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IMDbPro

A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich

  • 19771977
  • PGPG
  • 1h 47m
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
293
YOUR RATING
Cicely Tyson, Helen Martin, Larry B. Scott, and Paul Winfield in A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich (1977)
A troubled boy (Larry B. Scott) becomes addicted to heroin, and his mother (Cicely Tyson) and foster father (Paul Winfield) help him fight it.
Play trailer1:12
1 Video
50 Photos
  • Drama
A troubled boy (Larry B. Scott) becomes addicted to heroin, and his mother (Cicely Tyson) and foster father (Paul Winfield) help him fight it.A troubled boy (Larry B. Scott) becomes addicted to heroin, and his mother (Cicely Tyson) and foster father (Paul Winfield) help him fight it.A troubled boy (Larry B. Scott) becomes addicted to heroin, and his mother (Cicely Tyson) and foster father (Paul Winfield) help him fight it.
IMDb RATING
6.9/10
293
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Ralph Nelson
  • Writer
    • Alice Childress(novel)
  • Stars
    • Cicely Tyson
    • Paul Winfield
    • Larry B. Scott
Top credits
  • Director
    • Ralph Nelson
  • Writer
    • Alice Childress(novel)
  • Stars
    • Cicely Tyson
    • Paul Winfield
    • Larry B. Scott
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 7User reviews
    • 9Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins

    Videos1

    Trailer
    Trailer 1:12
    Trailer

    Photos50

    A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich (1977)
    A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich (1977)
    A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich (1977)
    A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich (1977)
    A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich (1977)
    A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich (1977)
    A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich (1977)
    A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich (1977)
    A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich (1977)
    A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich (1977)
    A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich (1977)
    A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich (1977)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Cicely Tyson
    Cicely Tyson
    • Sweetsas Sweets
    Paul Winfield
    Paul Winfield
    • Butleras Butler
    Larry B. Scott
    Larry B. Scott
    • Benjieas Benjie
    Helen Martin
    Helen Martin
    • Mrs. Bellas Mrs. Bell
    Glynn Turman
    Glynn Turman
    • Nigeriaas Nigeria
    David Groh
    David Groh
    • Cohenas Cohen
    Kevin Hooks
    Kevin Hooks
    • Tigeras Tiger
    Kenneth Green
    • Jimmy Leeas Jimmy Lee
    Harold Sylvester
    Harold Sylvester
    • Doctoras Doctor
    Erin Blunt
    Erin Blunt
    • Carwellas Carwell
    Arthur French
    • Security Guardas Security Guard
    Bill Cobbs
    Bill Cobbs
    • Bartenderas Bartender
    Sheila Wills
    Sheila Wills
    • Admissions Clerkas Admissions Clerk
    Arnold Johnson
    Arnold Johnson
    • Patientas Patient
    Barbara Alston
    • Girl Friendas Girl Friend
    Keny Long
    • Male Nurseas Male Nurse
    Hartwell Sims
    • Ministeras Minister
    Claire Brennen
    • Social Workeras Social Worker
    • Director
      • Ralph Nelson
    • Writer
      • Alice Childress(novel) (screenplay)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Cicely Tyson, Paul Winfield and Kevin Hooks all starred together in the 1972 movie "Sounder". Cicely and Paul played a married couple in both movies. Although Kevin Hooks played their son in "Sounder", he played the neighborhood dope pusher in "A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich".
    • Connections
      Referenced in Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel (2011)
    • Soundtracks
      School's Out (Benji's Theme)
      Written by Tom McIntosh

      Performed by The Hubert Laws Group

    User reviews7

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Hea-vy
    Let me exhale here for a bit. This movie was heavy. I could barely stand the weight of it, it was so heavy.

    Let me get the accolades out of the way.

    The script. Great. Cicely Tyson. Solid. Paul Winfield. Excellent. Larry B. Scott (whom I'd only known as Lamar in Revenge of the Nerds). Spectacular. He easily rivaled the performance of Timothy Hutton who won an Oscar for his role in Ordinary People.

    This was a deep movie dealing with drug use in South Central Los Angeles. But it was more than that though wasn't it? At the forefront was a 13-year-old Benjie (Larry B. Scott) who's method of dealing with being fatherless was turning to hard drugs. There's little sadder than a kid strung out on drugs.

    The backdrop to that was his mother's boyfriend, Butler (Paul Winfield), trying his best to fill the father void while constantly being rebuffed by Benjie. Sweets (Cicely Tyson), Benjie's mother, was trying desperately to maintain a relationship with her son as well as her partner Butler.

    And behind all of that was an environment of social justice as Black folks in the ghetto struggled to carve a niche out for themselves while fighting drugs, crime, and the man.

    All of these plot elements plus the magnificent performances made for an awesome movie. It is jarring most times, angering other times, and down right sad sometimes. The moments of levity are few and far in between. You'll beg for a happy ending while realizing that what brings happiness is relative.
    helpful•2
    1
    • view_and_review
    • Nov 30, 2019

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 3, 1978 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Filming locations
      • South Central Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Radnitz/Mattel Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 47 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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