · 3/10 · 20 May 2012]

...was there a little kid wearing a Los Angeles Dodgers cap in one scene? The Dodgers played in Brooklyn until 1958! Other than that, this film was worth watching twice and I'll watch it again next time it's on BOUNCE TV. I enjoyed Paul Harris' performance, although I think BOUNCE does him a disservice in its promos by touting Frank DeKova as the star. (Just as bad is that DeKova doesn't even appear in the promos!) The main reason I watched this movie the first time was to see if Frank DeKova was actually black. I never knew what he really looked like when he played a Native American on "F-Troop," so I was intrigued to find out.

This is a very average blaxploitation movie that is still worth a watch

[kevin_robbins · 5/10 · 9 March 2023]

Jive Turkey (1974) is a movie that I recently watched on Tubi. The storyline follows a pimp, street hustler who is approached by the mafia to be bought out of his business. When the pimp says no the police and mafia come down on his streets hard. He will band together with his "associates" to try and overcome both...

This movie is directed by Bill Brame (Scream Free!) and stars Frank DeKova (The Ten Commandments), Paul Harris (Truck Turner), Ernie Lee Banks (Mystery Man) and Henry G. Sanders (Selma).

The best part of this movie is the female muscle. The opening kill sequence with the ring and the use of the heel were my favorite parts of the movie. The storyline is fairly cliche and straightforward, but the soundtrack is superb and fun. There was some 70s nudity, but the seductive scenes are awkward and a bit funny. The cinematography was poor and felt low budget.

Overall, this is a very average blaxploitation movie that is still worth a watch. I would score this a 5/10 and recommend seeing once.

Pillows and sheets

[nogodnomasters · 4/10 · 13 January 2018]

Pasha (Paul Harris) runs the numbers racket in this unnamed Ohio city. The Italians want to take over the number racket and let the blacks have narcotics and prostitution. No dice. We see them run their business until near the end when the Italians pop up again. The film takes place in 1956 and it is a good film to play "spot the anachronism" and the microphone...1970's autos, LA Dodgers baseball cap, shirt, Afro. There also has Don Edmondson, a female impersonator and killer.

Available on a 50 DVD pack.

Guide: Sex and nudity. N-word song that shocks laughter.

Pillows and sheets

[nogodnomasters · 4/10 · 28 August 2017]

Pasha (Paul Harris) runs the numbers racket in this unnamed Ohio city. The Italians want to take over the number racket and let the blacks have narcotics and prostitution. No dice. We see them run their business until near the end when the Italians pop up again. The film takes place in 1956 and it is a good film to play "spot the anachronism" and the microphone...1970's autos, LA Dodgers baseball cap, shirt, Afro. There also is Don Edmondson, a female impersonator and killer.

Available on a 50 DVD pack.

Guide: Sex and nudity. N-word song that shocks laughter.

I kinda liked it!

[BandSAboutMovies · 4/10 · 19 November 2021]

Man, Mill Creek box sets are beyond a learning experience, because you'll get a Hammer movie, the story of a talking monster truck, an Israeli coming of age comedy, some giallo, Spanish horror, a Bigfoot doc and who knows what else. Let's also include the blacksploitation film Jive Turkey, also known as Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes.

Pasha (Paul Harris, Truck Turner) runs the numbers in the city. His childhood friend Big Tony (Frank DeKova, who had a long career of playing tough guys and died in his sleep) runs the drugs. But the narcotics are drying up and the mafia wants in on gambling and Pasha even has a traitor in his midst. It's not going to be a good day.

This movie may not interest many but isn't that what this site is all about? There are moments to savor here, like the closing Russian roulette scene between Pasha and Tony, as well as Serene, Pasha's #1 hitman. Or hitwoman. You'll figure it out and I love that the film didn't make her into a caricature but instead the most cunning and deadly character in the entire movie.

This all was written by Howard (who produced) and Elizabeth Ransom with a script by Fredricka DeCosta, who all never did anything else. Director Bill Brame did a lot more, including The Cycle Savages, Miss Melody Jones and Scream Free! While editing eight episodes of the original Star Trek.

Of all the things to enjoy in this film, perhaps the best part is that it feels almost like a documentary of a day in Pasha's life. You get to meet the low and medium-level people who keep the street moving and get the feel that you're there. And if you're the least bit offended by language (racist and profanity both), perhaps this isn't the movie for you because even the soundtrack is filled with it.

Not My Cup of Tea

[Rainey-Dawn · 1/10 · 26 October 2015]

Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes AKA Jive Turkey This is one of the films in the Drive-In 50-pack Collection. As we all know the 50-packs will contain films you like and films you dislike. This is one of the films I dislike - I found it rather boring.

I love crime thrillers. But this one is not my cup of tea. I found myself extremely bored with the film. Maybe I would like it better with a cast that I like -- I was not very happy with the casting they couldn't hold my attention.

About the only half way interesting character in this film is the man-girl that everyone wants to have sex with and kills people. Otherwise the rest of the characters bored me to tears.

1/10

Jive Turkey

[Uriah43 · 4/10 · 25 March 2014]

"Pasha" (Paul Harris) is a black mobster who has a lucrative setup running the numbers racket in Harlem back in 1956. Additionally, an Italian mobster named "Big Tony" (Frank DeKova) also deals heroin in the same location which doesn't bother Pasha because their interests don't conflict with each other. Unfortunately, Big Tony gets a little greedy one day and decides that he wants to take over Pasha's gambling operation which will leave Pasha out in the cold. A turf war results with Big Tony using his influence with the local politicians to stake his claim while Pasha is forced to utilize his connections within the black community. Anyway, rather than detail the entire story and risk spoiling the movie for those who haven't seen it I will just say that this was a cheaply made low-budget "blaxploitation" movie which manages to entertain to a certain degree. Although the acting was somewhat adequate the biggest problem was that the film was clearly low-grade and the lack of quality clearly shows. Overall I rate it as slightly below average.

Ambitious, yet not entirely successful, bit of Blaxploitation

[Red-Barracuda · 5/10 · 13 October 2015]

Black gangsters and the Italian mob embark on a turf war in 1950's Harlem.

Jive Turkey seems to be the retitled name for this film which seemingly went under the insane original title of 'Baby Needs a New Pair of Shoes'. It's a typically low-budget bit of Blaxploitation that starts out claiming that it is based on a true story, only to then hilariously state that despite this it contains different names, places and events! So I initially thought this had to be a comedy, yet it never actually plays out like one at all, so have to imagine these opening lines were intended with no irony whatsoever. One definite defining feature though is the fact that it's a period piece given that it's set in the 50's. The trouble with this approach, however, is that the low budget hampers this quite drastically and it never feels very much like the 50's at all. It would've been far more sensible if it had been set in the present day as period detail costs money – something of which there was clearly not an abundance of here. But you have to at least give the film-makers credit for having the nerve to try to execute something so ambitious though.

Overall, despite certainly having interesting things about it, this is not truly a very successful movie. It really lacks focus and doesn't tell its story in a particularly engaging way, despite the fact that the plot elements have a fair bit of promise. There isn't even too much action either to make up for this. One definite standout aspect though was the inclusion of a transvestite psychopath hit-man character that killed people with spiked stilettos and a sharpened ring. I was interested to read here that the movie intended the fact that this character was a man to be a bit of a major surprise twist in the plot, yet I thought it was so obvious this was a guy in drag I just kind of assumed we were all meant to know this up front. On the whole, this is certainly one mainly for fans of Blaxploitation cinema; it's a bit rough around the edges and not especially good but it still has enough of that sub-genre's energy and attitude to ensure it has some interest level.