Shaft in Africa: Richard Roundtree’s Blazer and Turtleneck

Richard Roundtree as John Shaft in Shaft in Africa (1973)

Vitals

Richard Roundtree as John Shaft, tough private detective

New York City to Ethiopia via Paris, Winter 1972

Film: Shaft in Africa
Release Date: June 20, 1973
Director: John Guillermin
Wardrobe Credit: Frank Balchus

Background

Released just shy of two years after the first Shaft movie, Shaft in Africa was the third of the original Shaft trilogy that launched the late Richard Roundtree—born 83 years ago today on July 9, 1942—to stardom.

Shaft in Africa begins with Shaft in… uh, New York, where he’s kidnapped by representatives of Emir Ramila (Cy Grant), an East African tribal leader who wishes the famed private detective to infiltrate an European smuggling ring that’s exploiting African immigrants for cheap labor. When threatening him at gunpoint, offering him $25,000, and appealing to his emotions don’t seem to work, the emir and Colonel Gonder (Marne Maitland) finally appeal to Shaft’s circumcised Achilles heel by introducing him to the emir’s attractive daughter, Aleme (Vonetta McGee), who is assigned to teach this “uptown dude” the Manta dialect and tribal traditions.

Though the first act was indeed set and filmed in New York, the rest of Shaft in Africa was filmed on location in Ethiopia—reportedly only the third major production to be shot in the country. From its globe-trotting locations to the gadgetry issued to Shaft, Shaft in Africa clearly aligns John Shaft with James Bond… even though Shaft himself responds to the technology by telling Gonder:

Now, I’m not James Bond, simply Sam Spade.

Interestingly, Shaft in Africa was released just one week before the Bond-does-blaxploitation adventure Live and Let Die, which was Roger Moore’s first film as 007. But while Sir Roger would go on to play Bond in six more films, Roundtree’s tenure as shaft only continued for a short-lived TV series on CBS until he ultimately reprised the role in two more movies—both called Shaft and co-starring Samuel L. Jackson—in 2000 and 2019.

In addition to July 9th being Roundtree’s birthday, today is also the 15th anniversary of the death of his co-star Vonetta McGee, who died of cardiac arrest in 2010 at age 65.

What’d He Wear?

Shaft foregoes his trademark leather for most of Shaft in Africa, initially dressed in a rust-colored Fred Perry quarter-zip and blue athletic sweatpants when he’s kidnapped by the emir after his morning run. After this, he resumes his usual parade of turtlenecks, including an orange ribbed-knit roll-neck he wears with a dark blazer for his international flights.

Likely made from a dark navy-blue tropical wool or wool gabardine, this single-breasted blazer follows a traditional design with its welted breast pocket, flapped hip pockets, and long single vent. Fashionably wide but still smartly restrained for the era, the notch lapels are finished with sporty swelled edges and roll to the top of two silver-toned shank buttons—echoed by the four smaller buttons on each cuff. The jacket flatters Roundtree’s athletic build with lightly padded and structured shoulders, roped sleeveheads, a clean chest, and a suppressed waist.

Richard Roundtree as John Shaft in Shaft in Africa (1973)

Paired with that vibrant orange turtleneck, Shaft’s blazer reads casual elegance, echoing his aesthetic and attitude for Shaft in Africa: stylish, spy-coded, and unbothered.

Shaft provides a jet-setting balance to the dark blazer with his light-beige gabardine flat-front trousers, which rise high enough to be covered by the turtleneck’s untucked hem. Since he never removes his blazer, we see little detail beyond the close fit through the thighs that flares out below the knee, consistent with early ’70s trends but more boot-cut than bell-bottom.

The plain-hemmed bottoms break over the tops of his plain black leather slip-on ankle boots, which have stacked leather soles that give the 6’2″ Roundtree even more pronounced height.

Shaft’s sporty dive watch has a brushed stainless steel barrel-shaped case, secured by a smooth brown leather band around his left wrist. A black bezel rotates around the black dial, marked with luminous non-numeric hour indices. The profile and position of the crown at 4 o’clock suggests a watch like the 1968 edition of Seiko’s innovative automatic diver, introduced two years before the case was asymmetrically extended to protect the crown.

On the same hand, Shaft wears a bold silver-toned statement ring, consisting of four cast-metal finger-like bands curled around his left ring finger. This ring is the only part of his wardrobe that Shaft continues wearing after Gonder gives him the muslin robe (“Now, I hope that’s a 40 long”) and sandals that he’ll be wearing for his “recruitment”, at least until he’s issued his western work clothes that he wears for the final act.

What to Imbibe

Shaft expresses a preference for Scotch throughout the trilogy, including the dram of Johnnie Walker Red Label he requests from the emir, his own Dewar’s that he pours over ice for himself and Aleme, and the Chivas Regal 12-Year-Old whisky that he drinks neat with Colonel Gonder upon his arrival in Addis Ababa.

All three are blended Scotch whiskies, each reflecting varying degrees of prestige within the category, but it’s the Chivas 12 that carries the most cachet: a balanced and refined blend of malt and grain whiskies aged at least 12 years, built around a Strathisla single malt heart. Known for its smoothness, rich notes of heather, fruit, and vanilla, and luxurious branding, Chivas 12 fits the setting of a diplomatic meeting and subtly underlines the mutual respect between Shaft and Gonder as they size each other up over a dram.

How to Get the Look

Richard Roundtree as John Shaft in Shaft in Africa (1973)

Consistent with the titular setting shift of Shaft in Africa, our eponymous private eye’s wardrobe followed a stronger European influence—less New York grit, more globe-trotting spy—that adapted his usual turtlenecks-and-tailoring with a Bond-informed blazer and slacks as he lands in Ethiopia for his mission.

Dark navy tropical wool single-breasted blazer with swelled-edge notch lapels, two silver-toned shank buttons, welted breast pocket, straight flapped hip pockets, 4-button cuffs, and single vent
Orange ribbed turtleneck
Beige gabardine flat-front trousers with flared plain-hemmed bottoms
Black leather ankle boots with stacked leather soles
Silver four-banded statement ring
Brushed stainless steel dive watch with black rotating bezel, black dial (with luminous non-numeric hour indices), and smooth brown leather strap