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A REVIEW'Melinda'A nKVIEW“Melinda Calvin Lockhart at Krankle; Rosalia Cash ai Terry{ Vonetta McGec as Melinda. Screenplay by Lonnie EMer, III; itery by Riym on d Clitheri; pro-•dDcttf ..dijHpfh A. Robminn.110 minutes.reefed Hori Hated R.MGM.Melinda” is ft Black sus-p e n s e-thrlller. Frankie (Calvin Lockhart) a Black, deeiay and man-on-the make, meets and flips his curly locks over Melinda (Vonetta McGee), a Black, beautiful, and brainy woman seeking revenge from a white Chicago mob-ster. Reluctant at first to get really involved ('I don’t maka it a, practice of getting in loo deep with women. I get burnt loo quick), Frankie later ditches Terry (Rosalind Cash, his faithful girl, and gets into a heavy thing with Melinda.%He returns to his lavish apartment one day to find Melinda brutally murdered. Acting on a tip, the police arrive and pin the murder on him. The body of the film shows Frankie’s .efforts not’only to exonerate himself, but to find the murderers and their mo-tivcs.There is some might fine talent in this film. Lonne Elder III, author of ‘Cere* monies in Dark Old Men.” displays his creative strength with a good screenplay. But in his attempt to capture street” strength with a good screenplay. But in his attempt to capture street reality, he overworks the pro-fanityn whicfo at the outsetadds the necessary shock but later distracts from what is being said.VoneUa McGee performs adequately. That she is undoubtedly one of the most stunningly beautiful.women.If * I • ^ -* • I ~I ~ A • , f • V *• ■••I1L fiam fcv££,j5cen, itL an^,film helps ner considerably. Rosalind Cash and Judy-ann Elder, both oj whom appeared in the Ne‘gro Ensemble Company's production of 'Ceremonies, ’ wore good. Miss Elder, who is seen in only two brief scenes as Frank’s girl Friday, is an extraordinary actress. Her role should have been quadrupled.But for all of Calvin Lockhart’s experience (Halls of Anger/' ‘Myra Breckinridge.” and “Cotton Comes to Harlem), he is too stilted and superficial. He relics too heavily on a few stock facial expressions which make him look as if someone is pinching him. When frustrated, he pounds the wall, again and again and once more. His performance, in other words, is gimicky and unconvincing.The principal flaw in this film is editing. It is too long for its rather slim substance. It moves too slowly (20 minutes pass before the major complication). The juxtaposition of the se* q u on c e s dissipates what little tension and supense is generated. The flashbacks. ueed for exposition, arc ill-placed. Hepcf*,. too much happens befdfe the motivation is revealed.But for those who like beautiful black woman and a few fine performances, I suggest that you check outMelinda.”Dr. SAMUEL A. HAYS
Newspaper Details
Baltimore Afro American
Baltimore, Maryland, US
Sat, Sep 16, 1972
Page 37
Full Page
Clipped by
Rotten T.
USA 24 Jun 2020
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