Also see The Films of Jack Hill
Pam Grier stars as a nurse fed up with the police department’s inaction in her community — one that’s crawling with dope pushers, pimps and the politicians who seem to be pulling the strings. But it’s when her own sister falls victim to the scourge of drugs that “Coffy” picks up a sawed-off shotgun and decides to settle the score. And revenge feels GOOD, baby.
In between some late-night cavorting with her civic-minded boyfriend, the one-chick hit squad follows a trail of junkies and working girls to King George (Robert DoQui) who is the pimpiest pimp who ever pimped. And that’s just describing his wardrobe. Coffy infiltrates his harem of high-class escorts, which isn’t easy especially seeing how they’re an extremely MEAN group of gals. Thankfully, this tension builds into a catfight royal that’s darn near unrivaled in B-cinema’s lurid history. Though her detective work isn’t exactly in Jim Rockford’s league, she talks and sexes her way into the inner circle responsible for most of the unseemly stuff that’d hacked her off in the first place. But who she comes face-to-face with there may prove more than one woman can take. At least without a loaded scattergun in her hands.
CineSchlockers will snicker when they first see Allan Arbus as the diminutive mob boss who makes, ahem, UNUSUAL demands of King George’s girls. Arbus is probably most recognized for his recurring role as Dr. Sidney Freedman on “M*A*S*H.”
Notables: 13 breasts. Eight corpses. Shotgun blast to the face. High-speed pimp pull. Gratuitous Jamaican accent. Dinner tray to the brainpan. Throat slashing. The ol’ razorblades in the bouffant gag. Busted bottle as weapon. Multiple diddling.
Quotables: Coffy in Angel of Death mode, “This is the end of your ROTTEN life — you mother f@#%ing dope pusher!!!” In Seductress mode, “Now don’t start gettin’ insecure … you know the long goodie will keep on workin’ as long as I’m able to handle it.” At least he’s an HONEST wimp, “I’m sorry, man. I can’t argue with no .45.”
Time codes: Coffy puts the permanent hurt on a dealer (6:22). Angry lesbian comes to the rescue of her woman (31:10). High-class hookers try to pull each other’s hair out (43:00). Cop gets clobbered by a car (1:15:30).
Final thought: Coffy is a ferociously violent, but truly unique heroine, as she uses her wits and buxom bod to seduce the scum who ultimately end up in her crosshairs, instead of her bed.