Thomasine & Bushrod

Bonnie and Clyde out west. You know it's all on a downward spiral. Gets called a Blaxploitation movie and while it does have the themes, characters, attitudes and a style of acting that are all commonly associated with that genre, there is also an unexpected dimension of depth here. Mainly that is due to the relationship between the two leads. They were lovers in real life at the time that this picture was made and it shows. They bring a quiet humanity and personal feeling between them which elevates the movie beyond the limits of its script. I'd like to watch more of them as a duo, surviving and living out west without the obligation to descend into predictable violence. Vonetta McGee has great presence and plays surely one of the most memorable female lead roles in Westerns, ever. Overall - a cool, rare '70s western featuring some great early cars as well as stylish clothes and enjoyable music. It's a 6/10 movie but I give it 7 for it's extra levels of enjoyment.

A blaxploitation version of BONNIE AND CLYDE, THOMASINE & BUSHROD tells of a couple of unassuming characters who, tiring of the inherent racism in their back roads society, decide to take the fight to the man...with mayhem ensuing. It's a gritty little western-style story made on an obviously low budget and with an unfamiliar-to-me cast, but it has a certain charm. The characters make no apologies for who they are and the white characters are certainly villainous, particularly that horrible guy who likes using a spear. The film follows a familiar narrative and the climax, when it comes, is entirely predictable but nonetheless relatively powerful.

I saw the movie when it originally came out in 1974, and it was very entertaining. I can't believe it is not available for purchase. I know Max Julien wrote and produced it, but where's the movie? Max if you read this, please make this movie available. (not enough lines) repeat.... saw the movie when it originally came out in 1974, and it was very entertaining. I can't believe it is not available for purchase. I know Max Julien wrote and produced it, but where's the movie? Max if you read this, please make this movie available.

saw the movie when it originally came out in 1974, and it was very entertaining. I can't believe it is not available for purchase. I know Max Julien wrote and produced it, but where's the movie? Max if you read this, please make this movie available.

Max Julian probably got this screenplay of his produced because of his success in "The Mack" the previous year, though the studio seems to have still had some reluctance because it was obviously made with a limited budget. Julian himself doesn't help things; he gives a really bland performance here, enough so that it may explain why he didn't act again in a motion picture for more than 20 years later! Vonetta McGee shows talent, though she never really gets to break out, even though the screenplay focuses much more on her character than Julian's. Perhaps she was beaten down by the drab storyline; there's not much exciting or really interesting here. Possibly it was originally even more long and dull, since the movie seems to have been extensively reworked in the editing room (take that long sepia-colored montage sequence, for example.) Pretty unmemorable - goes to show it's not always music rights that have prevented a video or DVD release of a movie.

..... that from his first line uttered, the lead character played by Max Julien isn't doing much acting.

Without commenting much on the movie itself, with its limited resources and production values, Max's character and that of the lead actress are, however, attractive and likable enough.

But I just don't see any talent or anything that moves me to get into his character. In fact I'm almost dumbfounded by the lack of aparent talent.

And I'm not that picky- it's just a movie that came up on Cinevault, and I'm just looking for a little entertainment.

Perhaps it's somewhat the result of his being involved in the script and production, wherein the acting direction was left out, but this is not a good movie. A poor Bonnie and Clyde genre flick.

I see here that he got good reviews elsewhere, but I can't give them here.