Petey Wheatstraw (film)


Petey Wheatstraw is a 1977 American blaxploitation comedy horror film written and directed by Cliff Roquemore, and starring comedian Rudy Ray Moore alongside Jimmy Lynch, Leroy Daniels, Ernest Mayhand, Ebony Wright, and Wildman Steve Gallon. It is typical of Moore's other films from the same era, such as Dolemite and The Human Tornado, in that Moore rhymes nearly every sentence in the movie with the next one.

Plot

Petey Wheatstraw is born during a great Miami hurricane, and after a difficult labor by his mother, emerges as a talking, diaper-wearing, six-year-old boy who promptly attacks the doctor and then his father for "disturbing me in my sleep every night." His mother stops him, puts him in his place, and names him "Petey Wheatstraw".
While a young teenager, after being beaten up by a gang, Petey meets a mentor named "Bantu" who teaches him the philosophy of "Kung Fu" and "self-respect", taking a vow not to bow before any man, living or dead. Petey grows up to become a successful nightclub comedian, who books a series of shows at a club in Los Angeles called "Steve's Den" - much to the dismay of comedy rivals Leroy and Skillet, who have just borrowed a large sum of money from the Mob to finance their own opening at another club the following day. Realizing that their show is likely to fail with Petey in town, they beg Petey to delay his act. When Petey refuses to do so, Leroy and Skillet send out their henchmen to convince Petey otherwise.
Leroy and Skillet's henchmen gun down Petey's business partner Ted's little brother Larry, and then attempt to wipe out Petey himself at the boy's funeral by machine gunning the entire party. Mortally wounded, Petey is visited by "Lou Cipher" - the Devil himself - who tells him that his death was a mistake. He is willing to undo Petey's death on one condition - that Petey marry the Devil's daughter and provide him with a grandson. Petey nearly quashes the deal when he sees the picture of the Devil's ugly daughter, but hears the words of Bantu - and decides to make a deal.
Petey and his friends are brought back to life, and Petey tells them of the Devil's deal and his plans to gain revenge on Leroy and Skillet - and trick the Devil by not marrying his daughter.
Armed with the Devil's own magic "Pimp Cane", Petey sets out to exact his revenge.

Cast

Petey Wheatstraw was released on DVD in 2002 as part of the Dolemite Collection box set. In July 2016, the film was restored in 2K and released on DVD and Blu-ray by Vinegar Syndrome.