The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings (1976)

87% of critics liked it
(15 reviews)
65% of users liked it
(214 ratings)

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… More 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

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Rating, Runtime: PG, 1 hr. 51 min.
Directed By: John Badham
Written By: Hal Barwood, Matthew Robbins
Genres: Comedy

In Theaters: Jul 16, 1976 Wide
On DVD: Apr 5, 2005
Studio: MCA Universal Home Video

Critic Reviews

Pauline Kael, New Yorker
Rowdy, good-natured comedy melodrama.
Jay Cocks, TIME Magazine
This is a friendly, no-account movie full of intermittent high spirits.
Dave Kehr, Chicago Reader
A slick and reasonably funny comedy.
Variety Staff, Variety
Billy Dee Williams and James Earl Jones are superb.
Vincent Canby, New York Times
Genial, slapdash, high-spirited and occasionally moving.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Bingo Long is fun, it's pleasant to watch, but it cakewalks too much on its way to the box office.
, TV Guide's Movie Guide
It's hard to understand why this good-natured look at the old Negro Leagues didn't do better at the box office. The script is a fine mix of humor, pathos, and honest drama; the direction is brisk; and the photography and production design are first-rate.
Tom Milne, Time Out
Excellent performances, but the best thing about it is the sharp, sceptically witty script by Hal Barwood and Matthew Robbins.
Brad Laidman, Film Threat
This isn't a great film by any means, but its heart is in the right place.
Scott Weinberg, Apollo Guide
If you've seen Major League and The Bad News Bears at least five times apiece, this is a relatively forgotten little comedy that is definitely worth a look.