Joe's Bed Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads

Created by

Spike Lee, American, born 1957

Subject of

Ross, Monty, American, born 1957

Hicks, Tommie Redmond, American

Owned by

D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896

Date

1983

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 53 Minutes

Length (Film): 1900 Feet

Title

16mm motion picture film of Joe's Bed Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads

Caption

"Joe's Bed Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads" is famed director Spike Lee's first feature film. Lee submitted the film as his thesis while attending New York University's filmmaking master's program. The film tells the story of a barbershop owner who must decide whether or not to make a deal with a local gangster in order to keep his shop open.

Description

"Joe's Bed Stuy Barbershop: We Cut Heads" is famed director Spike Lee's first feature film. Lee submitted the film as his thesis while attending New York University's filmmaking master's program. The film tells the story of a barbershop owner who must decide whether or not to make a deal with a local gangster in order to keep his shop open.

Consists of: 16mm Film (a).

2017.55.22.1a:16mm film. The film begins with two men speaking idly in voiceover over black before one demands that the other starts the film. The credit sequence then proceeds. The first scene opens with a tracking and panning shots of a barbershop as the proprietor, Joe, packs a suitcase and closes the shop. The scene ends with two men demanding that Joe accompany them in their car. In the car, Joe attempts to make conversation to no avail.

In the next scene, Joe begs for his life as the men tie cinderblocks to his body and toss him in the East River as retribution for stealing money from them.

Zach, Joe's business partner, and his wife, Ruth, discuss what do about the barbershop now that Joe is dead. She insists that he sells it, while he refuses to do so. Ruth informs him that people only frequented the shop to play the numbers, not get their hair cut. A montage of Zach walking to the shop and opening for the day follows.

Zach idles away the day in a mostly empty shop until a single customer comes in for a shave. The customer says the shop isn't the same without Joe running the numbers and overpays for his shave to help Zach when he is informed that Zach won't continue the racket. The film returns to Zach's home as Ruth returns from work. The two playfully continue their conversation about selling the shop.

The subsequent scene takes place at the Department of Social Services where Ruth works. She is introduced to Teapot, a teenager at risk of falling into a life of crime. She pushes a resistant Zach to hire him in order to keep on the straight and narrow. In the next scene, Zach finds Teapot waiting outside the shop and puts him to work. Over a game of checkers, Teapot asks Zach why he doesn't have any customers. Zach explains that he won't do the processed hairstyles that have become popular. As Teapot sweeps up for the day, Zach informs him not to come in because he has some thinking to do.

The next scene begins with a long panning shot of a group of young people standing in a circle around a boombox in the lobby of an apartment building. The boombox is turned on and the young people begin dancing to the unidentified hip hop music it plays. Ruth enters the building and winds her way through the partyers to the elevator, which she finds broken. She climbs the stairs to the apartment of Ms. Figueroa who initially refuses to open the door.

The film cuts to the two men that murdered Joe standing over Zach as he naps in his barbershop. They ask him to go with them to meet their boss; he refuses and they besat him before taking him to an unidentified basement. The man who stopped in for a shave earlier in the film emerges from the darkness and identifies himself as Nicholas Lovejoy and the person responsible for running the numbers in Bedford-Stuyvesant. He tries to persuade Zach to continue taking people's numbers using the rhetoric of black empowerment. Zach appears to agree under duress.

In an aside from the main plot, Teapot walks along the waterfront in Brooklyn Heights he comes across a model and photographer engaged in a photoshoot.

The subsequent scene begins with Zach examining his wounds in a mirror at home. He sits down at a table and Ruth brings him something to eat. It is apparent that he has lied about the source of his injuries. Ruth implores him to reconsider his position on doing processed hairstyles in order to drum up business; to her frustration, he again refuses. She tries to convince him to join her at her parents' home in Atlanta, but he rejects the offer out of hand. Nicholas Lovejoy appears at the door and presents himself as Zach's business associate. A skeptical Ruth questions Lovejoy, who presents himself as an investor and mentions the value of the land where the barbershop sits.

In the next scene, Lovejoy explains how to run the numbers to Zach as the two stand together at the Dean St. subway station. The film cuts to Zach's now very busy barber shop. Zach cuts hair as Teapot takes people's numbers. At the end of the busy day, Zach smiles as he sweeps the floor and sends Teapot home for the day.

In another brief aside, Teapot teaches a younger child how to properly curse. This is followed by a scene in which Ruth returns to see Ms. Figueroa, but is attacked by an unidentified assailant in the stairway before reaching the apartment.

The subsequent scene begins on Zach's stoop as he discusses the attack with Teapot. They go on to discuss the state of the neighborhood as they explore Teapot's now closed and abandoned elementary school. The scene concludes with them goofing around on the school's basketball court.

Zach returns home and is confronted by a still rattled Ruth who asks that he stop involving Teapot in running the numbers. He agrees, but the film cuts to Teapot continuing to do so. Lovejoy's two enforcers enter the shop and instruct Zach to make sure that an unidentified individual receives a small package containing cash that they hand to him. Rather than ensure the package's delivery, he calls Ruth and instructs her to meet him at the airport to fly to Atlanta. He then hands several bills to Teapot and tells him to get out of New York for a while.

At the airport, Zach purchases tickets, but Ruth fails to show. He receives a call and it appears as though Ruth has been kidnapped. Zach returns to the shop to find Lovejoy, his enforcers, and Ruth waiting for him. Lovejoy acts disappointed in Zach and demands the lease to the barbershop in exchange for not killing him. When Lovejoy and the others leave, Ruth castigates Zach for his stupidity before leaving the shop.

The next morning Teapot opens the shop to find Zach asleep in one of the chairs. Zach asks why he didn't leave the city as instructed and Teapot explains that he used the cash to buy a camera. Resigned to his fate, Zach sits down to a game of checkers with Teapot.

