I have never been a fan of Western TV shows or movies. My interest was never sparked by the repetitive themes that revolved around a revenge-seeking protagonist, a dirty money bandit, and quick-draw duels at high noon, all playing out to a folk music soundtrack. Even though these elements made Westerns the most booming genre of the 20th century, I never gave it the time of day. This was until I watched the new Netflix movie “The Harder They Fall.” The film dusted off the played-out Western themes and added a tasty flare of Black history and culture to the screen.

Released on Oct. 22, "The Harder They Fall" is a spectacular Black Western co-written by singer-songwriter and director Jeymes Samuel (also known as The Bullitts). The movie features a Black cast of well-known actors/actresses like Regina King as “Trudy Smith,” Idris Elba as “Rufus Buck,” Deon Cole as “Wiley Escoe,” LaKeith Stanfield as “Cherokee Bill,” and Jonathon Majors as protagonist “Nat Love,” whose character is based upon the actual 19th-century cowboy, Nat Love.