Brother John (1971)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

James Goldstone

Writer:

Ernest Kinoy (writer)

Release Date:

15 August 1971 (Sweden)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

An angel comes to Earth to see if the human race is worth saving.

Plot Keywords:

African American | Blaxploitation | Character Name In Title

Cast

Sidney Poitier	...	John Kane
Will Geer	...	Doc Thomas
Bradford Dillman	...	Lloyd Thomas
Beverly Todd	...	Louisa MacGill
Ramon Bieri	...	Orly Ball
Warren J. Kemmerling	...	George
Lincoln Kilpatrick	...	Charley Gray
P. Jay Sidney	...	Rev. MacGill
Richard Ward	...	Frank
Paul Winfield	...	Henry Birkart
Zara Cully	...	Miss Nettie
Michael Bell	...	Cleve
Howard Rice	...	Jimmy
Darlene Rice	...	Marsha
Harry Davis	...	Turnkey

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and some language.

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:PG | Sweden:Btl | USA:GP (original rating) | USA:PG-13 (re-rating)

Filming Locations:

Marysville, California, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Movie Connections:

Featured in Shirtless: Hollywood's Sexiest Men (2002) (TV)

Brother DuzeByte

I too agree with DuzeByte and have setup a discussion group right here at IMDb. Look for it.

Sydney portrays a fascinating creature of Kinoy's mind. The dialog he wrote for Sydney and Will in the jail-house scene was engaging as well as enigmatically intriguing. American stereotypes in 1971 would have us believe that a black man can not play an angel nor an alien. Denzel's portrayal of an angel in The Preacher's Wife was equally as engaging as this movie was simply by the stereotype-bashing of the screenwriters.

Brother John was a little too "dark" in his approach to be a obedient modern-day Ben Elohim (angel) on a mission. Too materially substantial ('human form') to be a disobedient version too. IMHO a visiting advance scout 'alien' actually only exists in the human mind of a Hollywood sci-fi screenwriter. Therefore Brother John fits that bill quite well. However, I can't understand how an alien would know when his folks were dying nor why he would have any dealings with them after realizing his Earth mission. I also don't know why his passport would be so revealing since BJ was so stealthy and so well trained in the espionage trade-craft of a 007 type shadow-warrior of the 70's - karaté chops and all.

I found this movie to be so well thought out despite the predictable love scenes. I would think that Kinoy was trying to deliver a profound message to Americans as he is to the entire world in his new 2005 film about the Papalcy (Pope and Catholic church) called "Magnificat".

Spooky