The film concludes with a close-up of the shop's barber pole.

Original film can label read: AUDIO-VISUAL DIVISION / THE MARTIN LUTHER KING MEMORIAL LIBRARY / DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC LIBRARY / 901 G Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. / FILM No. X360 / TITLE JOE'S BED STUY BARBERSHOP

Place depicted

Bedford-Stuyvesant, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Collection title

DC Public Library Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

16mm (photographic film size)

Topic

Barbershops

Business

Caricature and cartoons

Communities

Film

Urban life

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Object number

2017.55.22.1a

Restrictions & Rights

© Spike Lee. Permission required for use.

Usage

Usage conditions apply

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5cb220618-fd91-467d-abf5-17578b37f64d

James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket

Directed by

Thorsen, Karen, American

Subject of

Baldwin, James, American, 1924 - 1987

Baraka, Amiri, American, 1934 - 2014

Angelou, Maya, American, 1928 - 2014

Short, Bobby, American, 1924 - 2005

Leeming, David Adams, American

Styron, William, American, 1925 - 2006

Reed, Ishmael, American, born 1938

Happersberger, Lucien, Swiss, 1932 - 2010

Owned by

D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896

Date

1989

Medium

16mm Film (a): acetate film;

16mm Film (b): acetate film

Dimensions

Duration (Reel 1): 50 Minutes

Length (Film): 1800 Feet

Duration (Reel 2): 24 Minutes

Length (Film): 850 Feet

Title

16mm motion picture film of James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket

Caption

"James Baldwin: The Price of The Ticket" recounts the life and influence of author James Baldwin using a combination of archival footage of Baldwin and contemporary interviews with his surviving family and friends. The film was directed by Karen Thorsen in collaboration with the famous documentary production company Maysles Films.

Description

James Baldwin: The Price of The Ticket recounts the life and influence of author James Baldwin using a combination of archival footage of Baldwin and contemporary interviews with his surviving family and friends. The film was directed by Karen Thorsen in collaboration with the famous documentary production company Maysles Films.

The film includes footage of interviews and public speeches by Baldwin, scenes from Baldwin's funeral service, and explorations of Baldwin's homes in France, Switzerland, Turkey, and Harlem. Interviews with family and friends include his brother David; biographer David Leeming; writers Maya Angelou, Amiri Baraka, William Styron, Ishmael Reed and Yashar Kemal; painter Lucien Happersberger and entertainer Bobby Short.

Consists of: 16mm Film (ab).

2017.55.23.1ab:16mm film.

Original film can labels read:

AUDIO-VISUAL DIVISION / THE MARTIN LUTHER KING MEMORIAL LIBRARY / DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC LIBRARY / 901 G Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. / FILM No. X347 / TITLE JAMES BALDWIN: THE PRICE OF THE TICKET / PRINT No. 1 PART 1 / MAYSLES FILMS, INC. 250 West 54th Street, New York City

AUDIO-VISUAL DIVISION / THE MARTIN LUTHER KING MEMORIAL LIBRARY / DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC LIBRARY / 901 G Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. / FILM No. X348 / TITLE JAMES BALDWIN: THE PRICE OF THE TICKET / PRINT No. 1 PART 2 / MAYSLES FILMS, INC. 250 West 54th Street, N.Y. / 212-582-6050

Place depicted

Harlem, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Istanbul, Turkey, Middle East, Asia

Switzerland, Europe

Paris, Île-de-France, France, Europe

Collection title

DC Public Library Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

16mm (photographic film size)

Topic

Activism

Caricature and cartoons

Civil rights

Film

Gender

LGBTQ

Literature

Sexuality

Spirituality

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Object number

2017.55.23.1ab

Restrictions & Rights

© Karen Thorsen (Nobody Knows Productions). Permission required for use.

Usage

Usage conditions apply

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd574f1a239-a28e-43aa-8216-2a68ae372bdb

Machito: A Latin Jazz Legacy

Created by

Ortiz, Carlos, Puerto Rican American, 1947 - 2008

Subject of

Machito, Cuban American, 1908 - 1984

Puente, Tito, American, 1923 - 2000

Barretto, Ray, American, 1929 - 2006

Gillespie, Dizzy, American, 1917 - 1993

Gordon, Dexter, American, 1923 - 1990

Date

1987

Medium

polyester film

Dimensions

Duration (Reel 1): 24 Minutes

Length (Film): 850 Feet

Duration (Reel 2): 28 Minutes

Length (Film): 1000 Feet

Title

16mm motion picture film of Machito: A Latin Jazz Legacy

Description

16mm film on two reels (ab). A documentary profile of Cuban bandleader Frank "Machito" Grillo and a history of Latin jazz in the United States, with a focus on New York City, and the history of Cuban music in general, with footage from New York City and Cuba. Features Machito himself, as well as interviews with Tito Puente, Dizzy Gillespie, Dexter Gordon and Ray Barretto. The film includes performances, film clips, still photographs and newsreel material.

Cultural Place

Cuba, Caribbean, Latin America, North and Central America

Place depicted

New York City, New York, New York, North and Central America

Collection title

DC Public Library Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

16mm (photographic film size)

Topic

Caricature and cartoons

Composers (Musicians)

Conductors (Musicians)

Film

Instrumentalists (Musicians)

Jazz (Music)

Latin jazz (Music)

Musical films

Salsa (Music)

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

Object number

2017.55.67.1ab

Restrictions & Rights

Icarus Films, ©1987. Permission required for use.

