Moon Over Harlem (1939)

Director:

Edgar G. Ulmer

Writers:

Mathew Mathews (story), Shirley Ulmer (screenplay),

Stars:

Buddy Harris, Cora Green, Izinetta Wilcox

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Buddy Harris	...	Dollar Bill (as Bud Harris)
Cora Green	...	Minnie
Izinetta Wilcox	...	Sue
Earl Gough	...	Bob
Zerita Steptean	...	Jackie (as Zerita Stepteau)
Petrina Moore	...	Alice
Daphne Fray	...	Pat
Mercedes Gilbert	...	Jackie's mother
Frances Harrod	...	Maud
Alec Lovejoy	...	Fats
Walter Richardson	...	Brother Hornsby
Slim Thompson	...	Long-Boy
Freddie Robinson	...	Half-Pint
John Bunn	...	Wallstreet
Marieluise Bechet	...	Nina Mae Brown

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

gunfire | infidelity | false accusation | guilt | murder | 

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Taglines:

Powerful drama... Ripped from the heart of harlem!

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 October 1939 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Lido Ballroom, New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$8,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Meteor Productions, Million Dollar Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

69 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Variray Blue Seal Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

To shoot this film on such a low budget, Edgar G. Ulmer shot this feature in 16mm using "short ends" (unexposed film at the end of a reel that was unused by the original purchaser).

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Connections

Referenced in Keepers of the Frame (1999)

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Soundtracks

"One More River to Cross"
(1939)
Music and Lyrics by Donald Heywood
Sung by the mourners at the funeral

User Reviews

So-so entry in the "race films" genre

Edgar G. Ulmer's "Moon Over Harlem" has its good points and its bad points. It's good points are that, as several posters have mentioned, it wisely avoids the stereotypes that many all-black-cast films of the time--known as "race films," almost all of which were made by whites, as was this one--were party to. The black people in this film come from strong families, are educated, gainfully employed, and are about as far from the "Stepin Fetchit" image of blacks that pervaded films of the time as you could get. Its downside is that, frankly, it's just not very good. Performances range from just above competent to just below embarrassing, and, even taking into account its rock-bottom $8000 budget, the preponderance of stock footage gets annoying and its production shortcomings--the sound is terrible, for one thing--are frustrating. Ulmer had a good idea with this film, and it's obvious that he was trying for something much different than that found in the typical "race film" of the time, but as so often happened with Ulmer's projects, talent and good intentions couldn't overcome a lack of money. The cast tries hard but they're just not up to it, and the general shoddiness of the production and the amateurishness of the performances help to defeat what potential this film had to stand out from the other race films of its day. Ulmer gets an "A" for effort, but a "D" for results.