See China and Die

Four decades before "Only Murders in the Building" became a TV hit, Larry Cohen wrote, produced and directed "See China and Die", a feature-length TV pilot starring Esther Rolle with the same basic premise. Always an innovator, the B-movie specialist Cohen fashioned a highly entertaining trifle here, which unfortunately was not picked up as a TV series.

Rolle plays a maid working in a Manhattan high-rise apartment building where a murder is committed. Coincidentally, her son (played by Kene Holiday, who never graduated to leading roles) is the homicide detective assigned the case, but the conceit of Cohen's screenplay is that Rolle, a mystery buff, is always way ahead of the authorities in terms of knowledge of the lives of all the denizens of the building, and applies herself to investigating it thoroughly to prove who the real murderer living there is. She even enlists her colleagues having menial jobs (minority actors) there to help out. Of course, Cohen's usual social commentary within his story is how these people, especially Rolle as a maid, are treated as invisible and sorely underestimated by the big-shots. His offbeat sense of humor is also on display in spoofing murder mysteries plus in-jokes.

It's a delightful little movie, peppered with terrific character actors in the supporting cast, many of them suspects, like Fritz Weaver, Andrew Duggan, Frank Converse, Paul Dooley, Jean Marsh and Laurence Luckinbill. The cops arrest the innocent building super Migue Pinero, played by the playwright Miguel Pinero (whose "Short Eyes" became a fine indie movie starring Bruce Davison). Also in the cast is Jane Hitchcock, the famous late '60s model whose only other acting role was co-starring in Bogdanovich's "Nickeldeon".

One of Cohen's trademark modes from his indie movies is on display ah he uses guerrilla filmmaking techniques here: shooting on the NYC streets without permits, in a key scene in the Diamond district in which Kene confronts an art forger, followed by a foot chase, with dozens of ordinary pedestrians on the crowded sidewalk gawking at the action (unpaid extras). This is a technique that soon got Cohen in big trouble when he shot his horror movie "Q" in 1981 with helicopter scenes at the Chrysler building that got him kicked out of town for potentially endangering folks. He also includes an action sequence her spotlighting the Giant Iguana sculpture that was once atop the Lone Star Cafe in Greenwich Village, after Paul Dooley performs a country song at the venue.

I remember when this movie premiered on TV, and I begged my mom to let me stay up and watch it because the preview featured a man in an oriental mask chasing Esther Rolle out to the end of a pier. It actually gave me nightmares for a few days. It re-ran on cable when I was a teenager and it became something of a "midnight movie" around my neighborhood. It's dated and hilarious, with a great, tv-movie-style canned jazz soundtrack and Esther Rolle being as sassy and irreverent as ever. In one scene, a mugger attacks her on the street and she's able to fend him off by repeatedly hitting him with her purse. He eventually runs off, screaming, "You're crazy, lady!" In the before-mentioned "pier" scene, she manages to knock the oriental-mask-wearing assailant off the dock by rocking it back and forth with her own weight. Still later, she throws Pine Sol in his face and warns, "You better run!" when he takes off crying in pain. After repeated viewings, my friends and I started talking back to the screen and acting out scenes from the film in our living rooms. I'd give anything to have a video copy of it today, but it's relatively hard to come by.

"See China, And Die" starring Miss Esther Rolle. I loved her. She recently died and I was very sad - mixed emotions surrounded me as I thought back to seeing Miss Rolle on the screen, both tv and in the movies. She was a wonderful actress.

Her starring role in the long running series, "Good Times," gave me many years of entertainment. She was a strong, concerned mother, who loved her children and an excellent wife who stood by her husband, who faced racism, joblessness and frustration in white America. Rolle gave pathos and exhilaration to her role as "Florida" in this series.

When I saw, "See China, And Die" on tv, Rolle made me love her more. She was playing a maid again, but this time, an amateur detective who was trying to solve the case of her murdered boss.

Her arrogance reminded me of an earlier movie maid, Hattie McDaniel, who, tho subservient, was a bold and earthy woman. Miss Rolle was the "maid" for several tenants in the building where her boss was killed. She solved the case despite the police and her policeman/detective son who tried unsuccessfully to quash her "work".

During the proceedings, Rolle almost got herself killed, but turned the tables on all suspects during a dinner revelation of the "real killer".

The picture was fun, because Esther Rolle brought her special quality, as an actress to the the role of "Mama". The New York locations added a touch of authenticity to the film.

I enjoyed many of the performances, especially Fritz Weaver, Paul Dooley and the rest of the cast.

Many people have caught this film on late night tv and enjoyed it, and then, putting ads in publications trying to find ANYone who had a copy of the film. They wanted to add it to their personal collections. I was lucky...I have a copy.

"See China and Die" is a delightfully campy mystery film that will leave you giggling and entertained. The story follows Momma Sykes, a maid with a passion for detective stories, as she becomes embroiled in a real-life mystery involving her deceased boss and a mysterious statue.

Esther Rolle shines as the sassy and irreverent Momma Sykes, bringing a sense of humor and wit to the role. Her performance is reminiscent of a 1970s-era Pam Grier, and she owns every scene she's in.

The film's tone is decidedly campy, with a healthy dose of humor and wit. The dialogue is often laugh-out-loud funny, and the situations Momma Sykes finds herself in are frequently absurd.

One of the standout aspects of "See China and Die" is its commentary on social issues. The film touches on themes such as racism, sexism, and classism, but does so in a way that's more playful than preachy.

While the film's production values are somewhat dated, the cinematography is still impressive, capturing the gritty realism of 1980s New York City.

Overall, "See China and Die" is a deliciously campy mystery film that's sure to entertain. With its witty dialogue, absurd situations, and standout performance from Esther Rolle, it's a must-watch for fans of campy cinema.