Reviewed by Colin Jacobson (October 26, 2025)
It seems like most films that emerged from the early/mid-1970s "Blaxploitation" phase boasted lead actors with names still recognizable to movie buffs 50 years later. Not so in the case of 1974's Black Samson, for although main performer Rockne Tarkington worked steadily for decades, Samson represented a rare primary role for him.
Samson (Tarkington) operates a nightclub in a potentially seedy part of town. However, backed with an omnipresent quarterstaff and his trusty African lion pal Hoodoo, Samson manages to keep the area free from crime and bad influences.
White drug dealers attempt to infiltrate the area and appear willing to use any means necessary to peddle their wares there. Samson fights back against a mix of threats thrown his way.
Blaxploitation flicks became a haven for athletes who wanted to move into Hollywood. Not that all - or probably most - of these efforts followed that path, but given the genre's emphasis on muscular tough guys who looked like they could fight, the inclusion of football players and martial artists made sense.
I initially figured Tarkington reached movies via this route because I'd never heard of him and also it makes him a skilled fighter. That meant it made sense for the film to use someone with an athletic background.
As far as I can tell, though, Tarkington never participated in any athletic domains at a prominent level, so I guess he got the part thanks to his acting abilities. Oh, and the fact that he cut an imposing at 6-foot-5 obviously helped.
Given the fact so many Blaxploitation flicks starred men with little to no acting background, I hoped Tarkington's experience would help elevate Samson. Unfortunately, this didn’t become the case.
Not that Tarkington offers a poor performance, as he seems adequate. Still, I expected more from a veteran, as I see nothing from Tarkington that a new actor couldn’t have done.
The film doesn’t really ask much of Tarkington other than to seem like a badass, and he achieves that in a moderate manner. However, he fails to show much charisma and he never feels especially natural.
Samson also suffers from a lack of affinity for the subject matter. Helmed by a white director, the film seems like the product of people with no connection to the culture involve, and that makes it feel cartoony.
Granted, even Blaxploitation movies made by Black directors tended to suffer from some of the same cheesiness. Still, this factor comes across as more prominent here, as the enterprise can’t connect to its roles or topics.
Though basic, I find nothing wrong with the core plot of Samson. Sure, it existed mainly as a chance for Black audiences to watch one of their own beat the crap out of whitey, but that kind of “underdog fighting for justice” theme works.
Samson just never clicks. It throws out genre clichés with abandon and finds little of interest to do with the material.
