Sidney Poitier Movies

“Uptown Saturday Night” (1974)

Uptown Saturday Night, starring Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier, who directed this silly ghetto comedy, marks a Hollywood turning point. Stuffed with stereotypes and pre-politically correct/“woke”/cancel culture-Puritanical protestations against good humor, it has amusing moments. At times I laughed out loud. Chiefly, this 1974 all-black crime comedy is a long step down for one of Hollywood’s greatest artists.

Whatever Bill Cosby’s guilt or innocence—he was exonerated following a recent criminal conviction, which was ruled a mistrial—Mr. Cosby was once among America’s most successful comedians and his deft humor is on display here. Mr. Poitier uses Cosby, cast as a playful taxi driver, to drive the comedy in this tale of middle-aged friends who go out on the town and end up in trouble with warring southside Chicago thugs.

When a bowl of punch at a church picnic gets spiked with alcohol, it’s easy to think of the multiple claims and criminal accusations against Bill Cosby. Some of the humo…