The Black King (1932)

An unscrupulous minister starts a 'back to Africa' movement.

Director:

Bud Pollard

Writers:

Morris M. Levinson (story), Donald Heywood (dialogue)

Stars:

A.B. DeComathiere, Vivianne Baber, Knolly Mitchell

Cast

Cast overview:
A.B. DeComathiere	...	Deacon Charcoal Johnson (as A.B. Comethiere)
Vivianne Baber	...	Mary Lou Lawton
Knolly Mitchell	...	Sug
Dan Michaels	...	Brother Longtree
Mike Jackson	...	Brother Lawton
Mary Jane Watkins	...	Mrs. Bottoms
Harry Gray	...	Deacon Jones
Lorenzo Tucker	...	Carmichael, Attorney
Freeman Fairley	...	Mob Leader
Ismay Andrews	...	Mrs. Ashfoot
Trixie Smith	...	Delia
James Dunmore	...	Nappy
Johnny Lee	...	Count of Zanzibar

Storyline

Fiery preacher Charcoal Johnson, though no model of sanctity, gains control of a Mississippi Baptist church through personal magnetism; he uses this springboard to organize a 'Back to Africa' movement among his fellow afro-Americans, along the lines of evangelical religion. Weathering accusations of swindling, he emerges as the self-styled (future) Emperor of the United States of Africa. But his tin-plated pomp is threatened by greed, personalities, and practicalities...

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Plot Keywords:

mississippi | follower | religion | procession | deacon | 

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Taglines:

A Riot of Fun

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Music

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 July 1932 (USA)

Also Known As:

Empire, Inc.

Filming Locations:

Metropolitan Studios, Fort Lee, New Jersey, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Southland Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

72 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"March of the Wooden Soldiers"
Written by Victor Herbert
Played during Harlem March

User Reviews

Fair movie. Vivienne Baber and A.B. Comathiere keeps you watching.

The movie is fair. What kept my attention mostly was Vivienne Baber and her exotic attractiveness, sleek presence, and her pleasing, natural dramatic acting. She's classy and glamorous. She plays Mary Lou...caught between good and evil. She seems perfect for the screen, she never overacts but is moving without being over-dramatic, wish she could of did more movies in Black Cinema but she was a popular actress on stage appearing in many Broadway plays. Black Cinema needed more true actresses such as Vivienne Baker. A.B. Comethiere is perfect as Deacon Charcoal Jackson who is a hypocritical preacher but at the same time trying to influence his people to go back to Africa where they can have power and freedom. But ego and backstabbing comes back on him and ruins the faith the people had in him and his name. The character Charcoal is supposedly is a portrayal of Marcus Garvey. A.B is funny, he eats the screen up, when he's present he overshadows everyone with his dramatic and comedic abilities. A.B. was one of the early greats of theater and race films. The cast includes some of the more well-known black actors and actresses of theater and screen, A.B. Comathiere, Vivienne Baber, and The Black Valentino Lorenzo Tucker, one of the most handsome men in movies, as the cool, smooth attorney, because of these three the film is substantial and worth watching.