Hellen I like the storyline of this show,it attract me so much

BlazeLime Strong and Moving!

ScoobyWell Great visuals, story delivers no surprises

ChampDavSlim The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.

moonspinner55 Odd Ernest Kinoy screenplay involving a mysteriously reticent black man of very few words returning to his Southern hometown for the funeral of his sister, dating a pretty schoolteacher but also getting involved in heated racial confrontations between the black residents and the redneck law. Peculiar, offbeat to say the least, yet hardly engrossing or emotional aside from the two big confrontations (one racially-charged, the other over a woman). Will Geer gives an irritatingly obtuse, owl-like performance as the doctor who originally delivered "Brother John", and who now senses something magical about him. In the lead, Sidney Poitier holds the screen with resplendence; he still has all the charisma and inner-fire of his popular 1960s roles, and allows us to see it (or perceive it) at perfectly-timed intervals. However, this cloudy mood piece--with timely undercurrents of oppression--isn't an exciting or gripping picture. Some have lauded the film for its dreamy ambiance, others will feel this approach ultimately works against the characters. A mixed-bag, though one with a beautiful score by Quincy Jones and expressive Gerald Perry Finnerman cinematography. ** from ****

chaosHD Samuel Jackson's character in Pulp Fiction may want to walk the earth like Kane in Kung Fu, but i think he'd be even better at walking the earth like Kaine in Brother John.Before director James Goldstone was directing disaster movies in the late 70's, he made some pretty good little films, and Brother John is one of them. This film would make for an interesting double feature with In The Heat of the Night, as they share many similarities. The only difference in Brother John being that Poitier's character isn't a police officer.Every time one of John Kaine's relatives dies, he suddenly reappears in his home town to visit them on their death bed. No one can understand how he's able to know when to come, since no one in town has his address or phone number. He's traveled the world, "going where the wind takes him", and apparently knows every language in existence.I'm surprised that this film has so few votes here on IMDb and isn't more known. It's been out on Region 1 DVD since 2003, although i think it's going out of print now, unfortunately.

spookysr I too agree with DuzeByte and have setup a discussion group right here at IMDb. Look for it.Sydney portrays a fascinating creature of Kinoy's mind. The dialog he wrote for Sydney and Will in the jail-house scene was engaging as well as enigmatically intriguing. American stereotypes in 1971 would have us believe that a black man can not play an angel nor an alien. Denzel's portrayal of an angel in The Preacher's Wife was equally as engaging as this movie was simply by the stereotype-bashing of the screenwriters.Brother John was a little too "dark" in his approach to be a obedient modern-day Ben Elohim (angel) on a mission. Too materially substantial ('human form') to be a disobedient version too. IMHO a visiting advance scout 'alien' actually only exists in the human mind of a Hollywood sci-fi screenwriter. Therefore Brother John fits that bill quite well. However, I can't understand how an alien would know when his folks were dying nor why he would have any dealings with them after realizing his Earth mission. I also don't know why his passport would be so revealing since BJ was so stealthy and so well trained in the espionage trade-craft of a 007 type shadow-warrior of the 70's - karaté chops and all.I found this movie to be so well thought out despite the predictable love scenes. I would think that Kinoy was trying to deliver a profound message to Americans as he is to the entire world in his new 2005 film about the Papalcy (Pope and Catholic church) called "Magnificat".Spooky

David Edward Martin I only saw the movie once, back when it came out, but it left an impression on me. John is an enigma, one we discover more puzzling things about but never anything that is a solid answer. Like Will Geer's character, we can guess things about John and the reasons for his return, but we will never know the answers.... At least not until John chooses to act.By the way, the film makes an interesting mirror to IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT. Consider that film as if it were an X-Files episode....