Shaft (1971)

Richard Roundtree: John Shaft

Photos 

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Quotes 

• John Shaft : Don't let your mouth get your ass in trouble.

• [last lines] 

  John Shaft : [on telephone]  Vic, your case just busted wide open.

  Vic Androzzi : So close it for me.

  John Shaft : Cut the crap man, this is Shaft. Looks like you gonna have to close it yo'self, *shitty*!

  [cackles maniacally] 

• Willy : Listen, Snow White. Me and you gonna tangle, sooner or later. Did you hear what I say?

  John Shaft : Why don't you stop playing with yourself, Willy? You ain't gonna do SHIT!

• John Shaft : Warms my black heart to see you so concerned about us minority folks.

  Vic Androzzi : Oh come on Shaft, what is it with this black shit, huh?

  [Vic holds a black pen up to Shaft's face] 

  Vic Androzzi : You ain't so black.

  John Shaft : [Holds a white coffee cup next to Vic's face]  And you ain't so white either baby.

• Sergeant Tom Hannon : Hey, where the hell are you going, Shaft?

  John Shaft : To get laid, where the hell are you going?

• Vic Androzzi : What'cha got?

  John Shaft : I got laid.

• Bumpy Jonas : [answering his phone]  Wrong Number.

  John Shaft : Don't bull me, man. I got the right number. This is Shaft.

  Bumpy Jonas : How'd the hell you get this number?

  John Shaft : Off a bathroom wall in the god damn subway!

• John Shaft : Sorry, I can't make it.

  Ellie Moore : You got problems, baby?

  John Shaft : Heh. Yeah, I got a couple of 'em. I was born black... and I was born poor.

• Willy : Got to see if you're clean before you can see the Man.

  John Shaft : [laugh]  Better get yourself six more helpers then, Willy.

  Willy : That's how it's done.

  John Shaft : Who searches you?

  Willy : Nobody.

  John Shaft : Then get the same cat to search us.

• John Shaft : Hey, baby. Please close the door, huh?

  Linda : Hey, close it yourself, shitty.

• Ellie Moore : Hi! You alright? Baby, are you alright?

  John Shaft : I got to feelin' like a machine. That's no way to feel. Come here, baby.

  [the lovemaking begins] 

• John Shaft : When you lead your revolution, whitey better be standing still because you don't run worth a damn no more.

• John Shaft : You are one wise Caucasian, Vic.

• Vic Androzzi : Call me when you get home.

  John Shaft : I will.

  Vic Androzzi : [leaves, motions as if to close the door, and then...]  Close it yourself, shitty.

  [cackles] 

• Mafia contact : I'm lookin' for a nigger named John Shaft.

  John Shaft : Just found him - *wop*. Sit down.

  Mafia contact : I'm supposed to take you to visit a lady. Come on.

  John Shaft : I haven't finished my espresso. Why don't you have some. Maybe they'll put a little garlic in it, if you're nice.

  Mafia contact : No thanks. But, you go ahead. We've even got time for you to have your soul food.

• Ellie Moore : I love you.

  John Shaft : Yeah, I know. Take it easy.

• Vic Androzzi : Have a chair, John.

  John Shaft : I don't like your chair.

• John Shaft : Up yours, baby.

• Bumpy Jonas : When will I hear from you?

  John Shaft : When I got something to say.

• Vic Androzzi : You got a minute, Shaft?

  John Shaft : I got no use for no dirty postcards, Vic. Get off my back, huh.

• John Shaft : Don't ever threaten me again! And don't call me Judas!

• John Shaft : It looks like war comin', huh?

  Vic Androzzi : It's a bad thing, John. Mafia against Bumpy. I mean, it's hood against hood - on the inside. On the outside, it's black against white. It could be, we could have tanks and troops on Broadway, if this thing breaks open.

• Vic Androzzi : That big eared Captain I got was listening. He thinks he heard you discussing a kidnappin'. Thinks the Mafia's involved. And he knows Bumpy Jones is involved.

  John Shaft : Tell him to ask Bumpy, then.

  Vic Androzzi : I did. He wants to ask you. Now. At the station. It's lousy timing right?

  John Shaft : Gonna take me in?

  Vic Androzzi : I will if I find ya. Are you home?

  John Shaft : Hell no.

  Vic Androzzi : That's too bad. Call me when you get home.

