Movie review: 'The Harder They Fall' is a needed western
By Janell Williams | Staff writer
Black cowboys. That’s it. That’s the tweet. Jeymes Samuel brings to life the classic and mostly untold stories of the black legends of the Wild West in his film “The Harder They Fall.”
Idris Elba, Jonathan Majors, Regina King and Delroy Lindo are just a few of the legendary actors that make up the incredible cast.
The film centers around the rivalry between the legendary outlaws Nat Love and Rufus Buck. The two go head to head after facing one another to settle a life-long journey for revenge. Filled with non-stop action and thrills, every scene, from beginning to end, had me absolutely hooked.
I will say, the opening scene will definitely tug on the heart strings, but it is well worth it to keep watching. I also don’t usually go for the more gory movies, but I couldn’t stop watching this one. I will also say, if you are a Deon Cole fan, you’ll love him in this film. He steps out of the comedic light and picks up a more serious role, and I loved seeing him embrace that side of his acting.
When I was a young girl, I would watch westerns with my grandfather, and he would tell me stories of my ancestors who were black cowboys and how there were black towns, although they weren’t shown, that had thriving businesses in the West. He made it a point to teach me that, although we are always shown as slaves or house help in the films, we have always been a culture of creativity and innovation.
I did some digging and, as it turns out, each of the characters in this film are based on actual outlaws and lawmen. Although the stories were embellished for entertainment’s sake, each of the legends are true. For me, this information was extremely satisfying because, even though there are hundreds of western films, how many of them depict African Americans as more than just the help? Exactly. This film portrays the true history of black culture in the West. The opening credits make this evident by opening the title card with the words “These. People. Existed.”
From the opening scene to the final, I found myself crying, laughing and being filled with thrills. To know that this film is based on the true events of African American western culture makes it all the more enjoyable. If you have not seen it yet, change that soon.
At top of page, Actors Regina King (left), Idris Elba (middle) and LaKeith Standfield (right) in a old-time railway during a rescue scene of “The Harder They Fall”. (photo by Janell Williams)
Contact Janell Williams at jwilliams30@augusta.edu.
