An atheist accidentally shoots his Baptist wife. She dies and goes to a crossroads, where the devil tries to lead her astray.An atheist accidentally shoots his Baptist wife. She dies and goes to a crossroads, where the devil tries to lead her astray.An atheist accidentally shoots his Baptist wife. She dies and goes to a crossroads, where the devil tries to lead her astray.
- Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination
James B. Jones
- Satan
- (as Jas. B. Jones)
Eddie DeBase
- Rufus Brown
- (as Eddie De Base)
R.L. Robertson
- Rev. R.L. Robertson
- (as Rev. R.L. Robertson)
Black Ace
- Slide Guitarist
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- Spencer Williams
- Langston Hughes(uncredited)
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 1991. It was the first "race film" to be so chosen.
- GoofsWhen Sister Elsie visits Sister Jenkins, a hand is seen pulling the door closed behind her.
- Quotes
Sister Jenkins: Brother Jackson, I know how you feel. But it taint no need of you goin' yourself like that. If its the Lawd's will for her to stay, she'll stay. And if it's the Lawd's will for her to go, she'll go.
- ConnectionsEdited from Dante's Inferno (1911)
- SoundtracksGood News
Traditional
Arranged by Henry Thacker Burleigh
Performed by R.L. Robertson and The Heavenly Choir during the opening credits
Reprised by them at the end
Featured review
Think of this as a documentary
This is a fascinating movie considering its origins and production. The movie itself is very amateur, like a bad student film, the tech specs laughably bad, editing as bad as anything you're likely to ever see, but all that is part of its charm. The value of this movie is in its historical value. This is the beginning of the black film industry. At the time this was made, blacks had little to no power in the film industry and racial segregation was the norm. With this void in the market, blacks took it upon themselves to make product for that market. This film feels like exactly what it is - the very beginning of an industry where novice people are creating their own market. As bad as it is on many levels, it has the same honesty and simplicity that gave us the Mississippi Delta blues and black gospel music. The result, though amateur, is surprisingly interesting and entertaining. It's also fun to watch what black Americans found entertaining in 1941. This is an important movie that needs to be viewed and preserved.
helpful•10
- RT Firefly
- Feb 16, 2020
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $5,000 (estimated)
- Runtime57 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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