Christopher Reeve is Alan Johnson, Tony Todd is Britt Johnson. One is white, one is black. After the Civil War, they travel to Texas as brothers and start a ranch together.
But Abraham Lincoln has just been killed, emboldening southern sympathizers who would prefer to see a return to the days of slavery.
Britt runs afoul of one such man — Carl Glenn — on a trip to town for supplies. Glenn later returns to the ranch looking for the black man.
Britt is away, but Glenn surprises and shoots Alan, then his wife in turn.
Alan survives; his wife doesn’t. After nearly drowning himself in booze, Alan sets out on the vengeance trail.
Though he’s a black man in a white man’s world, Britt accepts a deputy marshal’s badge so he can do the same.
Alan winds up joining an outlaw gang in hopes of finding his prey. What he finds is Hallie Russell (Kelly Rowan), a pretty damsel in distress, pretending to be a rich cattleman’s wife so she’ll be held for ransom rather than molested by the outlaw gang.
Christopher Reeve as Alan Johnson, about to head out on the vengeance trail in Black Fox, Good Men and Bad (1995)
Tony Todd as Britt Johnson, expecting trouble after Lincoln’s assassination in Black Fox, Good Men and Bad (1995)
Review:
This marked the third of the Black Fox TV-movie trilogy, so named because Tony Todd’s character is given the name Black Fox by the Indians in the first film.
Well-filmed action scenes and fine performances by Kim Coates and David Fox in the role of villains are the highlight.
Reeve also turns in a pretty convincing performance, though his Rocky-like rebound from his bout with the bottle is unintentionally hilarious.
Best known for playing Superman in the 1978 film and its three sequels, these three films were among Reeve’s final roles before being paralyzed in a horse riding accident in 1995. He died in 2004 at age 52.
Kim Coates as Natchez John Dunn, leader of the outlaw gang Alan joins in Black Fox, Good Men and Bad (1995)
David Fox as Carl Glenn, the man Alan Johnson wants to hunt down in Black Fox, Good Men and Bad (1995)
Directed by:
Steven Hilliard Stern
Cast:
Christopher Reeve … Alan Johnson
Tony Todd … Britt Johnson
Janet Bailey … Mary Johnson
Nancy Sorel … Sarah Johnson
Chris Wiggins … Ralph Holtz
Rainbow Francks … Frank Johnson
Kim Coates … Natchez John Dunn
Kelly Rowan … Hallie Russell
David Fox … Carl Glenn
Lawrence Dane … Col. McKenzie
Alan Shearman … Jason Hicks
Graham McPherson … Sheriff William Morgan
Beverly Elliott … Pussycat Nell
Also with: Tom McBeath, Alan Van Sprang, Billy Morton, Ron Carothers, John Dodds
Runtime: 90 min.
aka: Good Men and Bad
Nancy Sorel as Sarah Johnson, Alan’s wife, in Black Fox, Good Men and Bad (1995)
Janet Bailey as Mary Johnson, pondering on the cruelty of post-war Texas in Black Fox, Good Men and Bad (1995)
Memorable lines:
Britt Johnson, upon being offered a marshal’s bade: “A badge? You want to put me in charge of all these white boys. Well, that’s more trouble than I’d volunteer for.”
Mary Johnson: “Sometimes, it seems like this country does a whole lot more taking than it does giving.”
Sheriff, learning Alan Johnson is looking for Carl Glenn: “Well, you just go to the worst hell holes in Kansas and look for blood on the ground. That might be a sign that he’s in the territory.”
Alan: “I’m going to need better directions than that.”
Natchez John Dunn to Alan: “I’m obliged to you for saving my life, Mr. Johnson. But I’ve got a rule too. I’ll shoot anyone who laughs at my failures.”
Hallie Russell, of her cattle king husband: “He’ll pay a large ransom for my return. As long as I’m returned unmolested.”
Carl Glenn: “Lady, a little molestin’s been on my mind for miles now.”
Kelly Rowan as Hallie Russell, the pretend wife of a cattle king in Black Fox, Good Men and Bad (1995)
Rainbow Francks as Frank Johnson, Britt and Mary’s son in Black Fox, Good Men and Bad (1995)
Lawrence Dane as Col. McKensie, the man who offers Britt a badge in Black Fox, Good Men and Bad (1995)
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