Usage

Usage conditions apply

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd58c746c65-fca6-4707-b69c-8f0265e83960

Miracle in Harlem

Directed by

Kemp, Jack

Written by

Valentini, Vincent Andrew, American, 1895 - 1948

Subject of

Guyse, Sheila, American, 1925 - 2013

Offley, Hilda, American, 1894 - 1968

Greaves, William, American, 1926 - 2014

Lewis, Sybil, American, 1919 - 1988

Freeman, Kenneth, American, 1917 - 1991

Criner, John L., American, 1898 - 1965

Hawley, Monte, American, 1901 - 1950

Juano Hernández, 1896 - 1970

Gines, Henry

Leo, Don De, Italian, 1904 - 1979

Thompson, Creighton, American, 1889 - 1969

Blakey, Ruble, American, 1911 - 1992

Chester, Alfred George, American, 1900 - 1978

Fetchit, Stepin, American, 1902 - 1985

Carter, Jack, American, 1902 - 1967

Williams, Milton, American, 1907 - 1995

Date

1948

Medium

acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 69 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 1350 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 1200 Feet

Caption

When a real estate tycoon is found dead, his latest real estate casualty is suspected of the crime.

Description

A 16mm release print of the feature film Miracle in Harlem. It consists of two reels of positive, black-and-white, 16mm acetate film with variable-area optical sound. The film is about a woman, Julie Weston, who is suspected of killing a real estate tycoon. It opens with a church service in which a choir sings “Swing Low Sweet Chariot.” After the service, Julie’s aunt, Aunt Hattie, walks to her candy kitchen where she is greeted by Julie and Julie’s paramour, Bert. Bert and Julie attempt to convince Aunt Hattie to expand and modernize her candy kitchen. However, Aunt Hattie expresses her hesitation toward their proposal. At one point, a man informs Julie that she no longer owns the candy shop or the recipes to which Julie responds that, Mr. Marshall “will never get away with this. The film ends with detectives solving the murder.

Place depicted

Harlem, New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Collection title

Nieman Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Type

sound films

black-and-white films (visual works)

feature films

16mm (photographic film size)

Topic

Business

Families

Race films

Urban life

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman

Object number

2015.167.15.1ab

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

Usage

Usage conditions apply

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd51ab239c7-7392-4d2f-8ce6-9ec98c9c4c49

Mystery in Swing

Directed by

Dreifuss, Arthur, German American, 1908 - 1993

Written by

Hoerl, Arthur, American, 1891 - 1968

Produced by

Dreifuss, Arthur, German American, 1908 - 1993

Subject of

Hawley, Monte, American, 1901 - 1950

Whitten, Marguerite, American, 1913 - 1990

Moore, Tommie, American, 1917 - 2004

Thompson, Edward, American, 1898 - 1960

Woods, Buck, American, 1905 - 1974

Brooks, Jess Lee, American, 1894 - 1944

Edwards, Josephine, American, born 1910

Lewis, Sybil, American, 1919 - 1988

Webb, Robert

Grant, Alfred, American, 1912 - 1984

Southern, Tom, American, 1906 - 1980

Harding, Halley, American, 1904 - 1967

Christmas, Leonard, American, 1897 - 1982

Morris, Earle, American, born 1897

Johnson, John Lester, American, 1893 - 1968

Miller, Flournoy, American, 1885 - 1971

The Four Toppers, American

Recorded by

Cee Pee Johnson And His Orchestra, American

Date

1940

Medium

acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 75 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 900 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 1000 Feet

Description

2015.167.16.1ab: 16mm black and white films.

Prince Ellis, a noted trumpet player, signs a Hollywood contract, and reporter Biff Boyd is assigned to interview him at the Penguin Club. Biff's girl friend, Linda Carroll, a newspaper secretary, joins him. Linda's younger sister Mae is in love with Prince, and their father, John Carroll, writes music for him. Although John and Linda advise Mae that Prince is a lothario who is not worthy of her, she refuses to believe them. While Mae adores her autographed photo of Prince, Prince's wife Cleo smashes hers. At the Penguin, Biff and Linda notice that Prince is giving Maxine Ray the runaround. Maxine was hired as a lead singer at the club by Chet Wallace, whom she spurned in favor of Prince. Instead of getting the interview, Biff and Linda ask Prince and Maxine to join them as they get drunk, and Biff and Prince get into a fight. The next day, Prince is visited by Mae, for whom he promises to send as soon as his divorce comes through; Cleo, who demands her alimony; and John, who warns Prince that he will kill him if he continues to see Mae. When Maxine arrives, Prince puts his trumpet to his mouth to play, but suddenly collapses and dies. A knife then passes before Maxine's face with a note attached, which warns her not to reveal the killer. Biff and Linda arrive at the apartment in time to find the body and see Maxine leaving. She is picked up for questioning after Biff telephones Captain Hall. It is soon determined that Prince died from poison placed on the mouthpiece of his trumpet. Biff gathers all the suspects at the Penguin, where Maxine collapses at the end of a song from a knife wound and dies. Biff discovers a clue when he learns that the sister of Buck Bedford, Prince's servant, killed herself following a love affair with Prince. Biff finds Buck unconscious in his apartment, but Buck escapes when the foolish Sergeant Slim, who was supposed to guard him, falls asleep during a card game. When Biff, Linda and the police enter Prince's apartment, they are shot at, and the culprit escapes, leaving a song sheet signed that day by John. Hall is ready to charge John, but Biff, who does not believe that John is the murderer, is given forty-eight hours to prove his innocence. After learning that Prince left no will, Biff assembles the suspects once again and has Lawyer Jones read a fake will in which one possession is left to each of his friends. Chet, who inherits Prince's trumpet, gives himself away as the murderer when he refuses to play it because of the poison. Chet then admits that he killed Maxine too because she threatened to expose him. The mystery solved, Biff and Linda plan to marry."

