I love the prototypic and legendary Blaxploitation classics, such as "Black Ceasar" or "Shaft" for example, as much as the next cult cinema fanatic, but I must admit I always had a slight preference for– what I call them – "Blaxploitation with a plus" movies. I refer to the Blaxploitation films that simultaneously also venture into a totally different genre, like horror ("Blackula", "Abby") or psychedelic ("Ganja and Hess") or even Western. "Black Bounty Hunter", which is the alternative title that I'm forced to use because the website doesn't allow the usage of the titular N-word, is one of the only existing Blaxploitation westerns ever made! That little trivia aspect alone makes the film worth tracking down, and then I haven't even mentioned the fact that it is written by and starring the almighty Fred Williamson and directed by B-monster movie veteran Jack Arnold ("Creature from the Black Lagoon", "It came from Outer Space"). The film is fundamentally a parody of the western genre, but with plenty enough violence and action to satisfy hard-boiled genre fanatics, and with stellar acting performances and a funky swinging soundtrack atop. Whilst on the tail of wild west villain Jed Clayton, Boss and his loyal right hand Amos ride through the insignificant and Sheriff-less little town of San Miguel. Without consulting the townsfolk, and much against the will of the cowardly mayor Griffin, Boss declares himself Sheriff and Amos his deputy. They upset the conservative locals with their new laws and freshly invented money penalties, while patiently waiting for Jed to cross their paths. The comedy doesn't always work, except for a few notable moments with D'Urville Martin at his best, but the western action is old-fashioned good! Terrific supportive roles for R.G. Armstrong as the sleazy mayor and the stunning Barbara Leigh as one of Boss' romantic interests.

A couple of bandits in the old west get shot in the foot, and hero Fred Williamson gets shot in the hand and then tied to a tree. Along with his Lou Costello like sidekick, D'Urville Martin, he's a bounty hunter who by default becomes sheriff in an all-white town, basically blackmailing them into getting the position, and then they are both set up for execution where it's up to the very silly Martin to rescue him. I can just imagine on the set for Williamson having to remind the mostly white cast that a certain curse word was a part of the script and necessary to show the racism of the theme. R. G. Armstrong is the uppity mayor, William Smith as the bandit Williamson is after. Carmen Hayward as a pretty young black woman who uses her femininity to get Williamson out of his jams and Barbara Leigh as a sophisticated white woman in town who discovers she has a thing for black men.

Made after Cleavon Little played the sheriff in "Blazing Saddles" and around the same time as another blaxploitation western (the awful "Adios Amigo"),this is disturbing in many ways, and the n word flies more than bullets here. Martin's character is too much of a buffoon to really root for, Austin getting Williamson, the smarter of the two, in trouble. He is very funny though when he has to imitate something that he learned from his former owner when he was a slave, basically imitating the pompousness of wealthy white men and getting one of the few genuine laughs in the film. It just never really knows what it wants to be, a western action film with light comedy or a message movie, and that makes it difficult to completely like.

I am amazed at how positive some of the reviews are for this barely mediocre Baxploitation Western--especially considering it seems like a ripoff of "Blazing Saddles" (made in 1974). The plot involves two Black bounty hunters with attitude who arrive in town and take over the job of sheriff and deputy. Unlike "Blazing Saddles", this film isn't all comedy but a sort of hybrid action-comedy picture. However, the comedy isn't all that funny (D'Urville Martin can't carry this off by himself) and the action isn't as good as most of the star's (Fred Williamson) other films. Another major problem is that while having an anachronistic sheriff in the Mel Brooks film worked, here it just feels like "Black Caesar" stuck on the range--a very odd and unconvincing switch to say the least. It's more like wish fulfillment than anything you might have really seen in the West.

So let's say that you ignore how ridiculous the story is. In this case, is the film worth seeing? Well, yes and no. It certainly isn't brilliantly made nor does it make the case that there should have been more Black Westerns and some of the plot is pretty silly. On the other hand the film is rather fun to watch if you are looking to see a bunch of angry racist Whites get theirs--but this just isn't enough of a payoff to recommend the film. Overall, undemanding and silly. Not really so much bad,...just not very good.

FYI--When you try to use the title of the film in the review, it is prohibited by IMDb. I am not upset by this, but not mentioning the title of a film in the review can be a tad difficult!