Earlier this year, the world lost one of the most esteemed and important Black artists ever to work in cinema. Sidney Poitier was often cited as a guiding light for contemporary Black artists, as displayed by Denzel Washington dedicating a portion of his own Best Actor acceptance speech at The Oscars to the legend who nearly 40 years earlier became the first Black man to win a Best Actor statue. Poitier broke through in mainstream cinema during the 1950s and 60s at a time when society still largely rejected the idea of a Black movie star. Of course, the performer had to make some creative compromises throughout his career, but never to the point of losing his respectability and becoming a caricature to which the generations before him were mostly reduced. It was his turns in major successes like In The Heat of the Night and Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner which paved the way for the next great chapter in his life – the one which would find him calling the shots behind the camera.

By the early 1970s, Poitier already had the Oscar win under his belt and a string of well-received films that solidified his place in the public consciousness. Poitier used his clout and esteem to gain real power in the industry by forming his own production company. Along with his longtime, equally mainstream-endorsed friend Harry Belafonte, who also came with a production company, the two went to work making Buck and The Preacher , the rare major studio western which would focus on the Black experience that has largely been erased from history. Problems only arose when original director Joseph Sargent ( The Taking of Pelham One Two Three ), a white man, started to have ideas about the story that didn’t sit well with the producers and stars. With their well-earned power, they dismissed the director after a couple of days and Poitier stepped in behind the camera for what was intended to be a temporary period. There would never be a replacement for Poitier, and the film would mark the first feature directorial effort for the star. 

To put this into perspective, it was only a couple of years earlier that a Black person had first been hired to direct a major studio film with Gordon Parks’ The Learning Tree. When they were given a chance, it was not a surprise if white executives tried to institute wild requests, such as the case with Melvin Van Peebles and The Watermelon Man. Once again, Poitier used the power he had built up in Hollywood to create a work of art that may not have been as blatantly revolutionary as the Van Peebles vehicle, but it was something that left a mark all the same. This might seem like a lot of information before we even get to the film at hand, but it is very important to have that context for how this film could have easily gone very wrong. This was Poitier and Belafonte stepping into a white-dominated arena and expanding the belief of what a western should be for a mainstream audience. 

The opening text of Buck and The Preacher pushes back against certain lazy preconceptions about the realities of slavery after the Civil War ended and freedom was granted to Black people. Many Black people who attempted to leave the South and head towards the western frontier were tracked down by ruthless bounty hunters who would force them to return to the plantations. This is how we first meet Buck (Poitier), a former soldier who now works as a wagon master helping freed slaves safely travel from the Louisiana to unsettled territories in the west. Poitier stoically embraces the archetype of the western hero who takes care of others more than he takes care of himself, and it looks good on him. The character is not worlds away from some of his most notable roles, but this time he is not put into the box of being the “respectable Black man” standing out in a white space. He is entrenched in the Black community and wants to help them in any way he can. 

In fact, the portrayal of white people in Buck and The Preacher is reminiscent of what you would find in a Blaxploitation film with clearly defined villainy, only slightly toned down from the most extreme over-the-top portrayals. Leading this charge is the sadistic Deshay (Cameron Mitchell, The Toolbox Murders), a bounty hunter looking to take down Buck and get some of these former slaves back on the plantation. When Buck finds himself on the run, he crosses the path of the somewhat untrustworthy “Reverend” Willis Oaks Rutherford (Belafonte), a con man who starts out at odds with Buck – the man does steal his horse after all – but ultimately experiences his own brand on enlightenment once he witnesses the carnage of the white man firsthand. Belafonte proves to be an essential element of this narrative, as he injects some levity into the film while never becoming a caricature. Belafonte commits fully as he sheds his squeaky-clean good looks for matted hair and yellow teeth. His character is the perfect balance to Buck, that little bit of ruthlessness you need in a fight where the other side is not playing fair. 

