Leslie Uggams, born in 1943, began her career in the early 1950s and has made a significant impact in various genres. In Poor Pretty Eddie (1975), she delivers a remarkable performance that adds depth to this cult classic. Uggams is known for her powerful stage presence, transitioning from Broadway to film, and her role in this exploitation masterpiece highlights her versatility as an actress. Her journey through the entertainment industry marks her as a significant figure in the landscape of cult cinema.
Poor Pretty Eddie
Liz Wetherly is a popular black singer in need of a break from her hectic schedule. When her car breaks down, she ends up stuck in a remote southern town that‘s been left for dead “ever since they put in the interstate.” She is forced to spend the night at “Bertha’s Oasis”, a rundown lodge that serves as the bizarre fiefdom of an overweight ex-burlesque star who lords over her much younger boyfriend, Eddie, and a cast of equally-strange townsfolk. Eddie fancies himself a singer on par with Elvis, and expects Wetherly to make him famous. But things turn ugly for Wetherly, who endures rape and abuse at the hands of her captors, before culminating in her bloody revenge on the “rednecks” that terrorized her.
