Paul McNamee scouted up this upcoming release from Netflix. The Harder They Fall is clearly going for maximum pulp — and the characters name-check a bunch of historical figures taken wildly out of context.
“When outlaw Nat Love (Jonathan Majors) discovers that his enemy Rufus Buck (Idris Elba) is being released from prison he rounds up his gang to track Rufus down and seek revenge. Those riding with him in this assured, righteously new school Western include his former love Stagecoach Mary (Zazie Beetz), his right and left hand men — hot-tempered Bill Pickett (Edi Gathegi) and fast drawing Jim Beckwourth (R.J. Cyler)—and a surprising adversary-turned-ally. Rufus Buck has his own fearsome crew, including “Treacherous” Trudy Smith (Regina King) and Cherokee Bill (LaKeith Stanfield), and they are not a group that knows how to lose.”
Well, what the hell. Why not? The trailer puts me in mind of Bandidas, a silly-but-fun Salma Hayek/Penelope Cruz vehicle featuring Dwight Yoakam voraciously chewing the scenery as an oily villain.
I like me some pulpy goodness.
But what I would REALLY love to see is Idris Elba — who is one of the most charismatic actors on the planet — in a genuine historical drama about the real Jim Beckwourth, who was an ace Mountain Man and (purportedly) a war chief of the Crow Nation. That could be magnificent. If you want to get pulpy with it, base it on Matt Braun’s novel Bloody Hand:
Born a slave, Jim Beckwirth forged his own path to freedom as a mountain man. But when a wealthy trading company owner offered to pay him to live among the Crow Indians, Beckwirth accepted the deal―and discovered another way of life that changed him forever.
He fought a battle that had to be won…
Here in the Wind River Mountains, amidst blood feuds and blood brothers, he became Bloody Hand, a man sworn to take a hundred scalps―and destined to become the People’s greatest warrior―in a life-or-death struggle that shaped the fate of a nation.
Idris Elba from “The Dark Tower.”
Or…
Leigh Brackett’s Spur-Award-winning novel based on Beckwourth’s journey from slave to Mountain Man, Follow the Free Wind. Or Bill Hotchkiss’ The Medicine Calf…
Jim Beckwourth — a larger-than-life figure whom Leigh Brackett brought to life in a Spur Award-winning novel.
Well, a Frontier Partisan can dream…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sl9T3A8DGZc
Matthew says
A Jim Beckwourth movie would be cool. I really enjoyed the Brackett novel (as I’ve have most of her work.)
H.P. @ Hillbilly Highways says
Oh man, I had no idea Leigh Brackett wrote a Western about Jim Beckwourth. That one is definitely going on the look-for-it-at-every-used-bookstore list.
JimC says
https://frontierpartisans.com/5253/tip-o-hat-leigh-brackett/
You’ll dig it.
Paul+McNamee says
Loose with historical characters *and* timelines, as Beckwourth early ‘West’ Mountain Man and Nat Love was classic cowboy era. Beckwourth died around the time Love was born (mid 1860s)
Joe Lansdale has some fun Nat Love tales, though I don’t recall if he ever mentions the character’s last name.
JimC says
Yeah, I like those Lansdale yarns. And the cover of Black Hat Jack is a winner…
Matthew says
Off topic, but here’s a news article about a family (a father and two children) who robbed banks.
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/i-would-only-rob-banks-for-my-family?utm_source=pocket-newtab
lane+batot says
Just recently read a great Jim Beckwourth biography, and I was wondering meeself WHY they hadn’t made a movie about his life yet!
Slap says
For a great novel featuring Beckwourth I strongly recommend Robert F Jones’ Deadville. That guy was a genius at writing literary wilderness adventure.
JimC says
Great to hear from you again Slap. Concur on Jones.