Source: AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Accessed on August 11, 2016 (http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=2264)

Place depicted

Harlem, New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Place filmed

United States, North and Central America

Collection title

Nieman Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Type

sound films

black-and-white films (visual works)

release prints (motion pictures)

feature films

16mm (photographic film size)

Topic

Musicians

Race films

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman

Object number

2015.167.16.1ab

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

Usage

Usage conditions apply

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd531f705c7-b77c-472f-b7d5-e3a792a39c12

Sepia Cinderella

Directed by

Leonard, Arthur H., American, 1904 - 1956

Written by

Valentini, Vincent Andrew, American, 1895 - 1948

Edited by

Kemp, Jack

Subject of

Guyse, Sheila, American, 1925 - 2013

Daniels, Billy, American, 1915 - 1988

Tondaleyo, American, 1912 - 1998

Offley, Hilda, American, 1894 - 1968

Blakey, Ruble, American, 1911 - 1992

Richardson, Emory, American, 1894 - 1965

Carter, Jack, American, 1902 - 1967

Verwayne, Percy, American, 1895 - 1968

Freeman, Dusty

Williams, George

Gordon, Fred

Young, Al

Norton, Harold, American, 1912 - 1985

Date

1947

Medium

acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 70 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 1130 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 1250 Feet

Caption

A struggling songwriter finds a muse in his girlfriend, who inspires him write his next hit. After finding success, he falls under the sway of a beautiful club owner.

Description

A 16mm release print of the feature film Sepia Cinderella. It consists of two reels of positive, black-and-white, 16mm acetate film with variable-area optical sound. The first scene opens with a band performing for Barbara, the film’s protagonist, and her adoptive mother Mama Keyes. At the end of the performance, the band exits the room while Mama Keyes and Barbara remain behind, engaging in a conversation about their relationship and the death of Barbara’s parents. Later in the film, Barbara inspires her love interest, Bob, to write a song. After finding success in this latest song, Bob falls under the sway of a club owner named Vivian.

Place filmed

New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Place depicted

New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Collection title

Nieman Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Type

sound films

black-and-white films (visual works)

release prints (motion pictures)

feature films

16mm (photographic film size)

Topic

Business

Musicians

Race films

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman

Object number

2015.167.17.1ab

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

Usage

Usage conditions apply

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd52cf6bdf3-5d8a-4e60-9790-33e2c16fa81f

Son of Ingagi

Directed by

Kahn, Richard C., American, 1897 - 1960

Produced by

Kahn, Richard C., American, 1897 - 1960

Written by

Williams, Spencer, American, 1893-1969

Distributed by

Sack Amusement Enterprises, American, 1920 - 1979

Subject of

Williams, Spencer, American, 1893-1969

Williams, Zack, American, 1884 - 1958

Bowman, Laura, American, 1881 - 1957

Grant, Alfred, American, 1912 - 1984

Bufford, Daisy, American, 1913 - 1987

Graves, Jesse, American, 1879 - 1949

Ray, Arthur, American, 1888 - 1942

Morris, Earle, American, born 1897

The Four Toppers, American

Date

1940

Medium

acetate film, metal and cardboard

Dimensions

Duration: 70 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 1000 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 900 Feet

Description

A 16mm release print of the feature film Son of Ingagi. It consists of two reels of positive, black-and-white, 16mm acetate film (a) and (b) with variable-area optical sound. Two (2) metal film reels (c) and (d), and a film shipping box (e) also accompany the 16mm films. A pink and white label is taped onto the shipping box, with ["SON OF INGAGI"/ +/ "LYING LIPS"/ (SAFETY)] handwritten onto it in black ink; [WALD TRANSFER & STORAGE CO.] is printed on the bottom of the label in pink uppercase letters. There are three (3) other labels on the shipping box, all of which are blue and white. Two (2) of the other labels also have information handwritten onto them.

The film opens with a couple, Eleanor and Bob Lindsay, getting married inside a church. On their way out of the church, they are greeted by Mr. Bradshaw, a divorce attorney, who congratulates them on their nuptials. Shortly after, two other individuals, Dr. Helen Jackson and Detective Nelson join Mr. Bradshaw. The rest of the film follows Dr. Jackson’s attempt to conceal a creature she brought back from a recent trip to Africa.

Place filmed

United States, North and Central America

Place depicted

United States, North and Central America

Collection title

Nieman Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Type

sound films

black-and-white films (visual works)

release prints (motion pictures)

feature films

16mm (photographic film size)

Topic

Domestic life

Race films

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman

Object number

2015.167.18.1a-e

Restrictions & Rights

No known copyright restrictions

Usage

Not determined

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd59ad69fd2-7f52-4695-bf38-acd6246289ac

Spirit of Youth

Directed by

Fraser, Harry L., American, 1889 - 1974

Written by

Hoerl, Arthur, American, 1891 - 1968

Subject of

Louis, Joe, American, 1914 - 1981

Harris, Edna Mae, American, 1910 - 1997

Moreland, Mantan, American, 1902 - 1973

Southern, Tom, American, 1906 - 1980

Brooks, Jess Lee, American, 1894 - 1944

Whitten, Marguerite, American, 1913 - 1990

Brooks, Clarence, American, 1896 - 1969

Turner, Mae, American, 1908 - 1999

Muse, Clarence Edouard, American, 1889 - 1979

Desmond, Cleo, American, 1880 - 1958

Smith, Jewel

The Plantation Chior

The Creole Chorus

The Big Apple Dancers

Date

1938

Medium

acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 65 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 1300 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 1100 Feet

Description

2015.167.19.1ab: 16mm black and white films.

