Sidney Poitier's BUCK AND THE PREACHER (1972)

Now, westerns haven't ever been my thing, 

But bareass Belafonte caught my eye

(I'm only human) and to watch him sling

A shooter or a bible... And just why

Did I not know this film had e'en been made?

Best late than never yes, but Sidney's first

Directing job, I should have known. And wait, 

Who's snoggin' him but Ruby Dee! And hers

Is one demanding role. Each perfect scene, 

Of action, tenderness, or funny stuff

Is clear and gorgeous, woke AF and keen

To tell a story nowhere near enough

Gets shared, of black life in the great Old West.

Of westerns I have seen, I like this best!

Michael Gracey's THE GREATEST SHOWMAN (2017)

I think I'd rather that I could have heard

Real opera from the Swedish Nightengale,

But Broadway types, have probably preferred

A modern style. And style must e'er prevail

In show biz. This is Barnum simplified

And made into the spectacle. A real 

And factful film, as others might have tried,

Would fail where this succeeds, a bit, I feel.

My eyes betimes did want to roll, of course

I mean, I saw Zac Efron on trapeze!

So many stories wandered from the source. 

Viz... Tom Thumb gets no wedding? And, puh-lease,

The Eng twins as a sight gag in each dance

Instead of getting lines, screen time, a chance?