In this musical comedy, Paul Robeson stars as Joe, a Marseilles docker hired by a wealthy English couple to find their missing son. When Joe finds him, he learns he escaped of his own will,...
See full summary »
Get the best new trailers in under a minute, including "True Detective" Season 3, Spies in Disguise, and "Room 104."
User Lists
Related lists from IMDb users
Share this Rating
Title: Big Fella (1937)
Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below.
Learn more
More Like This
Song of Freedom
(1936)
Drama
|
Music
Director:
J. Elder Wills
Stars:
Paul Robeson,
Elisabeth Welch,
Esme Percy
Sanders of the River
(1935)
Adventure
|
Drama
|
Music
Director:
Zoltan Korda
Stars:
Paul Robeson,
Leslie Banks,
Nina Mae McKinney
The Emperor Jones
(1933)
Drama
|
Music
Directors:
Dudley Murphy,
William C. de Mille
Stars:
Paul Robeson,
Dudley Digges,
Frank H. Wilson
The Proud Valley
(1940)
Drama
|
Music
Director:
Pen Tennyson
Stars:
Paul Robeson,
Edward Chapman,
Simon Lack
King Solomon's Mines
(1937)
Action
|
Adventure
|
Drama
Directors:
Robert Stevenson,
Geoffrey Barkas
Stars:
Paul Robeson,
Cedric Hardwicke,
Roland Young
Borderline
(1930)
Drama
Director:
Kenneth MacPherson
Stars:
Paul Robeson,
Eslanda Robeson,
Hilda Doolittle
Dark Sands
(1937)
Drama
|
Musical
|
Adventure
Director:
Thornton Freeland
Stars:
Paul Robeson,
Henry Wilcoxon,
Wallace Ford
Show Boat
(1936)
Comedy
|
Drama
|
Musical
Director:
James Whale
Stars:
Irene Dunne,
Allan Jones,
Charles Winninger
Tales of Manhattan
(1942)
Comedy
|
Drama
|
Romance
Director:
Julien Duvivier
Stars:
Charles Boyer,
Rita Hayworth,
Ginger Rogers
A Family Affair
(1937)
Certificate: Passed
Comedy
Director:
George B. Seitz
Stars:
Lionel Barrymore,
Cecilia Parker,
Eric Linden
Body and Soul
(1925)
Drama
Director:
Oscar Micheaux
Stars:
Paul Robeson,
Marshall Rogers,
Lawrence Chenault
Three Wise Brides
(1941)
Comedy
|
Romance
Directors:
Walter C. Mycroft,
Norman Lee
Stars:
Enid Stamp-Taylor,
Michael Wilding,
Basil Sydney
Edit
Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Paul Robeson | ... | Joe | |
 |
Elisabeth Welch | ... | Amanda 'Manda' |
|
|
Roy Emerton | ... | Spike |
| James Hayter | ... | Chuck | |
|
|
Lawrence Brown | ... | Corney |
|
|
Eldon Gorst | ... | Gerald Oliphant (as Eldon Grant) |
|
|
Marcelle Rogez | ... | Marietta |
|
|
Eric Cowley | ... | Ferdy Oliphant |
|
|
Joyce Kennedy | ... | Mrs. Oliphant |
Edit
Plot Summary
|
Plot Synopsis
Storyline
In this musical comedy, Paul Robeson stars as Joe, a Marseilles docker hired by a wealthy English couple to find their missing son. When Joe finds him, he learns he escaped of his own will, and takes him to stay with a local singer. They offer him a refuge from his repressed white parents. Written by Anonymous
Parents Guide:
Add content advisory for parents »
Edit
See full technical specs »
Details
Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
1939 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Een zwarte idylle See more »Filming Locations:
British Lion Studios, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, England, UKCompany Credits
Show more on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
Mono (RCA Photophone System)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
Edit
Music by Eric Ansell
Lyrics by James Dyrenforth (uncredited)
Sung by Elisabeth Welch in the cafe; reprised by her
See more »
Did You Know?
Soundtracks
One KissMusic by Eric Ansell
Lyrics by James Dyrenforth (uncredited)
Sung by Elisabeth Welch in the cafe; reprised by her
See more »
Frequently Asked Questions
This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
Explore popular action and adventure titles available to stream with Prime Video.
After starring in Song of Freedom together, Paul Robeson and Elizabeth Welch reunited in this, Big Fella. They end up temporarily caring for a rich white kid (Eldon Gorst) who's run away from his parents because he feels stifled. I'll stop there and just say it's wonderful to once again hear both Robeson and Ms. Welch singing to their heart's content whenever they get the chance. I was partly amused by the plot and some of the interactions though this is probably the most trifle of Robeson's British movies. Good thing it's only an hour and 10 minutes. Since this is Black History Month, I have to note also the appearance of Lawrence Brown as one of Paul's friends. Oh, and also Paul's wife Eslanda as the café proprietor who gives him a tongue lashing at one point. Both previously appeared with him in Jericho. So on that note, Big Fella is worth a look.