Editing Shaft (1971 film) (section)

===Box office performance===
The film was one of only three profitable movies that year for [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]], grossing what ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' magazine called an "astonishing" $13&nbsp;million on a budget of $500,000.<ref name="timeboxo">{{cite magazine| url= http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,905921,00.html | archive-url= https://archive.today/20120913034735/http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,905921,00.html | url-status= dead | archive-date= September 13, 2012 | title= Show Business: Black Market | magazine= [[Time (magazine)|Time]] | date= April 10, 1972 | access-date=2010-10-31}}</ref>

The ''Los Angeles Times'' said the film cost $1&nbsp;million after advertising and other costs and grossed $4.5&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news|title=MGM to Specialize and Diversify, Too: Aubrey Sees Big Year, Details 'Select' Movies, Resort Plans MGM: Leo Seeks Greener Fields|author1=Dallos, Robert E|author2=Delugach, Al.|work=Los Angeles Times|date=Oct 24, 1971|page=h1}}</ref> According to ''Variety'' by 1976 it earned $7.656&nbsp;million in theatrical rentals.<ref>{{cite news|title=All-time Film Rental Champs|work=Variety|date=7 January 1976|page=44}}</ref>

It not only spawned several years of "blaxploitation" action films, it earned enough money to save then-struggling [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM]] from bankruptcy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nndb.com/people/248/000027167/|title=Gordon Parks|website=www.nndb.com|access-date=2011-12-20|archive-date=2018-01-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180118072712/http://www.nndb.com/people/248/000027167/|url-status=live}}</ref>