SpuffyWeb Sadly Over-hyped

Comwayon A Disappointing Continuation

Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Loui Blair It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

Woodyanders Naïve country gal Emma Mae (a fine and appealing portrayal by Jerri Hayes) moves in with her relatives in a blighted urban ghetto neighborhood. After her boyfriend Jesse Amos (a solid performance by Ernest Williams II) gets arrested and sent to prison, Emma decides to rob a bank when more legitimate means for raising bail money prove to be unsuccessful. Writer/director Jamaa Fanaka relates the engrossing story at a leisurely pace, vividly captures the lowdown funky vibe and limited options of Compton, California in the mid-1970's, and populates the rambling episodic narrative with believably earthy and engaging characters. Hayes in particular projects a sweet wide-eyed charm and sturdy unwavering feistiness that makes Emma Mae an easy person to root for and sympathize with. Most importantly, Fanaka brings a gentle humanity and simplicity to the plot that manages to be surprisingly affecting and even occasionally incisive. It's this latter sterling element that enables this picture to stand out as a winning and authentic slice of black American life.

Michael_Elliott Emma Mae (1976) *** (out of 4)Emma Mae (Jerri Hayes) moves from the South out to the ghetto in Los Angeles and it doesn't take long for her to get involved with JEsse (Ernest WIlliams II). Emma believes that the two of them are in love and when he's arrested and thrown into jail she decides to support him any way she can. This includes committing a crime to try and protect her man but she's got a lot to learn.Director Jamaa Fanaka will always be remembered for the PENITENTIARY trilogy but there's no question that this here, his second feature film, is his best work. The film has been re-released under the title BLACK SISTER'S REVENGE but that's just a fake title to try and pass it off as some sort of exploitation movie and that's certainly not what the film is. This here is basically a very good character study about a young woman in a new environment and having to learn that not everything is as it seems.I was really impressed with how good this movie actually was and I really liked how it didn't fall into the various stereotypes that were common with these films. There are two cops here that start abusing their power and get all of the mess started yet they are the white racists that we normally see. These are two black cops that get things going and the film has a certain message about people sitting around killing one another off without achieving anything in life. There are some really good moments here where the director gets his point across without having to preach.Hayes is extremely believable in her role as the tough Southern girl who might need to learn a few things but she's also got things to teach to others. The actress was very good in the role and there's no question that you felt that she really was this character. Williams was also extremely good in the role of the worthless boyfriend and his fits of anger rang true and authentic. I also enjoyed Malik Carter who plays the wise old man.It's really too bad that this film here isn't better known. I think the problem is that people probably get to know the director through his exploitation pictures and then they check this out and are disappointed that it's not more of the same. EMMA MAE is certainly an interesting little gem that deserves to be seen.

gridoon2018 ....and it comes in the last 5 minutes, when the heroine (the rather attractive, though obviously inexperienced, Jerri Hayes) physically humiliates her cheating ex-boyfriend, whom she had gone to great lengths to get released from jail, in front of the whole neighborhood. Until then, this is a very amateurish no-action film, with most scenes being drawn-out to 3 times their necessary length (it certainly doesn't have enough story for 100 minutes of running time), and lots (LOTS) of semi-indecipherable dialogue. The DVD covers and the alternate title, "Black Sister's Revenge", are misleading, as the revenge part (which I already describe above) is only a tiny part of the movie. Stick with Pam Grier flicks. * out of 4.

GSHARON710 This is a movie that was first out thirty-three years ago, and I just found it as it was now on DVD. This down south country young lady has lost her mother, and her aunt from California bring her back to live with her, her husband, three daughters, and I guess the baby belongs to one of the girls. This sister is country right on, wearing shoes with hill that would never allow her to walk straight, let alone in a circle. Her Aunt happens to be a beautician and does things to the niece's hair, which I thought was a waste, because she already had uncombed curls, and her hair was thick and cut. Her two young lady cousins and their boyfriends take her to a party at the college and they are turned down when trying to get a guy to hook up with the country cousin. Finally a tall, and I mean TALL guy hipped up on pills enters the party. THe boyfriends recognize his high state and decides to get him to talk to the country cousin. The tall man's friend loudly gives the boyfriends hell for trying to hook his buddy up with a booga bear, just because he was high. Friend then calls the girls bitches and the county one kicks his rear but good. This starts a good relationship with the girl cousins, their boyfriends, and soon the Tall man. He takes country cousin to a party where a fight breaks out, and we now see the Tall one is a higher up in a gang. Tall man and friend ends up fighting with policemen, taking their guns and beating them. As they are running away, Country cousin breaks from her cousins hold and follows her man. They hide out eventually, and are soon arrested. Country girl has crying fits because she luvvvv tall man. He uses this time to make an ass out of Country cousin. She holds drugs for him, takes the lead in starting a car wash for bail money for her man, then robs a bank. All gang member respect country girl as leader after she jack up one of the girls. When Tall man and friend are released from jail, Country girl waits at the party being thrown for him, but he is not there and Country girl spends her time on the couch being sad. She finally leaves and returns in the morning. She finds Tall man upstairs with a woman in bed. He tells cousin to get out and shut the door. If I am not mistaken the girl in bed with Tall man is the one Cousin jacked up at the car wash, however now all her hair is cut and shaved. When the girl in the bed sees Country girl, she starts moving. Country girl tells her she is free to leave and between Tall man telling her to stay with him, and Country girl saying leave, she LEAVES. Tall man finally tells Country girl he was using her and her could never love a girl with a face like hers and that is probably why her mother died so she would not have to look at her ugly face. Oh well, it is on. Tall man gets in a couple of punches, but Country girl ends up knocking his undershorts wearing body down the house stairs and to the lawn and beats his tool. Most people there, including his best friend loses respect for tall man. I almost passed this movie up because the cover looked like some wonder woman type of film. I am so glad I bought it. THe country girl is really a beautiful black sister. Most of the actors are not familiar to me, and a lot just did this one movie according to research.The Aunt, I remember seeing on Good Times once, and I believe tall man was on That's my Momma once.I can watch this movie over and over and still enjoy it each time. The movie is cheap, and it is cool to again see the 1970's Clothes and shoes, not to mention the dancing. GET THIS MOVIE!!!