The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars & Motor Kings

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.

Highly entertaining film about a renegade black baseball team that breaks through barriers in 1939, when black ball players where shunned out of white controlled leagues. Williams stands out as their razzle-dazzle leader. The almost black cast that also features Jones, Pryor and Tony Burton are superb.

This film got great reviews when it came out, but I had to go to a African-American neighborhood theater to see it. That was only where it was being shown. It was not marketed for a general (prodominently white) audience. I believe that it has been overlooked since for the same reason: it is believed to be a movie about African-Americans which can be appreciated only by African-Americans.

This is far from the case. It is a movie about individuals trying to do the work they love while being frustrated by irrational human attitudes and biases. It is a movie about adapting to the perception that your world is changing and the change will be good for others, but not be good for you. It is as good a movie ever made about finding your goals and persisting in reaching them, even as the value of the goal recedes before you.

And it is hilarious. It is done with sly humor as well as laugh-out-loud wild humor.

I love this movie! Bet I've seen it 15 times and its always fun and a chance to see some great stars in unusual roles. Billie Dee Wiliams as Bingo Long is a great inspiration for "sticktuitiveness"; James Earl Jones appears here in a totally new light - who knew he could be a comedian as well as one of our best serious actors. What to say about Richard Pryor in all his multiple guises here? Just terrific! The supporting cast is strong - no weak links!

I grew up in a segregated South so I really get what this movie is all about. Its replicates a piece of history not covered in the social studies books. The costuming and musical score is worth it even if you decide you don't like to 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.