Legend of Nigger Charley and Hannie Caulder: A Paramount Double Bill For the Grindhouse

1972 was the beginning of the “blaxploitation” craze. Fred Williamson was being pushed as a big star, so he was put in this movie, which barely got print ads because of it’s title as newspaper were loathe to use the word “nigger” in an ad. The changed it to The Legend of Black Charley or Black Charley’s Revenge. Strange thing was that the drive in that I saw it at put Hannie Caulder, a year old film that tanked, on top of the bill.

Several organizations, including the NAACP, called the film racist and repellant. Hey, it’s grindhouse. Fred plays the titular character with a vengeance. As Charley he is beaten by his sadistic master, than escapes. He goes west and becomes an outlaw and gunfighter. He is feared and despised by the white man and he kills a shitload of them. He actually becomes as dangerous and psychotic as his tormentors. He guns down all the racist white folk in his path, then gets revenge on his former owner. I was actually glad that I saw this in a drive in as I’m sure this film would rile up an inner city audience.

Hannie Caulder was a vehicle for Raquel Welch dreamed up by her then husband, Patrick Curtis. Three inept outlaws, The Clemens Brothers wind up at her ranch after a botched robbery. They kill her husband, rape Hannie, then leave her for dead. She hooks up with a bounty hunter, Thomas Luther Price( Robert Culp) who teaches her to shoot. Then she goes out for revenge on the Clemens brothers.

The brothers are played by three of the best character actors who ever lived, Ernest Borgnine, Jack Elam and Strother Martin. They act like a dirty, psychotic version of the Three Stooges. The banter between them is priceless. All three actors had a flair for comedy, especially Jack Elam. Director, Burt Kennedy was the first to tap into Jack Elam’s talent and cast him in the two James Garner comedy westerns, Support Your Local Sheriff and Support Your Local Gunfighter. It is worth noting that John Wayne refused to work with Elam after he stole the show from Wayne in Rio Lobo.

Hannie Caulder also starred Christopher Lee as a gunsmith living in Mexico. Of the two films, I liked Hannie Caulder more because of the cast. Both films were released by Paramount. Hannie Caulder had a VHS release, but so far no DVD release. Legend of Nigger Charley and it’s sequel, The Soul of Nigger Charley never saw the light of home video. Because of the word “nigger” in the titles, they may never be seen again.
42nd Street Pete