Nawana Davis in Hammer (1972)

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The boxing game is a tough racket. As if the beatings within the ring are not enough to endure, fighters are pitted against corrupt promoters, weak-willed managers, two-faced friends, and a need for female adulation so strong as to virtually guarantee no true soul mate will ever come the pugilist’s way and stay. Add in funky guitars, ‘70s-hip threads, and a super-soulful cast of underdog heroes and craven villains, all under the command of gritty, keep-it-real direction, and no wonder the ghetto morality tale Hammer (1972) has achieved status as a classic in the blaxploitation genre. Looks good, sounds good, and leaves a viewer knowing he has seen the good fight fought in the battle between right and wrong.