Hidden Gem: Honky (1971)

This little film that could is notable for a few reasons besides its sensational and somewhat misleading title. Initially, what made me rescue it from the dustbin was its beautiful VHS clamshell case. As a collector of Blaxploitation ephemera, I knew I had to cop this. Oversized and a perfect fit on my bookshelf, the font on its spine screamed sexy 70s trash. Aesthetically, the clamshell’s cover art accurately reproduces the original poster art, which was, in fact, a rarity in VHS case/sleeve design. During the 1980’s, Blaxploitation was reduced to sub-cult status and production companies didn’t care what was on the VHS sleeve, as long as it read “Black.” More often than not, the cover “art” had nothing to do with the contents inside.

Secondly, you can’t talk about this film with mentioning its sweet soul soundtrack. Though not the hard driving funk of the standard Blaxploitation fare, visionary composer/producer Quincy Jones’ sublimely saccharin score fit like a glove. The establishment took note of his work and the song “Something More” was nominated for a Golden Globe award in 1972.

The real key to the success of the film is the acting. The gorgeous Brenda Sykes plays Sheila, a hip, pot smoking Black teenager who wants to rebel against her “cop out” middle class parents. Her quiet, casual sexuality keeps eyes glued to the screen because you don’t want to miss a second of what this enchanting ingénue does next. John Nielson is Wayne, her square, White boyfriend who wants to prove to Sheila how “down” he is. He has his own “hang ups” about race but is drawn to Sheila, to the point where she convinces him to flip a kilo of prime Vietnamese grass. Blond and chiseled, his innocent, blue eyed demeanor is the perfect foil to Sheila’s fiery willfulness. The great William Marshall (as Sheila’s father), Marion Ross of television’s Happy Days (Wayne’s mom) and Blaxploitation stalwart Lincoln Kilpatrick (in a sleazy cameo as a drug dealer) perfectly round out this brilliant cast.

Honky tells a tale of love that was doomed from its inception. Worlds collide and when the odds are stacked against you, sometimes you have to know when to bail. Trouble follows these doomed lovers and, in the end, a hateful and contemptuous world signals their demise. Although somewhat hindered by dated 60s dialogue, even the most casual viewer can glean their own understanding of this interracial romance gone astray.

Highly recommended and wholeheartedly endorsed.