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Buck and the Preacher

1972

Adventure / Drama / Western

4
Rotten Tomatoes Critics - Certified Fresh82%
Rotten Tomatoes Audience - Upright60%
IMDb Rating6.5102177

con manpreacherwagon master

Plot summary


Uploaded by: FREEMAN

Top cast

Nita Talbot Photo
Nita Talbot as Madam Esther
Denny Miller Photo
Denny Miller as Floyd
Cameron Mitchell Photo
Cameron Mitchell as Deshay
720p.BLU 1080p.BLU
948.46 MB
1280*692
English 2.0
NR
23.976 fps
1 hr 43 min
P/S 3 / 6
1.72 GB
1920*1038
English 2.0
NR
23.976 fps
1 hr 43 min
P/S 2 / 12

Movie Reviews

Reviewed by mikeydrew8 / 10

A well-done movie about an often ignored subject.

Buck and the Preacher was the first movie I ever saw about the black experience after the civil war that was centered on their migration west. I've seen this movie three times since it was originally shown, and have enjoyed it as much each time, while Buck, a no-nonsense Wagon Master played by Sidney Poitier takes his responsibilities very seriously. Naive ex-slaves are putting their very lives and fortunes in his hands in their attempt to find the American Dream after slavery. A subtly that many non-blacks do not understand about the relationship of blacks with each other is the historical mistrust and scheming that happens within the culture and still goes on today. That is what makes the meeting of Buck with the Preacher, played by Harry Belafonte Jr. so poignant. They are at opposite ends of the cultural trust scale, but they are forced to team up against a common enemy to secure their individual survival.

The Preacher, shiftless and scheming, and the only stereotypical character in the movie, is very well known to blacks, and not really as funny to blacks as non-blacks may sometimes think.

Buck and the Preacher was one of the first modern movies about black people to provide any depth to the characters, and also to present characters and subject matter that are not normally associated with the black experience. I found it entertaining as well as informative. A well-done move about an often ignored subject.

Reviewed by lee_eisenberg9 / 10

the anti-blaxploitation

Sidney Poitier made his directorial debut with "Buck and the Preacher", in which he played a wagon-master leading freed slaves across the Old West. The whole time, they have to battle night-riders trying to return them to slavery in Louisiana. But then, Poitier joins up with Harry Belafonte, a reformed thief spreading the Gospel across the Old West, and they figure out a way to protect the freed slaves.

Probably the most important aspect of this movie was that it came out around a time when Hollywood was releasing many blaxploitation movies portraying African-Americans as kick-ass brothers and sisters with hearts of gold. This one focused seriously on a part of black history in the United States, and did a very good job at it. I certainly recommend this movie. Also starring Ruby Dee and Denny Miller (a character actor who appeared twice on "Gilligan's Island").

Reviewed by hitchcockthelegend6 / 10

This ain't Louisiana. Now you walk soft in my town.

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

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