and racism aren't subjects which come up too often. they're mentioned once or twice, but samuel has chosen not to write an overtly political screenplay. he lets the casting make his point that african—american characters have always been underrepresented in westerns, but the film itself is a riproaring, blood splattering tale of bank robberies and shootouts with an energy and an attitude taken straight from quentin tarantino. the harder they fall is hugely entertaining and seriously stylish in a post—modern sort of way. the soundtrack bursts with hip—hop and funk and reggae, and production design suggests a graphic novel or a music video rather than a traditional western. rufus buck's saloon, for instance, is painted deep blue and gold and the dancer inside is painted deep blue and gold as well. as radical as the casting is, the most remarkable aspect of samuel's film is that you soon stop noticing the colour of the characters and start concentrating on the colour of the costumes and the buildings instead.