The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings [DVD] [1976]
- SKU: 7147759
- Release Date: 01/29/2002
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Director John Badham says at the top of his commentary track that he was going to be joined by others involved in the making of The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings but for some reason they didn't make the taping session. Which is just fine: Badham, who was debuting as a feature director, makes fine company on his own, recalling the intricacies of the production with impressive detail. The cast and Badham's biographies are stacked on the menu page in mock baseball cards; the original theatrical trailer is also pretty cute. The movie's widescreen (1.85:1) digital image isn't up to modern standards, but that's most likely the fault of the 1976 film stock, which tends to have a washed-out quality to it. The Dolby 2.0 sound is fine, with nice separation between the ragtime soundtrack and the dialogue track.
Cardmember Offers
Overview
Ratings & Reviews
Special Features
- Feature commentary with director John Badham
- Theatrical trailer
- DVD-ROM access
- Production notes
- Cast & filmmakers
- Film highlights
Synopsis
The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings
Based on the novel by William Brasher, The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings is set in the segregated south of 1939. African-American baseball pitcher Bingo Long (Billy Dee Williams), tired of being jerked around by the less-than-ethical managers of the Negro League teams, forms his own barnstorming ball club. His partner in this endeavor is black catcher Leon Carter (James Earl Jones). Though boycotted by powerful Negro League manager Sallison Porter (Ted Ross), the Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings flourish, gaining a loyal fandom with every new game and cutting into the League's profits. Finally, Porter offers Long a deal: if the Motor Kings can win one big game with the Negro All-Stars, Long's team will be allowed to join the League. Also appearing in Bingo Long is Richard Pryor as a ballplayer who tries to break through the big-league color line by pretending to be everything from a Hispanic to a Native American named "Chief Tokohama"; if Pryor seems to disappear for long periods during the film, it's because his role was written to accommodate his many nightclub appearances. The producers originally wanted young Steven Spielberg to direct, but -- inspired by the success of Jaws -- he turned this down in favor of doing Close Encounters of the Third Kind. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Based on the novel by William Brasher, The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings is set in the segregated south of 1939. African-American baseball pitcher Bingo Long (Billy Dee Williams), tired of being jerked around by the less-than-ethical managers of the Negro League teams, forms his own barnstorming ball club. His partner in this endeavor is black catcher Leon Carter (James Earl Jones). Though boycotted by powerful Negro League manager Sallison Porter (Ted Ross), the Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings flourish, gaining a loyal fandom with every new game and cutting into the League's profits. Finally, Porter offers Long a deal: if the Motor Kings can win one big game with the Negro All-Stars, Long's team will be allowed to join the League. Also appearing in Bingo Long is Richard Pryor as a ballplayer who tries to break through the big-league color line by pretending to be everything from a Hispanic to a Native American named "Chief Tokohama"; if Pryor seems to disappear for long periods during the film, it's because his role was written to accommodate his many nightclub appearances. The producers originally wanted young Steven Spielberg to direct, but -- inspired by the success of Jaws -- he turned this down in favor of doing Close Encounters of the Third Kind. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
Cast & Crew
Billy Dee Williams - Bingo Long
James Earl Jones - Leon
Richard Pryor - Charlie Snow
Rico Dawson - Willie Lee- Jophery Brown - Champ Chambers
Most Helpful ReviewsSee all reviews
Great movie
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This was an awesome movie to watch as i had never heard about it until i started researching African-American baseball movies. Great acting and great insight into the plight of African-American players during an Era when the whole world was against integration and inclusion. We have made progress as a society but there is still A LOT of work to be done.
I would recommend this to a friend