“I have full confidence that you will not kill me. News travels fast you should be mindful that it will eventually reach the state troopers. If they ask any questions, you’re gonna tell your black mayor to tell them that you’re holding the chief of police for breaking the law. You’re going to need me alive. I will make sure these black asses will not burn in hell like you all deserve.” Chief Patterson
This is probably my favorite Fred Williamson film combined with Black Caesar as if that was even a feat. Plus, Pam Grier is always a dynamite actress. Thalmus Rasulala who I remember from Blacula. Not to forget, a younger Carl Weathers in a cameo role just before he mastered the role of Apollo Creed, which made him immortalized a year later in the movie called Rocky.
Plotwise, Bucktown doesn’t stand out but it certainly isn’t unenjoyable. Fred Williamson’s character arrives in town after his brother dies to bury him and wrap up his affairs. He uncovers the rampant corruption in the town, which was partly responsible for his brother’s assassination. He decides to bring some of his pals to help him deal with the crooked officers and politicos. Although they manage to get rid of the corruption, these friends of Williams decide to usurp the unfortunate power vacuum, making things worse than they were.
I understand Williamson was a fan of Westerns, and indeed he produced and starred in several. Thus he had a lot of these elements, also he had a blaxploitation twist as well, where the corrupt officials are bigoted racists and the oppressed defenders of the town are black. But it’s intelligent enough to show how the immediate solution of self governance for a town has its problems to resolve with power, greed and control.
In this, Fred Williamson indeed had an overwhelming presence on the screen. Though I think it has always been his strength, it is breathtaking to watch him here in the same way it is in Black Caesar and Boss Nigger. When I interviewed Pam Grier, it was clear she was up to the task and added to the performance in a manner that was both exciting and effective. Man, look at Grier and Williamson, and marvel at how wonderful it is seeing them on the same side of the battle.
In the last sequence of the movie, Williamson faces off against his old pals in a S.W.A.T. tank. He starts off by plowing his vehicle into a car and setting it ablaze, bashing through the enemy’s fortification and spraying bullets into the powerful men who he had brought to the town.
Bucktown is not the best movie of this genre, but like most Williamson films it is pure electric entertainment and appears to have been designed to play to all of his strengths and skill sets and to avoid all of his weaknesses.
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