Stop! (1970 film)

Stop!
Film poster
Directed byBill Gunn
Written byBill Gunn
Produced byPaul M. Heller
Starring
CinematographyOwen Roizman
Edited bySam Ornstein
Music byFred Myrow
Production
company
Distributed byWarner Bros.
Release date
  • 1970 (1970)
Running time
89 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Stop! is a 1970 American independent drama film that was once considered a lost film. It was written and directed by Bill Gunn. It stars Edward Michael Bell, Linda Marsh, Richard Dow, Marlene Clark, John Hoffmeister, and Anna Marie Aries.[1]

Plot summary

Michael and Lee are a married couple whose relationship is in turmoil. While on vacation in San Juan, Puerto Rico, they meet another couple (Richard and Marlene). Gradually, they become a foursome, mingling with group sex, as well as separate heterosexual and homosexual encounters.[2]

Cast

  • Edward Michael Bell as Michael
  • Linda Marsh as Lee
  • Richard Dow as Richard
  • Marlene Clark as Marlene
  • John Hoffmeister as John
  • Anna Marie Aries as Ellen

Release

Warner Bros. refused to release the X-rated film theatrically. It was eventually shown periodically from 1970 onward, albeit without a proper release.[3] Its only existing copy is a grainy VHS rip.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Stop! (1970)". MUBI. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  2. ^ Groves, Adam. "Stop!". The Bedlam Files. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  3. ^ Ryfle, Steve (2008-09-01). "The Eclipsed Vision of Bill Gunn: An African-American Auteur's Elusive Genius, from Ganja & Hess to Personal Problems (Preview)". CinĂ©aste. ISSN 0009-7004. Retrieved 2025-09-25.
  4. ^ Sieving, Christopher (2022-01-28). "Department Colloquium: Bill Gunn's Disappeared Debut and the Limits of New Hollywood". University of Georgia. Retrieved 2025-09-25.