Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
IMDbPro

The Scar of Shame

  • 19291929
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 8m
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
419
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
314,677
161,939
Harry Henderson, Norman Johnstone, Lucia Lynn Moses, and William E. Pettus in The Scar of Shame (1929)
CrimeDramaRomance
An educated, upscale young black musician marries a woman from a lower socioeconomic class to get her out of the clutches of her stepfather, who beats and abuses her. However, once he "saves... Read allAn educated, upscale young black musician marries a woman from a lower socioeconomic class to get her out of the clutches of her stepfather, who beats and abuses her. However, once he "saves" her, he won't let his new wife meet his mother, as he knows she will be angry and disapp... Read allAn educated, upscale young black musician marries a woman from a lower socioeconomic class to get her out of the clutches of her stepfather, who beats and abuses her. However, once he "saves" her, he won't let his new wife meet his mother, as he knows she will be angry and disappointed with him for marrying someone "below his station".
IMDb RATING
6.2/10
419
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
314,677
161,939
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Frank Peregini
    • Writer
      • David Starkman(story)
    • Stars
      • Harry Henderson
      • Norman Johnstone
      • Ann Kennedy
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Frank Peregini
    • Writer
      • David Starkman(story)
    • Stars
      • Harry Henderson
      • Norman Johnstone
      • Ann Kennedy
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 19User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
    • Awards
      • 1 nomination

    Photos6

    Lucia Lynn Moses in The Scar of Shame (1929)
    Lucia Lynn Moses in The Scar of Shame (1929)
    Harry Henderson, Norman Johnstone, and Lucia Lynn Moses in The Scar of Shame (1929)
    Pearl McCormack in The Scar of Shame (1929)
    Pearl McCormack in The Scar of Shame (1929)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Harry Henderson
    • Alvin Hillyard -aka Arthur Jones
    Norman Johnstone
    • Eddie Blake
    Ann Kennedy
    • Lucretia Green
    Lucia Lynn Moses
    • Louise Howard
    William E. Pettus
    • 'Spike' Howard
    Lawrence Chenault
    • Ralph Hathaway
    Pearl McCormack
    • Alice Hathaway
    Charles Gilpin
    • Lido Club Gambler
    • (uncredited)
    Shingzie Howard
    • Louise's Maid
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Frank Peregini
    • Writer
      • David Starkman(story)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    Body and Soul
    6.2
    Body and Soul
    Ten Nights in a Barroom
    6.2
    Ten Nights in a Barroom
    Within Our Gates
    6.4
    Within Our Gates
    Million Dollar Legs
    6.9
    Million Dollar Legs
    Terje Vigen
    7.3
    Terje Vigen
    The Outlaw and His Wife
    7.2
    The Outlaw and His Wife
    Side Street
    7.1
    Side Street
    Blast of Silence
    7.5
    Blast of Silence
    Under the Roofs of Paris
    7.1
    Under the Roofs of Paris
    The Flying Ace
    6.2
    The Flying Ace
    An Inn in Tokyo
    7.5
    An Inn in Tokyo
    The Guilty
    6.3
    The Guilty

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      While appearing in this film, Lucia Lynn Moses was commuting back and forth between the studio in Philadelphia and a chorus-line spot at the Cotton Club in New York City.
    • Quotes

      Title Card: One half the world doesn't know how the other half lives.

    • Alternate versions
      The Library of Congress Video Collection has a restored version of this film with a new piano score composed and performed by Philip Carli. Its running time is 76 minutes. A small missing section is summarized by an intertitle. Other restoration credits: Simmon, Scott ....... restoration producer Fleming, Dina T. .... restoration production co-ordinator McConnell, Allan .... restoration magnetic recording laboratory head Winther, James ...... restoration videotape transfer and editor Chrisman, Paul ...... restoration music recordist DeAnna, Gene ........ restoration titles
    • Connections
      Featured in American Experience: Midnight Ramble (1994)

    User reviews19

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    One half the world doesn't know how the other half lives
    Despite having an all African-American cast, this film doesn't deal explicitly with race, as its script could have been applied to white people, which is a nice thing for 1927. The film is in part about the dynamic between social classes, and has some good early scenes that deal with that. In one, we see the intertitle "One half the world doesn't know how the other half lives" while a poor woman is scrubbing the laundry over a washboard. Eventually it gets a little bit pushy in its message, which is for people to choose higher aspirations in life (education, the arts, steady jobs) vs. lower (gambling, drinking, violence), making it a simplistic morality tale, and one that is of course directed at the African-American community.

    In that sense, it has everything to do with race, and says (1) look, we're people too, not the stereotypes Hollywood and white supremacist culture ordinarily portrays us to be (2) we can do better, that "Our people have much to learn." The plot and the love triangle which develops in the second half is more than a little melodramatic, but the screen presence of all three leads is undeniable (Harry Henderson, Lucia Lynn Moses, and Pearl McCormack), and had these actors been white they all might have been stars of the era. The film is pretty well made as well, making it a silent worth checking out.
    helpful•2
    1
    • gbill-74877
    • Jun 7, 2020

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 26, 1929 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • None
    • Also known as
      • Шрам позора
    • Filming locations
      • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
    • Production company
      • Colored Players Film Corporation
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 8 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Silent
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Harry Henderson, Norman Johnstone, Lucia Lynn Moses, and William E. Pettus in The Scar of Shame (1929)
    Top Gap
    What is the English language plot outline for The Scar of Shame (1929)?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    New & Upcoming Superhero Movies and Series
    See the full list
    View list
    List
    Fall TV Guide: The Best Shows Coming This Year
    See the full list
    View image
    Photos
    These Stars Are on the Rise
    See the gallery

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Back to top
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more access
    Sign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.