• [first lines] 

  John Shaft : [holding up his middle finger to a cab driver who is honking his horn at him]  Up yours! Get out the way!

• Bumpy Jonas : Wrong number.

  John Shaft : Cut the crap, man, this is Shaft.

• John Shaft : I get 50 bucks an hour... plus expenses. And no questions asked about how I spend it.

• John Shaft : You're a cagey spook, Bumpy.

  Bumpy Jonas : You ride a tall horse, Mr Shaft.

• John Shaft : Play straight, baby.

• Vic Androzzi : How come a couple-a cats from Harlem come downtown this morning looking for John Shaft?

  John Shaft : Well, they're soul brothers. They came down so I could teach 'em the handshake.

  Vic Androzzi : They find ya?

  John Shaft : Of course. I wasn't hiding.

  Vic Androzzi : If you find out anything, give me a call. I'm still at the 38th Precinct.

  John Shaft : Right on!

• Capt. Byron Leibowitz : Do all your friends walk around with weapons like that in their pockets?

  John Shaft : That depends. My *negro* friends don't walk around with rabbits feet no more.

• John Shaft : Don't jive me, man! What kind of fuckin' job you talkin' about?

• John Shaft : Stay loose, baby.

• John Shaft : I'm gonna leave you with some friends. They're straight people. So, don't you lay any of that Uncle Tom jive on her.

• John Shaft : This is Ben Buford. Your little caper cost him five friends last night.

  Ben Buford : We're gonna take it out of your ass, Pimp!

  Bumpy Jonas : You're pushing me a little far.

• John Shaft : You're lyin', man! Now, deal 'em up straight - or don't deal 'em at all.

• Carmen : That's all booze.

  John Shaft : Right on! All booze - one zillion per cent.

• Rollie : Two gin and tonics and a Virgin Mary, for moi. Oh, I'm thirsty. Parched. There's a girl over there, with the dark hair and the groovy boobs, you really turn her on - if you're interested.

  John Shaft : Well, I ain't dead.

  Rollie : Her friend Valerie says she's hot for my body. I told her I was gay and you know what she said? She'd straighten me out. That's what she said. Not enough that I'm lovely, she wants me to play character parts. The one with the - tit-illating boobs - is named Linda.

• Linda : It's a nice pad you got here.

  John Shaft : Look, baby, I'm going upstairs to take a shower. I'll be right back.

  Linda : [next scene, Shaft in the shower, Linda walks in]  I just couldn't wait.

• John Shaft : Hey, baby.

  Linda : [in Shaft's bed]  Come here!

  John Shaft : Party's over. You have to split. Some other time, huh? Same feeling. Same place. Right now, I gotta take care of some business.

• John Shaft : I thought the money didn't matter to you. Just getting your baby back.

  Bumpy Jonas : Money ALWAYS matters...

• John Shaft : Watch your mouth, man.

  Ben Buford : I'll say any damn thing I want.

  Dina Greene : Not in this house. Not here, you won't.

• John Shaft : What the hell is this? You white mutha!

• John Shaft : Kidnappin' sistas - man, that ain't their thing.

• Ben Buford : I got some dead brothers layin' out there and this ain't where I should be.

  John Shaft : Till we find out why they're dead, this is the only place for you to be.

  Ben Buford : You think like a white man.

  John Shaft : You don't think at all! You want to get wasted?

  Ben Buford : If that's what it takes, yeah!

• John Shaft : Get on the phone. We're gonna need some more brothers - with guns this time!

• John Shaft : How about me taking over the bar for awhile?

  [slips him a bill] 

  Rollie : Nothing I wouldn't do for twenty dollars.

• John Shaft : [Shaft's home, and Vic is there to bring Shaft down to the preccinct - captain wants to talk to him, but, tells Shaft he can't; since he hasn't 'seen' him, yet]  Hey, baby, please close the door, huh?

  Vic Androzzi : [Making fun of the girl]  Close it yourself, shitty!

• John Shaft : The police got a whole unit that does that kind of work - free.

  Bumpy Jonas : Not for me. You know I can't go to the cops.

  John Shaft : And you want me, huh? A spade detective.

  Bumpy Jonas : Yeah, I want you. Cause you're a black spade detective. And I want you 'cause you got you're other foot in Whitey's straw.