Hallelujah (1929)

A sharecropper decides to become a preacher after falling for a vamp from the city.

Director:

King Vidor

Writers:

Wanda Tuchock (scenario), Richard Schayer (treatment)

Stars:

Daniel L. Haynes, Nina Mae McKinney, William Fountaine

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Daniel L. Haynes	...	Zeke
Nina Mae McKinney	...	Chick
William Fountaine	...	Hot Shot
Harry Gray	...	Parson
Fanny Belle DeKnight	...	Mammy
Everett McGarrity	...	Spunk
Victoria Spivey	...	Missy Rose
Milton Dickerson	...	Johnson Kid
Robert Couch	...	Johnson Kid
Walter Tait	...	Johnson Kid
Dixie Jubilee Singers

Storyline

In a juke joint, sharecropper Zeke falls for a beautiful dancer, Chick, but she's only setting him up for a rigged craps game. He loses $100, the money he got for the sale of his family's entire cotton crop. His brother Spunk is mortally wounded in the shoot-out which follows. Zeke goes away but returns as Brother Zekiel the preacher. His forceful preaching draws the faithful in large numbers. Even Chick wants to be saved. Zekiel has asked the pretty Missy Rose to marry him, but Chick can still cast a spell over the preacher...

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Plot Keywords:

sharecropper | crooked gambling | shootout | mortally wounded | dancer | 

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Taglines:

King Vidor brings you in his startling picture the soul of the colored race. (Print Ad- Roane County Reporter ((Spencer WVA)) 20 February 1930)

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Genres:

Drama | Musical

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Certificate:

Passed

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 August 1929 (USA)

Also Known As:

Hallelujah

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min 100 min (Turner library print) (re-release) (re-edited)

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was King Vidor's first sound film.

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Goofs

When Zeke is shown singing atop the train car, the audio of his singing does not match his lip movements, probably due to difficulties relating to dubbing in 1929 (the footage on the train was clearly shot silent, with singing and effects added in post-production).

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Quotes

Mammy: What is the matter, Son?
Zeke: I'm just thinkin' Mammy. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you and Missy Rose to look after me.
Mammy: I tell you, it done take a good woman for to keep a man out of mischief these days.
Zeke: That's right, Mammy, it sure does.

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Alternate Versions

MGM also issued this movie in a silent version, with Marian Ainslee writing the titles.

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Connections

Featured in Hollywood Mavericks (1990)

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Soundtracks

Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child
(uncredited)
Traditional Spiritual
Sung offscreen during the opening credits

User Reviews

I really enjoy this film.

This film, despite its early talkie crudities, is one of the best religious dramas ever filmed in my opinion. It gets better with each viewing, as you discover more and more nuances in the script and the filmmaking as well. The performances of the leads are stellar -- especially Daniel J. Haynes in the lead. And Nina Mae McKinney is fabulous as "Chick" -- a seductress who tempts Haynes on so many different levels -- subverting and perverting his religious fervor to mold to her pure carnal lust. The spirituals are stirring; the story, though somewhat maudlin, is compelling and quite plausible. The revival scenes are both uplifting and moving. Forget that it was the first "all-black" musical or drama or whatever...it holds it place as a fine film...and doesn't need to be pigeonholed as a historical or "race" period piece. Bold, brave...and ultimately reverent...this is a true film classic.