Fearless - Directed by Jim McBride (
The Big Easy (1986),
Great Balls of Fire! (1989),
The Wrong Man (1993)), based on a novel by Walter Mosely, screenplay by Richard Wesley. It's a good picaresque tale.
This episode stars Giancarlo Esposito (
The Cotton Club (1984),
Desperately Seeking Susan (1985),
Do the Right Thing (1989), Breaking Bad TV Series (2008–2013), Better Call Saul
TV Series (2015– )) as Paris Minton, Bill Nunn (
Do the Right Thing (1989),
The Last Seduction (1994)) as Fearless Jones, Cynda Williams (Tales of the City TV Mini-Series (1993– )) as Deletha, Roger Guenveur Smith as the club owner, and James DuMont as the Short White Cop.
It's post WWII San Francisco, a Black G.I. Paris Minton is accosted by two racist cops. They begin to beat on him. Another black soldier Fearless Jones sees this racial beat down and comes to the rescue. He puts both cops out of commission but not after getting a shiv in his thigh. Paris helps him up and they both take off into the fog. As they leave the scene, in gratitude, Paris tells Fearless, If you ever need me for something don't hesitate to call.
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| Giancarlo Esposito rt. |
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| Bill Nunn |
A few years later Paris gets a message from Fearless calling in his favor marker. Paris takes a bus to L.A. Eighteen hours later Paris is in South Central L.A.
When Paris gets to Fearless's address he's met by the landlady who tells him that he lives at the top of the stairs, Fearless on the left, and Deletha on the right.
Paris gets to the top of the stairs. He knocks on Fearless' door. He hears Hawaiian music emanating from behind the closed door across the hall. He knocks again louder. The door across the hall opens and Deletha stands seductively swaying to the Hawaiian steel guitar tune.
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| The Dead Meat Look |
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| Deletha softly swaying in the doorway |
Deletha swaying in the doorway like a cobra out of a basket, begins to beckon to Paris with her hands. She continues to sway back and forth her hands making come with me motions. Paris is in a trance.
When Deletha gets Paris well within her lair, she shoves a hand down the front of his pants. She pulls him to the floor and jumps his bones. All the while Paris is trying to take his only pants off and suggesting they use the bed.
Deletha rides him hard.
Later they are both laying in Deletha's bed.
They are casually shooting the breeze and about to get busy with it again, when Deletha hears Fearless downstairs calling her name. She panics which gets Paris scrambling looking for his pants. Deletha never mentioned that she is Fearless' girlfriend.
By the time Fearless gets to the top of the stairs they are both dressed. Fearless is no wiser.
Fearless tells Paris that the reason he called in his favor was because of Deletha. Deletha has a chance to sing with a band in Chicago, possibly record records, but she is under contract to a South Central Club owner who won't let her out of it.
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| Roger Guenveur Smith |
They want Paris to work for the club as a bartender. When the time is right Fearless will show up at the club and start a ruckus. While everyone is distracted Paris and Deletha will sneak into the office break open the cheap floor safe and steal her contract.
Of course things don't quite go as easy as planned.
Great, very entertaining episode wish it could have been a feature film, 10/10.