Jefferson Thomas, a black foundry worker, is seriously injured when a heavy castor falls on his legs. No longer able to support his family, Jefferson's young son, Joe, decides to leave school and take a job. Many years later, Joe, now grown, gives his family all his savings and leaves Birmingham to make something of himself. Joe hitchhikes to Detroit, where he gets a job as a dishwasher and meets Creighton "Crickie" Fitzgibbons. When Crickie and Joe lose their jobs, they find work at a storage and shipping company, but are soon fired from the job when a foreman hits Crickie and Joe knocks him out with one punch. Impressed with his fighting abilities, Crickie encourages Joe to enter the Golden Gloves boxing tournament, and he is soon billed in the newspapers as the 'Dark Destroyer'. After winning the finals, manager Frankie Walburn offers to handle him as a professional. Joe accepts after consulting with his mother Nora, who now lives in the city, and who tells him to be honest and fair. As Joe wins bouts, Flora Bailey, a nightclub singer at the Bluebird Cafe´, who is in cahoots with gambler Duke Emblin, takes an interest in him. Their involvement worries Frankie, whose concern that he is ignoring his training antagonizes Joe. When Mary and Joe's sister Eleanor, visit Flora, they implore her to help get Joe back on track, but because Duke is now betting against Joe, Flora encourages his nightlife and drinking. Joe is knocked out in a match, and as he prepares for the heavyweight championship bout against Jack Stanley, he confesses to Flora that he loves Mary. When Flora sees that he does not have his heart in the fight, she brings Mary, now a schoolteacher, to the ring, and her presence spurs Joe to defeat Stanley in a knockout. Afterwards, he and Mary are guests of honor at a banquet at which Flora sings"

Source: AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Accessed on August 12, 2016 (http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=2226)

Consists of: 16mm Flim (a).

Place filmed

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States, North and Central America

Place depicted

Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, United States, North and Central America

Detroit, Wayne County, Michigan, United States, North and Central America

New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Collection title

Nieman Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Type

sound films

black-and-white films (visual works)

release prints (motion pictures)

feature films

16mm (photographic film size)

Topic

Actors

Boxing

Families

Race films

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman

Object number

2015.167.19.1ab

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

Usage

Usage conditions apply

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5bf4e5135-24a5-455c-9f43-3a89238779e2

Swing!

Directed by

Oscar Micheaux, American, 1884 - 1951

Written by

Oscar Micheaux, American, 1884 - 1951

Produced by

Oscar Micheaux, American, 1884 - 1951

Subject of

Green, Cora, American, born 1895

Seymour, Larry, American, 1917 - 1989

Diaz, Hazel, American, 1908 - 1997

Alex Lovejoy, American, 1893 - 1946

Randolph, Amanda, American, 1896 - 1967

Smith, Trixie, American, 1900 - 1943

Newsome, Carman, 1912 - 1974

Reed, Nat

Gardiner, Sammy

Van Engle, Dorothy, American, 1910 - 2004

Armena, Doli, American, 1902 - 1975

Jackson, Columbus

Taylor, George

Date

1938

Medium

acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 65 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 1100 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 1400 Feet

Caption

Preparing for the premiere of his Broadway show, an aspiring producer experiences a number of setbacks due to his leading star.

Description

A 16mm release print of the feature film Swing!. It consists of two reels of positive, black-and-white, 16mm acetate film with variable-area optical sound.

In the opening scene, the protagonist, Mandy Jenkins, is awakened by an alarm clock which reads 6 o’clock. Mandy snoozes the alarm and exclaims, “Oh, Lordy, why do they invent alarm clocks anyway,” before going back to sleep. She’s awakened a second time and as she dresses herself, her husband, Cornell, enters the bedroom. The rest of the film follows a love triangle between Mandy, who is a cook for a wealthy white family, her husband Cornell and his mistress Eloise. The final scene shows Lena Powell threatening Cornell with physical harm if he breaks Mandy’s heart.

Place depicted

Birmingham, Jefferson County, Alabama, United States, North and Central America

Harlem, New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Place filmed

New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Collection title

Nieman Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Type

sound films

black-and-white films (visual works)

release prints (motion pictures)

feature films

16mm (photographic film size)

Topic

Actors

American South

Musicians

Nightlife

Race films

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman

Object number

2015.167.20.1ab

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

Usage

Usage conditions apply

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5bf60a0b4-44ad-4e91-aa3c-ad0f7f9cbe8a

Two-Gun Man from Harlem

Directed by

Kahn, Richard C., American, 1897 - 1960

Written by

Myton, Fred, American, 1885 - 1955

Kahn, Richard C., American, 1897 - 1960

Distributed by

Sack Amusement Enterprises, American, 1920 - 1979

Subject of

Jeffries, Herb, American, 1913 - 2014

Brooks, Clarence, American, 1896 - 1969

Moreland, Mantan, American, 1902 - 1973

Williams, Spencer, American, 1893-1969

Whitten, Marguerite, American, 1913 - 1990

Brooks, Jess Lee, American, 1894 - 1944

Southern, Tom, American, 1906 - 1980

Turner, Mae, American, 1908 - 1999

Beard, Mathew Jr., American, 1925 - 1981

Lincoln, Rosalie, American, 1909 - 1992

The Cats and the Fiddle, American, 1937 - 1951

The Four Tones, American

Blackman, Paul

Date

1938

Medium

acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 66 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 600 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 1600 Feet

Description

A 16mm release print of the feature film Two-Gun Man from Harlem. It consists of two reels of positive, black-and-white, 16mm acetate film with variable-density optical sound.

The film opens with Bob Blake, a cowboy, leading The Four Tones, a quartet, in a musical performance under a tree. A fifth man decides to join them in chorus, but Bob accuses him of being a bad singer. The rest of the film follows Bob, who is framed for his boss’ murder. Bob flees to Harlem, New York, where he meets Deacon, a Harlem gangster with whom he bears a striking resemblance. Deacon is murdered by rival gangsters and Bob ceases the opportunity to assume the dead man’s identity. In the closing scene, Bob explains to the sheriff that he is innocent, and the real murderer is arrested.

Place depicted

Wyoming, United States, North and Central America

Place filmed

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States, North and Central America

Place depicted

Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

Collection title

Nieman Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Type

sound films

black-and-white films (visual works)

release prints (motion pictures)

feature films

16mm (photographic film size)

Topic

Actors

American West

Hollywood (Film)

Race films

Urban life

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman

Object number

2015.167.21.1ab

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

Usage

Usage conditions apply

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd54617dbe0-c61d-4ef3-9f5c-8a440e1f9ffc

Boy! What A Girl

Directed by

Leonard, Arthur H., American, 1904 - 1956

Written by

Valentini, Vincent Andrew, American, 1895 - 1948

Produced by

Leonard, Arthur H., American, 1904 - 1956

Goldberg, Jack, ca. 1889 - 1959

Edited by

Kemp, Jack

Subject of

Moore, Tim, American, 1887 - 1958

Stewart, Slam, American, 1914 - 1987

Catlett, Sidney, American, 1910 - 1951

Smith, Elwood, American, 1913 - 1992

Williams, Duke

Jackson, Alan

Guyse, Sheila, American, 1925 - 2013

Betti Mays, American, 1923 - 2014

Lewis, Sybil, American, 1919 - 1988

Patterson, Warren

Wood, Milton

Composed by

Williams, Mary Lou, American, 1910 - 1981

Bishop McCollough, Walter, American, 1915 - 1991

Date

1947

Medium

acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 73 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 1200 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 1200 Feet

Description

A 16mm release print of a feature film entitled Boy! What a Girl. It consists of two reels of positive 16mm acetate film (a) and (b), is in black-and-white and contains sound. A single row of perforations runs along one edge, while a variable-area, optical-sound (audio on film) track runs along the other.

The first scene opens with a street view of New York City. At one point, a street sign which reads [W. 138 / ST. NICHOLAS AVE / 8th AVE SUBY STA] comes into focus on the screen. The footage then quickly jumps to a man playing a double base as four other individuals listen. At the end of his performance, Bumpsie, who is one of the four and wears a long dress, falls to the floor and the other listeners laugh.

The rest of the film follows two musical producers, Jim Walton and Harry Diggs, who struggle with finding investors to finance their latest show. Mr. Cummings, the father of Jim’s love interest, agrees to invest in their enterprise on one condition: the two producers must convince a Parisian impresario, Madame Deborah, to finance the film as well. The producers convince Bumpsie to pose as Madame Deborah. Everything goes as planned, until the real Madame Deborah shows up.

Place depicted

New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Place filmed

New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Collection title

Nieman Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Type

sound films

black-and-white films (visual works)

release prints (motion pictures)

feature films

16mm (photographic film size)

Topic

Comedy

Jazz (Music)

Race films

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman

Object number

2015.167.1.1ab

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

Usage

Usage conditions apply

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5e2232e61-7321-4091-b2ef-ac171c6176b6

Junction 88

Directed by

Quigley, George P., American

Subject of

Howard, Bob, American, 1906 - 1986

Markham, Dewey, American, 1904 - 1981

Mitchell, Abbie, American, 1884 - 1960

Sissle, Noble, American, 1889 - 1975

Young, Al

Clark, Wyatt

Cooke, Marie, American, 1921 - 2011

McGinty, Artie Belle, American, 1892 - 1963

Smith, Augustus Julius, American, 1891 - 1964

Wiltshire, George, American, 1901 - 1976

Bozan, Alonzo, American, 1886 - 1959

Junior, Herbert

Simmons, Maude, American, 1893 - 1977

Date

1948

Medium

acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 50 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 1000 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 1000 Feet

Description

2015.167.11.1ab: 16mm black and white films.

In the small town of Junction 88, young black musician Buster Jenkins plays a love song on the piano for his sweetheart, Lolly Simpson. Meanwhile, out on the Simpsons' porch, Lolly's father, "Pop" Simpson, tells "Mom" Simpson and Buster's mother that he will not give his consent for his daughter to marry Buster because he believes that the struggling musician will not be able to make a decent living. Although the mothers defend Buster as a good, God-fearing, churchgoing boy, Pop continues to favor the hard-working, hard-drinking Onnie as his future son-in-law. Miles away from Junction 88, music agent Bob Howard and his colleague Piggy discover in their mail what they believe will be a hit song. Determined to sign the song's composer, "Hewlett Green," Bob and Piggy set out for Junction 88, the town from which the song was sent. When they arrive, Bob and Piggy are amazed to discover that no one in Junction 88 has ever heard of Hewlett Green. Bob and Piggy continue their fruitless search for Hewlett Green and enlist the help of a young boy named Chinka Pin, who spends much of his time singing at the town barber shop. Later, Bob and Piggy meet Lolly, who introduces them to her friend Caroline. Bob falls instantly in love with Caroline, and the four attend a benefit concert that Buster has organized at the church. Before the concert begins, Lolly introduces Bob and Piggy to Buster, and they are granted permission from Buster to perform in the concert. Noble Sissle and his orchestra play after Chinka Pin sings the National Anthem. Bob and Piggy close the concert with three songs. Lolly notices that Buster is upset about something, but he keeps his troubles to himself and tells her that he is not ready to reveal what is upsetting him. Bob and Piggy put the word out that they want to sign Hewlett Green to a long-term contract. The search quickly comes to an end, however, when Buster steps forward in church and reveals that he has been writing songs under the assumed name of Hewlett Green. After signing a contract with Bob and Piggy, Buster takes Lolly's hand in marriage.

