Souls of Sin

In contradiction to another user, I think this movie is extremely interesting with respect to other race movies of the silent era. This sound film focuses on the sense of family and community that grows between single artists living in Harlem. This marks it as very different than many other race movies which tend to be more moralistic and romance-oriented. It is also significant in that it's an African American vision of life in an American city after World War II, a time which saw the further development and isolation of the "ghetto." Souls of Sin shows one perspective on how individuals navigated issues of poverty, prejudice, and isolation by creating their own non-traditional community. In this sense, the movie feels suprisingly modern. As long as you don't get too stuck on technical quality, this movie is a treat.

Jimmy Wright, William Greaves, and Emory Richardson share a basement in Harlem. Wright is a gambler, Greaves a performer and Richardson a writer. As their fortunes rise or sink, they participate in the life that made Harlem a mecca for aspiring Blacks in the era.

It's a race film from the late 1940s, with the typicals flaws and strengths of the genre. The short budgets mean there are two poorly dressed sets: the basement apartment, and a bar. Most of the actors speak their lines very stagily, although Richardson is pretty good. Still, there are other performers who acquitted themselves well in other productions, like Billie Allen. Was this failure the budgets which allowed no rehearsals, or was this considered good acting?

Well, the story itself is pretty good, the camerawork is good, and these movies live for me in the specialty numbers, like Savannah Churchill's singing. This was the time when swing was evolving into rhythm & blues, and I enjoyed the music, the dancing, and even the corny jokes.

Notable only as one of the last 'race movies', made with a more-or-less all black cast and aimed at segregated theaters.

Unlike many race movies, singing and dancing doesn't really compensate for the quickie production values. The basement apartment set though has to be seen to be believed.

Despite the title, the sin is rather tame by modern standards.

My suspicions were immediately aroused when TCM host Jacqueline Stewart, in her intro, failed to mention the name of this film's writer/director while leaving the distinct impression that the auteur was producer William D. Alexander. Uh oh, I thought. Looks like we're in for some bad writing and directing. And sure enough, after fifteen minutes, my fears were borne out. How bad was it? Well let's just say that the best thing about the dialogue is the poor sound quality which enabled this viewer to hear maybe 50% of the flat, cliche ridden speech the characters were mouthing. As for the direction I've seen "Life Of Reilly" episodes that were more cinematically compelling. Basically, just point the camera at the actors while they're speaking that execrable dialogue and hope that they stay in frame. As for said actors it's a mixed bag. The males in the cast do ok but the two females Billie Allen and Savannah Churchill, although sexy as hell, have the personalities of handi wipes. At least Ms. Churchill can sing.

It gives me np pleasure to have written the above. Show biz in the 1940s was bad enough for established black stars but it was unmitigated hell for black film makers. I really wish I could have found something in this film, beside the dance numbers at the bar and Ms. Churchill's singing, to praise. But pretending that Pumpsie Green is the equal of Jackie Robinson (or even Joe Black) just because they were pioneer African American ballplayers does nothing but cheapen the legacy of Robinson. And this film is undeniably Pumpsie Green. Give it a C minus.