Los McMasters

'The McMasters' is yet another film that stands as a testament to the changing values of North American society: another case of "There's no way that could have been made today".

Brock Peters plays Benji, a former slave and Civil War veteran who is adopted by kindly-old-white-man Burl Ives ('Mcmasters'), and given title to the old man's farm. Conflict with the racist locals, led by the chilling Jack Palance as Kolby, ensues, leading to a violent conclusion.

To me the film was almost painfully riveting, and frank in its depictions of violence and racism.The violence in today's action films is highly stylized, and almost glamorous by comparison: today's post-Star-Wars escapist fare has no place for the smallest depiction or frank discussion of racism. I found myself getting involved with the characters, cheering them on and yelling advice to the screen. I also loved the western/blacksploitation angle of the film, even though the "showdown" plot is pretty standard western fare.

The film seems old-fashioned when viewed today: does that mean that society has progressed, or regressed since 1969? You be the judge.

This obscure and downbeat Western deals with Benjie (Brock Peters who was introduced in the classic film To Kill a Mockingbird), a black man who fought in the Civil War in the Union side, he goes back to the southern town of Ironside, his return is not exactly a welcome one. The villagers are already uptight about the color of his skin...but the fact that he fought for the Union Army and still wears his uniform is all that is needed for hatred and violence to be fanned by an ex-Confederate soldier named Colby (Jack Palance of City slickers) . Benjie's one true friend results to be Neal McMasters (Burl Ives of The cat on the hot tin roof), the rancher who raised Benjie and is now offering him a half-share in the McMasters land. As Benjie attempts to make his new home, he helps some starving Indians and finds himself the owner of an Indian woman (Nancy Kwan of The World of Suzie Wong) who eventually becomes his wife. He also uses Indians to help with the round-up. But things go wrong, enemies come gunning for him and his Indian wife. Events come to a violent turn when Colby's hatred launches a reign of anger that brings vengeance and destruction. He bought white man's land and a red man's squaw! No black man has enough money to buy himself out of the trouble he's in now!. In 1865 there was nothing more dangerous than a black man living with a red woman on white man's land!.After the wedding... they were given a real fine reception.

A depressing and disagreeable Western about an unusual white-black-red triangle in the phenomenon of social prejudice. The main subject matter of the film is the envy and vendetta that emerge from the citizens when a black Civil War veteran becomes co-owner of the southern McMasters ranch. Furthermore, concerning the incensed local Confederate veterans and their confrontation with the good black ex-soldier and his Indian companions. Main interpretations are acceptable, Brock Peters as the unfortunate black man who seeks peace and justice, the always great Burl Ives as fatty owner and the Hong Kong-born Nancy Kwan as the distraught Indian. They're very well accompanied by a good cast with plenty of familiar faces, such as: David Carradine, Jack Palance, John Carradine, L. Q. Jones, R. G. Armstrong, Alan Vint, Dane Clark, among others.

The motion picture was mediocrely directed by Alf Kjellin (1920-1988). He was an Swedish director who even collaborated with the prestigious Ingmar Bergman, Erland Josephson, Vilgot Sjöman in their local country with films as The Pleasure Garden and Siska. He emigrated to USA where made a few movies as Midas Run, The McMasters, but finally working on television as episode director of popular series, such as: Mannix, Hotel, Dynasty, Planet of the Apes, Barnaby Jones, The Walton, The Fantastic Journey, Gunsmoke, Little House on the Prairie, Columbo, Hawai 5-0. And usually playing secondary roles, and being most familiar to modern audiences as the Russian paratroop commander in Ice Polar Station Zebra (1968). Rating: 4.5/10. This average picture is only for hardcore Western aficionados and completists.

"Benjie" (Brock Peters) is a young black man living in the South who stole a horse in order to join the Union forces during the Civil War. After the war he returns to his hometown and is greeted with hatred and animosity by almost everybody. Fortunately, the man who raised him since he was a child "Mr. McMasters" (Burl Ives) has always had a great fondness for him and welcomes him back whole-heartedly. Not only does he give him half ownership of his ranch but he is especially pleased when Benjie decides to take his last name as well. Not long afterward Benjie helps some starving Indians and in appreciation is given a woman by the name of "Robin" (Nancy Kwan). At first he is repelled by the idea and treats her quite cruelly but eventually he comes to love her and make her his wife. But things don't go smoothly after this. Anyway, rather than detail the entire movie and risk spoiling it for those who haven't seen it I will just say that this was an interesting movie that captured the harsh and brutal conditions faced by non-whites who tried to rise above their surroundings during this particular time in the United States. Additionally, while I liked the performance of Nancy Kwan and David Carradine (as "White Feather") I thought both of them were slightly miscast in their respective roles. Be that as it may, while I consider this movie to be slightly above average I should also warn parents that this is not a movie that one would want to watch with smaller children due to the rather graphic content depicted.

The McMasters is a serious western that does deal with serious issues that may not be appropriate for kids. Set after the Civil War, an African American named Benji is shunned by the townsfolk of Ironside for not only the color of his skin, but because he was part of the Union Army. However, one man, Neal McMasters (played by the legendary Burl Ives), a rancher, is the only man who gives him respect, even to the point where he makes Benji his partner and offers him 50% of the ranch. However, after Benji helps a starving tribe of Indians, which leads to one of the females becoming his wife, it would spark violence by the hands of Colby, an ex-Confederate soldier.

This is a western that is not for kids or those who are easily offended by scenes of prejudice, as the film tackles this subject. Burl Ives does a good job in his role of Neil McMasters, and story is good. This is one I recommend checking out, but only when the kids are in bed.

What an eclectic cast: Brock Peters, Burl Ives, Nancy Kwan, Jack Palance, and John and David Carradine. I had to check out The McMasters after seeing credits like that. An interesting premise sees Brock returning home after the Civil War, and while the white residents were friendly to him before he left, they're very hostile now that the South has lost. Burl Ives is nice to him, as the man who raised him, and he signs over half his land to make them equal partners - which really makes the neighbors mad.

While we never really understand why Brock sticks around, or why Burl isn't killed for his "treachery", or why Nancy Kwan is never going to show up, she finally does after thirty minutes. I can't believe she took this part, and frankly, I can't believe Brock Peters did, either. "Uglied up" to play a reservation Indian with broken English, Nancy gets given to Brock as a present. After being told that she'll do anything he wants, he chases her around the desert, rapes her, then runs away - why would either of them read the script and sign on for this movie? After making an indelible impression by stating so tearfully that he did not rape a woman in To Kill a Mockingbird, why would he ever agree to a movie where he does? And why would Nancy sign on after reading the script calls for full nudity and two rape scenes?

I can only suppose that nobody read the script. If I'd known how lousy the movie would have turned out, I never would have sat through it. Save yourself ninety minutes and skip it.

Kiddy warning: Due to racial language and a rape scene, I wouldn't let my kids watch this movie.