Black Caesar - Le Parrain de Harlem (1973)

fred williamson is "imposing, though and unflappable" (the new york times) as a street kid who muscles his way into the big-time mob racket in this super-slick crime drama which became the smash hit of its genre and spawned a successful sequel (hell up in harlem).

tommy gibbs (williamson) has always had it tough. growing up on the streets without a father and trying to make his mother proud, tommy resorts to running "errands" for the man. but when a crooked cop beats him up, tommy realizes there's a better way to live: by making the man deliver for him! infiltrating - and then destroying - the infamous cardoza family, tommy takes over manhattan as the first black godfather and puts the squeeze on anyone who dares to get in his way - including the crooked cop! but as he tightens his grip on others, he loses his hold on the most important things in his own life, making him the vulnerable target of every cutthroat gangster who ever dreamt of ruling an empire!