Movie: Buck and the Preacher (1972)

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 place 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 a hostile wilderness, but nightriders and bounty hunters were hired by ‘persons unknown’ to hunt them down and turn them back to the fields. This picture is dedicated to those men, women and children who lie in graves as unmarked as their place in history.

So begins the film Buck and the Preacher, an excellent western movie starring, directed, and produced by Sidney Poitier and Harry Bellafonte. Production started in 1971 and it’s only 117 minutes long. What can you do in that amount of time? You can tell a really good story with Black western antiheroes riding horses, chasing, and being chased in the chaparral. There’s also a little romance. 

I had never heard of this movie before this year. I listened to or read a Harry Bellafonte retrospective after his death (April 25, 2023) and heard that he and Sidney Poitier made a western! While I was never steeped in Sidney Poitier or Harry Bellafonte films, I feel like I should’ve heard of this one. Not only is it a good western movie, but it highlights some important historical facts like the newly freed slaves heading west to flee The South and the lack of opportunities of the east, while being hunted by former slave catchers turned “field hand recruiters” trying to scare them back to The South. Harry Belafonte and Sidney Poitier both gave excellent performances. Ruby Dee shows up in it too, and makes a third to the pair of Buck and the Preacher. The Native American characters, I believe are played by Native actors, which, in the 70s, is not that common. If you want to see a pre-woke-BLM, feel good, western with a cast full of people of color, you should watch Buck and the Preacher.

I checked out the DVD from my local library!

Photo by MikeGoad