Go Down, Death!

In reviewing movies featuring people of color in chronological order for Black History Month, we're now at 1944 when director/actor Spencer Williams made this parable about the dangers of deliberately falsifying a scandal of a decent preacher in order to keep one's bar in business. The man of the cloth is played by real-life reverend Samuel H. James as Jasper with Williams as the bar owner. I'll just now say that while the whole thing can be a bit heavy handed and perhaps in-your-face, the intentions were heartfelt and still effective. One has to admit, though, those "fly chicks" that attempted to tease Jasper were fine especially the one that showed some leg! And those images of Hell can be a little haunting. If there's some demerits, it's that the acting and film stock are very amateurish. Still, it's the intention that counts. So on that note, Go Down, Death! is worth a look. P.S. The forward at the beginning acknowledges the poem the title is based on by James Weldon Johnson who was born in Jacksonville, FL, which is where I once lived from 1987-2003.

Like Spencer Williams's other religious films, this is crudely filmed on a shoestring budget. There are two most interesting elements, however. First, Spencer Williams portrays a serious villain, which is rare; he usually stuck to comic roles. Second, the minister's funeral sermon, which is intended to be the dramatic highlight, is based on the poem "Go Down Death" by James Weldon Johnson.

I don't know if watching these early "sepia" films changed my life, but I certainly look at the USA differently now that I've seen a few of them. A note: Spencer Williams didn't play the preacher, as I said in the earlier review. I'd have to see it again to be sure, but I think he played the murderer.

Very inexpensive movie made by Spencer Williams of Amos and Andy. Entirely post-dubbed, superficially moralistic, with Williams portraying a preacher who is mobbed by female parishoners. The last five minutes feature the villain's surrealistic trip to hell that smacks of Dali, Ed Wood, Catholic iconography and other medieval influences. Unforgettably weird.

As an ex-history teacher, I understand why this film was so horrible. Black Americans were usually not allowed in White theaters in the US and many of the Hollywood films never made it to Black theaters. In addition, Black audiences didn't want to see films where there were either no Blacks or the only ones you did see were the sad stereotypical images--maids, butlers or the lazy Stepin Fetchit types. So I do understand why films like "Go Down, Death!" was made. I also know that there just wasn't much economic power in the community--so they couldn't afford to make big budget films. However, even in this context, you can't objectively say this is a good film. In other words, you may understand why it's so bad, but it's still very bad. Cringe-inducing bad, in fact.

The story is a very, very non-subtle religious film--sort of like a Tyler Perry film but with horrible production values. I like the idea of combining the strong religious values of the Black community with a contemporary story. It's just that the film is terrible...even for a 1940s Black-produced film. The story is about a disreputable gambler who has set out to destroy the preacher. His plan appears to be working--until it backfires and results in God's judgment on this wicked man. Here are a few reasons I disliked it: 1. At least 1/3 to 1/2 of the movie consists of the preacher preaching and the choir singing. This killed the film dramatically. It should have been much shorter--because the way it dominated the film ruined the drama.

2. The acting quite bad--even for Spencer Williams--who usually was a lot better. I've seen him in several other films of the day (before he gained fame playing Andy on "Amos 'n Andy" and he was good. Here, he isn't believable...and considering he also directed the film, he has no one else to blame.

3. The entire story is obvious and amateurish. The writing seems very, very poor and the dialog is bad.

Yet, despite it being a terrible film in almost every way, I don't say it has no value. As a record of the Black American experience of the era, it's invaluable. But, as entertainment, it's awful.