Source: AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Accessed on August 10, 2016 (http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=27661)

Place filmed

United States, North and Central America

Collection title

Nieman Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Type

sound films

black-and-white films (visual works)

release prints (motion pictures)

feature films

16mm (photographic film size)

Topic

Instrumentalists (Musicians)

Race films

Rural life

Singers (Musicians)

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman

Object number

2015.167.11.1ab

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

Usage

Usage conditions apply

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5ee5a35a5-c4f1-4a71-b3f5-4da7d4f3451c

Junction 88

Directed by

Quigley, George P., American

Subject of

Howard, Bob, American, 1906 - 1986

Markham, Dewey, American, 1904 - 1981

Mitchell, Abbie, American, 1884 - 1960

Sissle, Noble, American, 1889 - 1975

Clark, Wyatt

Cooke, Marie, American, 1921 - 2011

Smith, Augustus Julius, American, 1891 - 1964

Mitchell, Abbie, American, 1884 - 1960

McGinty, Artie Belle, American, 1892 - 1963

Wiltshire, George, American, 1901 - 1976

Junior, Herbert

Bozan, Alonzo, American, 1886 - 1959

Simmons, Maude, American, 1893 - 1977

Young, Al

Date

1948

Medium

acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 50 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 1000 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 1000 Feet

Description

2015.167.11.2ab: 16mm black and white films.

2015.167.11.2cd: Original metal film reels.

2015.167.11.2e: Original cardboard film shipping box. A label on the side of the film shippping box reads [FOR TRANSFER/ JUNCTION 88].

In the small town of Junction 88, young black musician Buster Jenkins plays a love song on the piano for his sweetheart, Lolly Simpson. Meanwhile, out on the Simpsons' porch, Lolly's father, "Pop" Simpson, tells "Mom" Simpson and Buster's mother that he will not give his consent for his daughter to marry Buster because he believes that the struggling musician will not be able to make a decent living. Although the mothers defend Buster as a good, God-fearing, churchgoing boy, Pop continues to favor the hard-working, hard-drinking Onnie as his future son-in-law. Miles away from Junction 88, music agent Bob Howard and his colleague Piggy discover in their mail what they believe will be a hit song. Determined to sign the song's composer, "Hewlett Green," Bob and Piggy set out for Junction 88, the town from which the song was sent. When they arrive, Bob and Piggy are amazed to discover that no one in Junction 88 has ever heard of Hewlett Green. Bob and Piggy continue their fruitless search for Hewlett Green and enlist the help of a young boy named Chinka Pin, who spends much of his time singing at the town barber shop. Later, Bob and Piggy meet Lolly, who introduces them to her friend Caroline. Bob falls instantly in love with Caroline, and the four attend a benefit concert that Buster has organized at the church. Before the concert begins, Lolly introduces Bob and Piggy to Buster, and they are granted permission from Buster to perform in the concert. Noble Sissle and his orchestra play after Chinka Pin sings the National Anthem. Bob and Piggy close the concert with three songs. Lolly notices that Buster is upset about something, but he keeps his troubles to himself and tells her that he is not ready to reveal what is upsetting him. Bob and Piggy put the word out that they want to sign Hewlett Green to a long-term contract. The search quickly comes to an end, however, when Buster steps forward in church and reveals that he has been writing songs under the assumed name of Hewlett Green. After signing a contract with Bob and Piggy, Buster takes Lolly's hand in marriage.

Source: AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Accessed on August 10, 2016 (http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=27661)

Place filmed

United States, North and Central America

Collection title

Nieman Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Type

motion pictures (information artifacts)

sound films

black-and-white films (visual works)

release prints (motion pictures)

feature films

16mm (photographic film size)

Topic

Instrumentalists (Musicians)

Race films

Rural life

Singers (Musicians)

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman

Object number

2015.167.11.2ab

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

Usage

Usage conditions apply

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5f44c06e7-409c-45bf-b5f7-3c42cf3712ed

Lying Lips

Directed by

Oscar Micheaux, American, 1884 - 1951

Produced by

Oscar Micheaux, American, 1884 - 1951

Written by

Oscar Micheaux, American, 1884 - 1951

Subject of

Harris, Edna Mae, American, 1910 - 1997

Newsome, Carman, 1912 - 1974

Jones, Robert Earl, American, 1910 - 2006

Williams, Frances, American, 1908 - 1995

Thornton, Cherokee, Bahamian, 1880 - 1968

LaTorre, Charles, American, 1894 - 1990

Paquin, Robert, American, 1915 - 1982

Reynolds, George

Randolph, Amanda, American, 1896 - 1967

Hale, Teddy, American, 1926 - 1959

Thompson, Slim

Williams, Gladys, American

Juano Hernández, 1896 - 1970

Gines, Henry

Leo, Don De, Italian, 1904 - 1979

Date

1939

Medium

acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 56 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 1100 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 1000 Feet

Description

2015.167.13.1ab: 16mm black and white films.

2015.167.13.1cd: Original metal, 16mm film reels.

2015.167.13.1e: 35mm Film Canister.

