Petey Wheatstraw (1977)
Directed by Cliff Roquemore
Genres - Comedy, Fantasy |
Sub-Genres - Blaxploitation, Fantasy Comedy, Gross-Out Comedy |
Release Date - Nov 1, 1977 (USA) |
Run Time - 94 min. |
Countries - United States |
MPAA Rating - R
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Synopsis by Clarke Fountain
In this slapstick blaxploitation feature, Petey Wheatstraw (Rudy Ray Moore, aka "Mr. Dolomite") is a candidate to become the devil's son-in-law. The storyline is a scaffolding on which Rudy Ray Moore's standup humor can be unfolded. Beginning life as the afterbirth to a watermelon, the young Wheatstraw becomes a martial artist, but is unable to best the evil comedy team of Leroy and Skillet, who also indulge in wholesale murder. Satan restores the comedians' victims to life, and charges Petey with the task of marrying his clock-stoppingly ugly daughter to giving him a grandchild. When Petey attempts to default on the deal, he is pursued by the devil's henchmen.
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Keywords
deal-with-the-devil, Satan, afterlife, comedian, daughter, demon, Mafia, marriage, martial-arts, pact