Paradise in Harlem

MAMIE SMITH has second billing, but her tiny part as a boarding house keeper is a background character with brief scenes. She sings two songs: (1) LORD, LORD; and (2) HARLEM BLUES (a modernized version of her signature song, "CRAZY BLUES" which had been recorded in 1920 and touted as the "first" song recorded by a black woman; not entirely true). She is another show business mystery. Hollywood filmmakers should have employed her (as they did her contemporaries, ETHEL WATERS and HATTIE McDANIEL) in major drama, musical and comedy productions.

This movie is by far one of the best in Black Cinema, an all star cast consisting of Percy Verwayen, Edna Mae Harris, Francine Everett, Babe and Eddie Matthews, Norman Astwood, Frank Wilson, Madeline Belt, Lucky Millander, Alec Lovejoy, and Mamie Smith. This movie is about a performer who wants to do Shakespeare but no one wants to give him a chance, they rather see him in "blackface." He gets caught up in trouble when he sees a murder committed by gangsters and they do all they can to ruin his life and career, but he finally gets his chance to do Shakespeare and its almost ruined by the audiences until the saints and the sinners join together and bring jazz and gospel together. The Othello scene is the best. The entertainment is wonderful. You get to see why Harlem became a household name and why black performers were called the best entertainers. Babe Matthews is electrifying, Francine Everett is as wonderful as an actress can be, Edna Mae Harris is vibrant as ever, Madeline Belt is sweet and hot, Percy Verwayen is the man you'd love to hate. You can't go wrong with this, Black filmmakers should check this one out and try to make movies like this.

With this month being Black History Month, I thought I should once again review some films featuring African-Americans, only this time it won't be in chronological order like I did in previous years. In this one, Frank H. Wilson plays Lem Anderson, a Minstrel performer with ambitions of doing serious drama like Shakespere's Othello. However, he gets sidetracked when he witnesses a mob hit and has to hightail it out of Harlem after his wife dies. I'll stop there and just say that not all is somber as plenty of musical numbers by the likes of Mamie Smith, Edna Mae Harris, Bebe Matthews, Juanita Hall, and Lucky Millinder abound. Oh, and Francine Everett plays a character actually named Desdemona! In summary, while amateurish, Paradise in Harlem was still quite a compelling drama with many entertaining musical numbers. P.S. As a Chicago native, I'd like to note that Lucky Millinder was raised there and played in several venues in those areas when starting out.

The director, Joseph Seiden, started as a cinematographer in silents. In the 1930's and 40's he was the leading producer of Yiddish films in the United States. This was the first film that he directed. Seiden gets excellent performances from his cast. Some of it is stereotyped, but a great deal is honest, raw and human.

The movie is low budget, but has a documentary feel that adds to the realism. The story mixes gangsters with a Church trying to put on a version of "Othello," It isn't realistic, but it works as melodrama.

Frank H. Wilson is the star. He starred with Paul Robeson in the "Emperor Jones" in 1932 and with Rex Ingram and Eddie Rochester Anderson in "Green Pastures" in 1936. Sadly, he only played a few bit parts after this. He really creates a touching character as Lem Anderson, a vaudevillian trying to become a serious actor. He brings off the role with intelligence and sweetness.

Edna Mae Harris also stands out in a small but important role.

I believe that Orson Welles staged an all Black Othello in Harlem around the time that this movie was made. I'm pretty sure this film was partially based on that event.

Singing, dancing and music performances by veterans of the colored vaudeville and nightclub circuit is the main attraction. The film probably the only scene from Othello with the dialog delivered in the a cappella gospel style. The acting is quite acceptable as are the sets, though the rock bottom budget shows through in places.