That's the Spirit

That's the Spirit (1933)

** (out of 4)

F.E. Miller and Mantan Moreland short has the two getting a job in a haunted pawn shop. There are are few laughs scattered throughout this thing, although I'm sure a lot of people will find the rather politically incorrect humor disturbing. The special effects are also quite nice for the period.

Midnight Menace (1946)

* (out of 4)

Forgotten, all black cast horror short about a strange voodoo man who can kill women and then move their bodies wherever he wants. This time out his just wants to torment Lollypop Jones with a body that keeps showing up no matter where he goes. This ultra low-budget film really doesn't have anything going for it other than just being a curiosity. The comedy is really bad and the mystery isn't any better.

Greetings & Salutations your own sweet self. I'm glad to see someone praising Mantan. He and similar comics like Stepin Fetchit have been so demeaned for racist caricatures, but Mantan more than any other comic of the type gave rich character performances; he conveyed much more than the stereotype people seem to believe they're seeing when they're just not paying attention. He invented the "Feets don't fail me now" routine but underlying the comedic fear he's subtly brave. If I had to face danger I'd be glad to have Mantan as companion.

Noble Sissle has made this musical short one of the greatest of the 1930s. Cora La Redd's singing is great, but her dance routine just about sets the screen on fire. Imagine being alive during the Harlem Renaissance and being able to go to a club and see her show. Gadzooks!

-paghat the ratgirl

This Vitaphone short begins with two guys about to rob a pawnshop (F.E. Miller and Mantan Moreland). Having Moreland in this role wasn't a surprise, as through the 30s and 40s, he played scared guys in a ton of films--including a series with Frankie Darro and the Sidney Toler 'Charlie Chan' series. Suddenly, the place turns out to be haunted and little figures in the place come to life--as Miller and Moreland show off how afraid they are by all these goings on.

What follows is essentially a talent show of various black acts of the day--singers and dancers. None of these are particularly distinguished (especially because the sound was erratic and sometimes the singers were drowned out by the music), though I was surprised (not in a bad way mind you) at the girth of the lady tap dancer. She was very good but by Hollywood standards too big to be of any value--thank goodness the folks that made this short knew better.

Because of the sound issues, ordinariness of the performers and the nasty stereotype of the scared black man (very popular and widely accepted in the day), I'd consign this one to the status of a time-passer and not much more.

Greetings & Salutations! Who can ever forget that great African-American actor and comedian, Mantan Moreland? The world was blessed on September 3rd, 1902, when Mantan Moreland was born in Monroe, Louisiana and the world was saddened at our loss when he died September 28, 1973 in Hollywood, California, where he appeared in 134 movies as well his memorable guest appearances on the Bill Cosby Show in 1969 or on "Love, American Style" in 1969, or on the police drama "Adam-12" in 1968. He also was in "Harlem On the Prairie" with Herb Jefferies in 1937 and appeared in a number of Westerns such as "Riders of the Frontier" in 1939 as Chappie, the cook (also known as "Ridin' the Frontier.") There shant ever be another Mantan Moreland with his portly frame and popeyed look, hopefully all of the movies he appeared in will be on VHS and DVD for future generations to watch and enjoy over and over.

The black vaudeville team of Mantan Moreland and Flournoy Miller appear together as two men assigned to be night watchmen in a haunted pawn shop. One of the gags has Mr. Miller sitting down in an armchair, the arms of the chair grab him, and he shouts "Old rockin chair's got me", followed immediately by the song Rockin Chair, by Hoagy Carmichael, playing loudly. A miniature jazz band comes to life and plays. The band is led by Noble Sissle, the longtime musical partner of Eubie Blake. The great clarinettist Buster Bailey is featured in the band. They play red hot versions of Tiger Rag and The St. Louis Blues. The absolutely brilliant Harlem singer and dancer Cora La Redd tears up the place with her incredible singing and dancing. An old washboard comes to life and is soon being played by The Washboard Serenaders. Finally Mr. Miller and Mr. Moreland flee in fright, with Mr. Moreland running out of his shoes, which follow him, crying out "Wait for me". One of the greatest jazz shorts ever made.