“The Spook Who Sat by the Door” (1973) is one of the most unabashedly radical revenge fantasies ever filmed. Based on the 1969 novel by Sam Greenlee, the film was directed by Ivan Dixon, and co-produced by Dixon and Greenlee, who had to resort to grassroots community fundraising to get it made. The plot centers on Dan Freeman, a covert black nationalist who infiltrates the Chicago offices of the CIA as a token black employee in a clerical position (they seat him by the door to demonstrate their commitment to diversity for visitors). After learning what he needs to learn, Freeman promptly resigns, gets a new position as a social worker in the ghetto, recruits an army of freedom fighters and teaches them CIA guerrilla warfare tactics in preparation for an uprising. Not surprisingly, the film was removed from theaters shortly after release due to pressure from the FBI and was not available on home video until 2004.

The full version of the The Spook Who Sat by the Door presented on the following YouTube video is preceded by interviews with Sam Greenlee who provides details about how his film was suppressed by the government: