Buck and the Preacher

In post Civil War America, former slaves are heading west to escape the south. Buck (Sidney Poitier) is one of the few colored guides leading the wagons. He and his charges are hounded by marauding whites intent on driving them back to work on the plantations. The white southerners use his wife Ruth (Ruby Dee) as bait in an ambush at his home but they both manage to escape. While he's on the run, he gets into a confrontation with a traveler of questionable intent (Harry Belafonte) and steals his horse. The traveler gets to a settlement where he runs into the marauders. With some quick thinking, the traveler pretends to be a preacher and the marauders offer him $500 as a bounty for Buck. I like the first half of this western directed by Sidney Poitier. His style is functional but it does lack a certain flair. The main question is getting more guns for the former slaves. They have the money. It needs a scene where they try to buy more guns but get rejected by the locals. Obviously, this is alluding to the civil rights movement of that era. The never cessing search for the green valley is quite an image. I do have more questions about Buck's homestead. I thought the whites burnt it down. They're also not traveling that far if they keep coming back to it. The movie does run into a rut when they go robbing a bank. It would have been much better to return to the wagon train and they wait for a big final attack. Quite frankly, they lose the moral high ground once they steal other people's money. The Indians should ride to the rescue like the Calvary of the old westerns. The second half has a few weak points which is a little disappointing.

There's a combination of tragedy and triumph here as Sidney Poitier and Harry Belafonte combine their light-hearted personalities into emotional drama with this story of two men who, at first on opposite sides of the spectrum, find a common cause in fighting against bigotry. Poitier is a former Northern soldier who has been helping newly freed slaves go west with little help from the vigilantes hired by plantation owners in getting what they still believe their property back so they can continue living "their right way of life". The vigilantes are horrible white men who have no qualms in destroying an entire camp, killing men, women and children, in their efforts to scare these people back into slavery. It is almost like a modernized version of "The Ten Commandments" in that sense, with this group of men the equivalent of Edward G. Robinson's Dathan, and Moses being seen in the forms of Buck and his reluctant partner, a traveling preacher who initially agreed to be informer for the white vigilantes. There's a lot to like about this moving drama with a western setting, and when Ruby Dee, as Poitier's long-suffering wife, reveals how she longs to raise her children far away from even any memory of slavery, you really feel what the millions of slaves must have felt after they were allegedly freed but could not get what was promised to them, still facing adversity for decades after the end of the civil war. Poitier and Belafonte make such a great team and give such a light-hearted performance that at times, it doesn't seem like they are acting. There's a lot of sadness in the light-hearted structure of the story, including the attacks on the innocent people striving to find a new land and their dealings with the Native Americans who are fighting their own struggle against the racist white men determined to steal everything from these people that they can get their hands on. Nita Talbot, usually comical as an Eve Arden type wise-cracker, plays serious here as a madam, and Cameron Mitchell out-does the villainy he had played decades earlier in "Carousel" with a character so vile that you can't wait to see him dispatched.

"Buck and the Preacher" is an unusual sort of blacksploitation film. While it's better written and acted than most, its message of black empowerment clearly fits in with the more traditional blacksploitation faire of the early 1970s. But it also is not as outlandish as some in the genre...making it a decent film for the average viewer. Buck (Sidney Poitier) is a man who makes a living escorting black families out life to a better life following the Civil War. But a gang of racist bandits are determined to repeatedly attack and drive away these settlers...and they're even more determined to kill Buck. Why? Well, it's not just because of racism but reported they are being paid by plantation owners in the South to do this in order to scare freed blacks from leaving. I have no idea if any such thing ever actually occurred, though it is true that a huge number of black families went West at the is time to start better lives. The gang nearly capture Buck but during his escape he meets up with a man who calls himself The Preacher (Harry Belafonte). While their initial meeting does NOT go well, they later join forces to fight these scumbags. For the most part, I really enjoyed this movie. However, I am VERY glad I didn't see this on the big screen, as Harry Belafonte's teeth were positively nauseating to see on the small screen. Sure, folks did often have awful teeth in the old days...but it's sure unpleasant to see! But despite this complaint, the film is very entertaining and worth your time.

The main hero Buck is an useless tomato can while The Preacher is that of a class A actor and should've the lead. The film itself is a good tv movie but the zest of unfunny comedy throughout the theme is one reason I will never watch it again in this life or the next, being offered million dollars or not.

This 1972 American Western is a Classic Gem! It stars three legendary Actors; the performances by Poitier, Belafonte, and Dee are magnificent. Some fool (alfredpr 69611) actually rated this 1/10 backed by stupid comments! "They" will always try to destroy all Black Cinema and give you a thumbs down when you defend it! They share the same mindset as the evil white men in this film. The ending is my favorite, I love how the Native Americans decided to help Buck and the Preacher.

It regards a trail guide and a con preacher join forces to help a wagon train of former slaves who are escaping from cutthroats and seeking to homestead out the West . The civil war was over and by law the slaves were freed . But when the promise of land and freedom was not honored , many ex-slaves journeyed out of the land of bondage in search of new frontiers where they could be free at last . They placed their hopes in the hands of the few black wagonmasters that knew the territories of the west . None of this came easy , for not only did they have to overcome hostile wilderness , but nightriders and bounty hunters were hired by persons unknown to hunt them down and turn them back to the Southern fields . This picture is dedicated to those men , women and children who lie in graves as unmarked as their place in history . This movie deals with a hard , long travel throughout the wilderness of a group of negroes and slaves freed after the end Civil War , being led by an intrepid wagonmaster (Sidney Poitier) along with a roguish preacher (showy acting by Harry Belafonte) wielding a peculiar Holy Bible . And being harassed by marauding white nightriders (led by Cameron Mitchell) all the way down . Sidney Poitier performed and shot this picture , delivering it all the traditional ingredients of amusement : Riding pursuits , spectacular battles , croosfire , bank assaults , ambushes , fights with Indians , and many other things . While at the same time inserting a thought-provoking issue of accusatory coment on the ill-treatment of the ancient slaves whose graves are as unmarked as their place place in history . It has an interesting subject which is rather reminiscent of John Ford's Wagonmaster played by Ben Johnson in similar role to Poitier . Nice , though , the idea of having Indians riding and coming to rescue of the wagon train besieged by bandits , it is a gem , instead of the ordinary Union cavalry . Harry Belafonte steals the show giving an overacting and Poitier the player seems content to stand back and let the limelight falls on Harry . It is agreeable , enjoyable , and pleasant enough , but somewhat it never quite clicks , despite awesome interpretations from Belafonte and Poitier . Ruby Dee also provides a decent playing , she interprets the attractive spouse of Sidney . The motion picture was professionally directed by Sidney Poitier . Being his fiilm debut that he took over the job from Joseph Sargent who left the filmmaking . Poitier is a fine actor and filmmaker . Poitier's talent, conscience, integrity, and inherent likability placed him on equal footing with the white stars of the day. He took on directing and producing chores in the Seventies, achieving success in both arenas . Sidney directed a few pictures , and most of them were comedies . As Poitier made : Ghost dad , Fast forward , Hanky panky , Stir Crazy , Piece of action , Let's do again , Uptown Saturday night , and this Buck and the preacher . Rating : 6/10 , passable and aceptable Western movie

After civil war, the free black people headed to west in searching for a free land, Sidney Poitier was in charge to guide this settlers toward to western lands, however a bunch leading by the evil Deshay (Cameron Mitchel) pursued them, try out convincing by force to return to Louisiana, meanwhile appears the preacher (Belafonte) the best character in the movie, an easy going man who hidden behind in a mask of God's man, he is malicious, raunchy and cheater, quite often he speech set phases from the Bible, Buck realizes that the preacher isn't trustful, nevertheless has to live together in such circumstances, these opposing forces are the highlight of the picture, developing a perfect chemistry between two distinct characters, also it has an indelible black humor, a rare movie made at Blaxploitation era, shot at Durango on Mexico displaying a dry and beautiful landscape, enjoyable and highly underrated!! Resume: First watch: 1980 / How many: 5 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 8.5

