The Legend of Nigger Charley (1972) on Netflix
NR19721h 38mActionCrimeDramaWestern
A baby in Africa with his mother Theo, Charley is forced into slavery. Twenty years later he kills the abusive owner of a plantation and flees with his friends Joshua and Toby.
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- Netflix3.0/5
- IMDb5.9/10660 votes
- Rotten TomatoesNot available
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Plot summary
Charley's life begins in Africa, where he is a baby with his mother Theo, and the two of them are forced into slavery. Twenty years on he lives on a plantation whose owner is abusive, and when Charley kills the man he flees, and Joshua and Toby go with him. The three of them are runaway slaves, and slave catchers ride after them. In a small town in the Old West the men encounter racism, standoffs and romance, and on the road they also meet a group of Indians, who touch their skin, checking whether the black color would come off.
Cast
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Did you know?!Facts and trivia about The Legend of Nigger Charley (1972)
Can contain spoilers, watch the movie first.
- Most of the backlash against The Legend of Nigger Charley centered on its title: some newspapers were so offended that they edited the name in advertisements to The Legend of Black Charley, or just Black Charley.
- Woody Strode was first cast as Charley but changed his mind and dropped out, and producer Larry Spangler chose Fred Williamson instead for his "right stature, the feel, the stamina, fervor, and virility of Nigger Charley".
- A scene in which Charley, Toby and Joshua meet Indians who touch their skin to see if the black would rub off offended Native Americans, many of whom sent letters, and the production was moved from Colombia to New Mexico.
- For authenticity, producer Larry Spangler shot at the real Shirley Plantation in Virginia, which was owned by the Carter family and is known as the birthplace of General Robert E. Lee, leader of the Confederate forces.
- Fred Williamson had never fired a gun or ridden a horse before The Legend of Nigger Charley, and spent a total of one week working on both skills.
- The film was the debut of commercial director Martin Goldman, who distanced himself from the production after many disagreements with the producer.
