[1] With Lola Falana in the title role,[2] the film also featured Millie Perkins, Alex Dreier, Gene Washington and Joe Greene.

The film tells the story of a woman (Lola Falana) who is released from jail for 24 hours prior to testifying against her ex-boyfriend (James A. Watson Jr.) and is placed in police protection for that timeframe.

Adjustments are made to that traditional story so that the protecting officer does not meet a pathetic end nor that our heroine nastily lose her life to him.

Linda Gross of the Los Angeles Times called Lady Cocoa "a slick, predictable, but well-made blaxploitation film.

"[5] Joe Baltake, writing for the Philadelphia Daily News, complimented Falana's performance but called the film "a flimsy, boring situation comedy," concluding: "It's dumb, but Lola makes it palatable.