Bingo

Having once stumbled onto this movie on TV years ago but not watching past the opening credits, I finally got to see the whole thing on YouTube right now. A fictional account of one Negro League baseball team during the late '30s, this is quite a fun picture despite some occasionally serious issues permeating some of the narrative. Billy Dee Williams plays the title character, James Earl Jones is his charismatic buddy who's also good at batting as seen in the early scenes when Billy pitches at him. And Richard Pryor does a funny turn pretending to be Cuban in order to break in the white national teams. Unfortunately, the YT upload skipped on some of his lines and maybe scenes. Still, this was quite a fun movie to watch especially near the end which I won't reveal. So on that note, I highly recommend The Bing Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings.

in response to 'blaploitation', motown's magnate produces a great 'hilariblax'film. great chance to see the godfathers of black comedy (r.pryor), black leading men (b.d.williams) and high black drama (j.e. jones). as an educator it's good to find films that can speak on the life and times of America's pastime in a darker light.As important as k.burns baseball series, could have even been used to more vividly illustrate the 2nd part of his work 'shadowball'. A film the whole family can enjoy--as well as my whole class.Every semester I show this excellent film to my students. it never fails to prompt kids to ask more questions about the '20's & 3o's in America and also questions about race relations. mr.ford calls it my favorite baseball movie of all times.

It's 1938. Pitcher Bingo Long (Billy Dee Williams) and catcher Leon Carter (James Earl Jones) are in the Negro League. Charlie Snow (Richard Pryor) schemes to get into the major leagues as a Cuban. They are tired of being mistreated by their owners and go on a barnstorming tour of the mid-west. The tour becomes a rival to the existing Negro League. When the black owners conspire to stop them, they play white folks.

It's a fun slice of baseball history that isn't done much in pale Hollywood. The story is pretty thin until they get to forty five minutes. Adding an overt racial component really amps up the drama. The evil owners start doing stuff. The story is a little messy like the team itself, but there is good compelling material.

They just don't make `em like this anymore. James Earl Jones, Billy Dewilliams, Richard Prior and Stan Shaw play their parts to perfection. The music is excellent, capturing the flavor of the times. There are some huge belly-laughs and the plot keeps one interested throughout. Great sports movie.

This offbeat little film tells the story of a team at the tail-end of the Negro Leagues and their struggle to fight the corrupt ownership of the league. It is similar in tone to "A League of Their Own" but came earlier and is less glossy and, in my opinion, more fun. There are some good points made in it about racism and the athlete as commodity, but the film doesn't take itself too seriously and is never preachy or heavy-handed. It's an easy-going film which is great fun to watch. The cast is fantastic--Billy Dee Williams was never smoother or more charming, James Earl Jones appears to be having the time of his life, and the supporting cast is full of young versions of actors who went on on to bigger things. If you are used to seeing Jones only as a grand elder statesman of acting, check out this film where he plays his role with a lot of humor and energy and a sexy twinkle in his eye.