You probably know Sidney Poitier as the guy who broke every glass ceiling in Hollywood. The dignified doctor in Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. The intense detective in In the Heat of the Night. But there's this weird, funky, and honestly hilarious stretch in the 1970s where he decided to just... have fun. He teamed up with Bill Cosby, and together they made three movies that basically redefined what Black cinema could look like when it wasn't trying to be a "message movie" or a gritty blaxploitation flick.
People call it a trilogy. Technically, it isn't.
The characters change names in every film. The plots aren't connected by anything other than a vibe. But if you watch them back-to-back, you see a clear evolution of two icons trying to figure out how to be funny without losing their souls. They were making movies for Black audiences that felt like a backyard BBQ rather than a protest march.
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The Birth of the "Buddy" Vibe in Uptown Saturday Night
In 1974, Poitier directed and starred in Uptown Saturday Night. He plays Steve Jackson, a regular steel-mill worker. Cosby plays his buddy Wardell Franklin. They just want a night out at Madame Zenobia's—a high-end, secret club. Then, life happens.
Masked robbers hit the place. They take everyone’s wallets. Normally, you’d just mourn the cash and move on, right? Wrong. Steve’s wallet had a winning lottery ticket worth $50,000 inside.
The movie is basically a chaotic scavenger hunt through the underworld to get that ticket back. What makes it special isn't just the plot; it’s the cast. It's like a "Who's Who" of 1970s Black excellence. Harry Belafonte shows up doing a wild Marlon Brando impression as "Geechie Dan" Beauford. Richard Pryor is in there as "Sharp Eye" Washington.
Honestly, the pacing is a bit messy. Some scenes go on way too long because Poitier, as a director, seemingly didn't want to cut his friends' best takes. But the chemistry between the two leads? Electric. Poitier is the straight man, stiff and worried, while Cosby is just... doing Cosby things. Lots of ad-libbing. Lots of fast-talking. It worked. People loved it.
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Let’s Do It Again: The Peak of the Pairing
If the first movie was the experiment, 1975's Let’s Do It Again was the masterpiece. Most fans agree this is the best one. This time, they aren't looking for a lottery ticket; they’re trying to save their community lodge, the "Sons and Daughters of Shaka."
How do they raise the money? Naturally, through a high-stakes boxing scam involving hypnosis.
Poitier’s character, Clyde, hypnotizes a scrawny boxer named Bootney Farnsworth (played by Jimmie "J.J." Walker at the height of his Good Times fame). They turn him into a temporary beast in the ring, bet the house on him, and chaos ensues.
The soundtrack for this one is legendary. Curtis Mayfield wrote the music, and Mavis Staples sang the title track. You’ve definitely heard that "Let’s do it... do it again" hook. It gave the whole film this smooth, soulful texture that felt incredibly modern for 1975.
One thing you've gotta realize: these movies were huge hits. They weren't just "niche" films. They were out-earning some of the big studio dramas. They proved that Black audiences wanted to see themselves in situations that were lighthearted, slightly ridiculous, and ultimately triumphant.
A Piece of the Action and the Shift to "Preachy"
By 1977, the formula started to shift. A Piece of the Action feels different. It’s longer—maybe too long, clocking in at over two hours. The slapstick is still there, but there’s a heavy layer of social commentary that wasn't as thick in the earlier films.
Poitier and Cosby play high-end thieves who get blackmailed by a retired cop (James Earl Jones, sounding as booming as ever). The deal? They have to work at a youth center for "at-risk" teens or go to jail.
It’s basically To Sir, with Love meets The Sting.
You can see Poitier the Director taking over here. He wanted to say something about the community. He wanted to show these kids (including a young Sheryl Lee Ralph) that they had value. While it’s heartwarming, it loses some of that "boys' night out" energy that made the first two so fun. It’s still a good watch, but it feels like the end of an era. Shortly after this, Poitier mostly stepped away from acting for a decade to focus on directing, eventually helming hits like Stir Crazy.
Why We Don't Talk About These as Much Anymore
It’s the elephant in the room. Bill Cosby’s later legal troubles and convictions (though some were vacated) have cast a massive shadow over his entire filmography. For a long time, these movies just vanished from TV rotations. It’s a complicated legacy to navigate.
On one hand, you have Sidney Poitier’s incredible direction and his attempt to build a Black-led production company (First Artists). On the other, you have a co-star whose real-life actions changed how we view his "nice guy" persona on screen.
But from a purely cinematic history perspective, you can't ignore what these films did. They were a bridge. They moved away from the "ebony saint" roles Poitier was famous for in the 60s and avoided the hyper-violence of the blaxploitation era. They were just... movies.
How to Watch Them Today
If you’re looking to dive into the bill cosby sidney poitier movies, don't expect a continuous story. Look for the "vibe" instead.
- Start with Let's Do It Again. It’s the most accessible and has the best music.
- Watch Uptown Saturday Night for the cameos. Seeing Richard Pryor and Harry Belafonte go toe-to-toe is worth the price of admission alone.
- Check out A Piece of the Action if you like 70s drama. It’s more of a "serious" comedy, if that makes sense.
These films are snapshots of a specific moment in time. They show a version of Black joy and friendship that was rare on the big screen back then. They weren't perfect—sometimes the jokes are dated, and the pacing is definitely "70s slow"—but the heart is 100% there.
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For anyone interested in film history, tracking down these three titles is a must. They represent the moment Sidney Poitier decided he didn't always have to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders. Sometimes, he just wanted to find a lottery ticket or hypnotize a boxer. And honestly? We’re lucky he did.
To get the full experience, try to find the original soundtracks. The Curtis Mayfield and Staples Singers collaborations are just as important to the legacy of these films as the acting itself. Most are available on streaming platforms like Spotify or YouTube Music. Keep an ear out for the "Biggie Smalls" reference in Let's Do It Again—yes, that's where the rapper got the name.