Buck and the Preacher (1972)

Simply Perfect

Purely Joyful Movie!

How sad is this?

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

Hollywood would have us imagine the western migration as an all-white experience. This picture tells the story with black actors, although facing the same menace they flee, racism. The antagonists are a gang of "night-riders" both hunting Buck, but also terrorizing the black wagon-train. My main complaint is a terribly annoying, invasive soundtrack, featuring a Jew's Harp of all things. (Like blues harmonica, a little goes a long way!)

We tend to forget that in 1972, in the heart of the whole "blaxploitation" movement, that the very idea of casting African-Americans in traditional white roles was daring in and of itself. As such, Buck and the Preacher, starring Sidney Poitier (who also directed) and Harry Belafonte in the titular roles must have created quite a stir upon its release. The story is pretty standard for a western--a wagon train heading west, led by a tough-as-nails trail guide, is harassed by outside forces (usually bandits or American Indians), but in this case, the settlers are all freed slaves, and the "outside forces" are hired guns by the south, bend on stopping every black settler group, destroying their supplies (and murdering a few of their people), thus terrorizing them into returning to the plantations. Former military sergeant Buck (Poitier) will have none of that, and the slick-talking con man "Preacher (Belafonte), whose initial intentions may seem questionable, mans up and does the right thing, joining forces with Buck for a typical final showdown. A fun western, to be sure, but if you're looking for deeper social commentary that what has already been described, you won't find it. A traditional western with an African-American cast is daring as it gets in 1972, but don't let that keep you away. The original score by Benny Carter, heavy on the mouth harp and that weird pig-sounding instrument they use on Green Acres, will annoy the hell out of you yet stay with you for days.

I don't understand how someone could classify this film as a "comedy". It did have it's comedic moments, but no more than any other Western or Drama. Then that false comment ends up on the front page of the IMDb? Weird. This was a first rate Western by any standard. At a time when Hollywood had no interest in making such films. Blaxploitation films and comedies were the rules of the day. Poitier makes a great cowboy and fine director here. I suspect the reason this film is/was not more popular is that there were so few good guys of the White persuasion. The one fair and honest White man was the town Sheriff, who was quickly killed off by another White man for this very reason.

this movie goes down as one of the best westerns.. ever produced... buck(sidney poitier) helps a group of black settlers.... move west... from louisiana... from the get-go.. he meets up with... a con-man... the preacher(harry belafonte).... as they show displeasure amongst each other... the plot thickens.. when the settlers are being forced back home..... Buck has other ideas... as the indians... are on his side and pave the way,.... there are casualties... and solid acting amonst poitier-belafonte-ruby dee and cameron mitchell... the setting is the late 1800's after the civil war... and tells a chilling story.... this movie will make you both laugh and cry.... and has 10-written all over it.... both poitier and belafonte(very funny man).... excelled in this flick.... stay with it... you won't be disappointed... some solid music also helps the movie along... kick back and enjoy... i have.. many times!!!