The story structure itself is nothing revolutionary, but the way in which it is presented through the distinct lens of Poitier makes for a much richer experience. On a technical level, Poitier shows no signs of being inexperienced as the camera is situated into creative positions. He moves the frame with purpose, often slowly revealing information to ratchet up creative tension, not just to show off for the audience. This is likely where his body of work as a storyteller on screen comes into play, as he is aware what works dramatically to heighten the experience for the audience and how to keep them fully engrossed. There are also the elements woven into the story that he brings from his experiences as a Black man, things that a white director would never fathom. A scene in which the preacher uses well-established Black stereotypes to gain the upper-hand on their white adversaries is positively rousing. 

Then there is just the simple fact of aesthetics; this is a film that actually knows how to shoot Black skin, something that can never be taken for granted even today. The lighting and cinematography frames its Black characters with love and care. Just take a look at Ruby Dee ( Do The Right Thing) who plays Ruth, Buck’s wife who stands up quite favorably alongside her husband. Of course, this is still the early 1970s and the women could stand to be given much more depth, but what she is given on screen is impressive for a Black woman at this time. One aspect that admittedly does not sit well is having some Native American actors played by white performers, such as Belafonte’s own wife, Jullie Robinson. This is particularly disheartening since the relationship between African Americans and Native Americans is more complex than we almost ever get on screen. Some may also feel unsatisfied by the conclusion of the story. There may be a desire for greater realism in this tale, but the Black community has so few victories on screen that you can stand to suspend a bit of disbelief. 

Buck and The Preacher is more than just a much-appreciated notch in the belt of Black representation on screen, it is simply a terrific western tale that is directed with unimpeachable skill and features two dynamic performances that you will not want to stop watching. As a huge fan of classic western tales from the earliest days of Hollywood, it is admittedly refreshing to see something out of the ordinary from this genre. The classics remain classics, but new voices in the genre help shake off some of the cobwebs. Sidney Poitier may have not intended for this to be his first directorial effort, but in hindsight it is hard to imagine something more perfect to begin a new creative path for him. 

Buck and The Preacher comes to Blu-Ray with a new digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1 derived from a 4K scan of a 35mm Original Camera Negative conducted by Sony. This presentation is a knockout that preserves the filmic look with proper film grain and texture throughout. The level of clarity and detail on this release is truly something to behold. There are very subtle details in the landscapes and the production design that are visible here for the first time. Just take a moment to admire tiny details in the clothing and some facets of the furniture. The colors of the film stay pretty close to earth tones with the prevalence of dry expanses, but every hue looks pleasantly saturated. The black levels are extremely deep and allow for true detail to come through even in the darkest moments. Skin tones are natural and lend themselves to showcasing an amazing amount of detail such as facial hair and perspiration. All print damage has been cleaned up without messing with the glorious natural look of the film. Those who have been waiting for this one to be faithfully restored on Blu-Ray should feel it was worth the wait.

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a remastered LPCM 1.0 monaural track that perfectly preserves the artistic integrity of the film. The memorable score composed by Benny Carter and performed by notable blues musicians such as Sonny Terry, Brownie McGhee, and Don Frank Brooks sounds terrific throughout the duration of the film, as it creates a unique tone compared to other westerns. Despite its power, there is never a moment where it threatens to overwhelm competing sounds, and it maintains a good balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. Environmental sounds such as the stillness of the wind and horse noises are rendered well alongside everything else. There does not seem to be any majorly noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear. The Criterion Collection has given this film the perfectly preserved, faithful audio presentation it deserves.

The Criterion Blu-Ray of Buck and The Preacher includes a multi-page fold out booklet featuring the essay “Unsettled Land” by film critic Aisha Harris. The essay provides a great amount of cinematic context to the film, the background of the production, how it fits into Black cinema and more. The on-disc special features are as follows: 

Buck and The Preacher is an underrated film in the career of Sidney Poitier, especially since it sent him down the path of creating more behind the camera. The pairing of real-life friends Poitier and Belafonte proves to be a winning combination that is electric on screen. As a western, it stands tall with its memorable characters, confident filmmaking and a refreshing point of view that discerning audiences crave. The Criterion Collection has provided a new Blu-Ray with a stellar A/V presentation and some solid special features. If you are a fan of the talent involved or simply want something new from the western genre, you owe it to yourself to check this one out sooner rather than later. Highly Recommended 

Buck and The Preacher will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD on August 23, 2022. 

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: The Criterion Collection has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.

Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.

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