Buck and the Preacher is directed by, and stars, Sidney Poitier. It's written by Ernest Kinoy and Drake Walker and joining Poitier in the cast are Harry Belafonte, Ruby Dee and Cameron Miller. Music is by Benny Carter, with notable contributions from Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, and cinematography is by Alex Phillips Jr. The Civil War was over and by law the slaves were freed. But when the promise of land and freedom was not honoured, many ex-slaves journeyed out of the land of bondage in search of new frontiers where they could be free at last. They placed their hopes in the hands of the few wagon masters that knew the territories of the West. None of this came easy, for not only did they have to overcome a hostile wilderness, but night-riders and bounty hunters were hired by "persons unknown" to hunt them down and turn them back to to the fields. This picture is dedicated to those men, women and children who lie in graves as unmarked as their place in history. Quite an opening statement that, a real attention grabber, then the throat grabbing ups still further as we land in a camp of African Americans, freed from slavery, ready to travel West for a better life. This harmony is shattered by the arrival of a night-rider gang led by DeShay (Miller), who promptly murder anyone who moves, not even the swine and poultry are spared. As the camp burns and the distaste in the throat refuses to leave, we feel we are in for something special with Poitier's directing debut, a peek at a part of history rarely shown in the movies. Sadly the film never hits these heights again.... In some ways it feels like kicking a man when he is down, for Buck and the Preacher is well directed, very well acted, expertly photographed by Phillips (Durango, Mexico and Kenya standing in for Kansas Territory) and features a very untraditional, but pleasing, score by jazz man Carter and blues men Terry & McGhee. But Kinoy (Roots) and Walker have failed Poitier in the writing, badly trying to blend off beat comedy with serious racial thematics, while what little action takes place after that barn storming opening, starts to feel off kilter with the slow pace of the picture. Such a shame, I mean who better to direct and star in such a thematically potent piece than the graceful Poitier? With Belafonte providing great chemistry as well, whilst gleefully stealing the film from his more illustrious acting brother, there's still much for the Western fan to feast on here. There's the unusual but much appreciated sight of the Indians painted as saviours, a dignified and intelligent race riding in cavalry style, the chief (Enrique Lucero) negotiating with Buck (Poitier) like a royal master of his creed. But this ultimately ends up as not being all that it should be. I'd urge Western fans to see it, but I can't guarantee you wont be frustrated come the end credits. 6/10

This might possibly be the first Western to feature two black leads with white characters largely relegated to peripheral roles – or stereotypically villainous parts. Sidney Poitier – who replaced Joseph Sergeant as director one week into the shoot – and Harry Belafonte play the leads. Poitier is Buck, a former cavalry man now acting as a wagon-master guiding former slaves to a new life in the west. Belafonte is the preacher, a semi-reformed con man who briefly considers betraying Buck and his charges to the evil nightrider Deshay (a squinting, cigar-chomping Cameron Mitchell) before throwing in his lot with him. This being a film of the early 70s, there isn't much of a moral code here. The good guys steal from one another and rob banks, a character defect shrugged off with the explanation that the town folk – who are pre-occupied on a posse-ride to catch the duo as they rob the bank – deserve to be robbed. The film is presumably supposed to be a semi-comic action film but it isn't particularly funny and the action scenes are few and far between. The film is also light on dialogue with lengthy spells played out in silence. This was Poitier's directorial debut and it shows in some glaring narrative gaps and a strange kind of painstaking attention that somehow transmits itself onto the screen so that the film rarely seems to flow the way it should. Poitier never really convinces as an actor either, although Belafonte is a standout as the sneaky, morally dubious preacher.

It's shortly after the abolition of slavery and Black people all over the south seek greener pastures where they don't have to be subjected to Jim Crowism. Some would head west with a wagon master showing them the way. And sometimes the greedy white people of the south wouldn't want to let their labor go so they'd send night riders after them to bring them back. Buck (Sidney Portier) is a wagon master leading a group west. The Preacher (Harry Belafonte) is an opportunistic shuckster who finds himself a part of the Buck-led wagon train. The two of them have to be heroes in a sense in order to get this wagon train west. I really appreciate this movie being made in the 70's when so many blaxploitation films were made. Instead of pimps, hoes, hustlers, and drug dealers, this movie is about positive black male figures in a western. Besides the terrible movie Posse with Mario Van Peebles, I hadn't seen a Black western. I liked the history this movie presented (however dramatized), what it stood for, and the actors in it. Yes, I have seen better westerns-meaning more entertaining-but I can't readily recall a more significant western.