Nightclub singer, Elsie Bellwood, refuses to go out with two Italian customers who want to sponsor a party with some of the showgirls, despite the urgings of her white boss, Farina. Farina decides to call on her black manager, Benjamin Hadnott, to try to convince her, but Ben refuses and quits his job. That evening, Elsie has dinner with Ben, who tells her that he has been studying to become a detective. Believing he is trying to conceal his unemployment, Elsie decides to take care of Ben until he gets a new job. One evening, Elsie is summoned to her Aunt Josie's, only to find that Josie has been killed. When the police arrive, the white police lieutenant decides to arrest Elsie, even though black detective Wanzer believes she is innocent. Desperate, Elsie gives Ben's address to Wanzer, and he and Ben agree to do what they can to help her. Elizabeth Green, Elsie's cousin, suggests a possible motive for the murder when she tells the police that Elsie had taken out a large insurance policy on her aunt. Meanwhile, Elsie's cousins, "John" and "Clyde," who have been hired by Farina to replace Ben, claim they saw Elsie leave the club for a half hour around the time of the murder. Although she denies their statement, Elsie is convicted of the murder. When Ben and Wanzer learn that "Ned" Green, Elizabeth's husband, was in love with Josie, they question Reverend Bryson, a longtime friend of the family, who tells them the story of Ned: Elizabeth forced Ned to marry her by tricking him into believing that she was pregnant. When Ned found out that she had lied, he left her without waiting for an annulment. Elizabeth and her unscrupulous brothers then followed Ned to the north, where he went to be near his true love, Josie. John and Clyde eventually found Ned and forced him to return to Elizabeth. Now, years later, Ned has disappeared again, and to help find him, Ben suggests that he and Wanzer abduct John and tell him they are taking him for a ride to haunted Tolston Manor. When they accuse John of killing Josie, he admits that he lied to shift the blame to Elsie. Ned, it is learned, decided he would kill Josie if she did not run away with him. When the police realize that the frame-up was planned in order to get the insurance money from Elsie, Elsie is released from prison. Once reunited with Ben, Elsie gives him the money, which he puts into a trust fund for their 'children'.

Source: AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Accessed August 11, 2016 (http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=2284)

Place filmed

New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Place depicted

United States, North and Central America

Collection title

Nieman Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Type

sound films

black-and-white films (visual works)

release prints (motion pictures)

feature films

35mm (photographic film size)

Topic

Musicians

Nightlife

Race films

Urban life

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman

Object number

2015.167.13.1ab

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

Usage

Usage conditions apply

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5b93e704c-b658-4c4c-bfb9-831054cc9ee2

Midnight Shadow

Directed by

Randol, George Elwood, American, 1895 - 1973

Hawkins, Charles, American

Produced by

Randol, George Elwood, American, 1895 - 1973

Subject of

Dandridge, Ruby, American, 1900 - 1987

Redd, Frances, American, 1917 - 1993

Woods, Buck, American, 1905 - 1974

Brooks, Jess Lee, American, 1894 - 1944

Criner, John L., American, 1898 - 1965

Robinson, Ollie Ann

Rosemond, Clinton, American, 1882 - 1966

Brandon, Edward, American, 1907 - 1980

Bates, Richard

Webster, Pete, American, 1905 - 1988

Simposon, Napoleon, American, 1902 - 1967

Distributed by

Sack Amusement Enterprises, American, 1920 - 1979

Date

1939

Medium

acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 57 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 700 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 1240 Feet

Description

2015.167.14.1ab: 16mm black and white films.

Mr. Wilson, a Texas landowner rich with oil, is murdered. Two young family friends set out to uncover the murderer. They journey to Shreveport where the crime is solved.

Over her mother Emma's objections, Margaret Wilson, an impressionable small-town beauty, encourages the romantic interests of the refined Prince Alihabad and rejects her longtime admirer, the sincere but poor Buster Barnett. Unknown to Margaret, Alihabad is a charlatan from the vaudeville circuit, whose interest in the East Texas oil field that her father Dan has set aside for her wedding present appears to be more than passing. After Dan shows him where the oil land deed is kept, Alihabad asks Margaret to leave with him on an extended overseas trip. While Margaret debates and finally rejects Alihabad's dubious invitation, a man watches her house. Later the man breaks into the Wilsons' home and, after drugging Emma and Dan, steals the deed. Margaret discovers her father dead the next morning and telephones Ernest Lingley, whose bumbling son Jr. is an aspiring private detective. While Jr. and his equally ineffectual partner, Lightfoot, rush to the crime scene, homicide detective Sergeant Ramsey questions Buster, who casts suspicion on Alihabad. Ramsey, who has learned that Dan had contacted an oil developer in Shreveport, Louisiana, about his land, orders his men to locate Alihabad, Jr. and Lightfoot take off for Shreveport. There they inform John Mason, the oil company agent, to expect a man to approach him with the Wilson deed. Mason notifies the local police, while Jr. and Lightfoot cover the train depot. Later that night, the killer shows up at Mason's office, presents the stolen deed, then demands cash for it at knifepoint. At the same time, Jr. and Lightfoot, having spent the day in fruitless pursuit, return to Mason's office just in time to alert the police and apprehend the killer. The mystery of Dan's death solved, Ramsey then corners Alihabad, who reveals his fakery and loses Margaret to the deserving, faithful Buster.

Sources:

AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Accessed August 11, 2016 (http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=2243)

WorldCat. Accessed August 11, 2016 (https://www.worldcat.org/title/midnight-shadow/oclc/15160578&referer=brief_results)

Place depicted

Oklahoma, United States, North and Central America

Place filmed

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, United States, North and Central America

Collection title

Nieman Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Type

sound films

black-and-white films (visual works)

release prints (motion pictures)

feature films

16mm (photographic film size)

Topic

American South

Business

Race films

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman

Object number

2015.167.14.1ab

Restrictions & Rights

Public Domain

Usage

Not determined

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd54f6bfb02-482a-4e19-9a6d-6b44cb25ec7e

Black and Tan Fantasy

Directed by

Murphy, Dudley, United States, 1897 - 1968

Subject of

Ellington, Duke, American, 1899 - 1974

Washington, Fredi, United States, 1903 - 1994

Cotton Club, American, 1923 - 1940

Alex Lovejoy, American, 1893 - 1946

Date

1929

Medium

acetate film, metal and cardboard

Dimensions

Duration: 20 Minutes

Length (Film): 700 Feet

Description

A 16mm release print of a feature film entitled Black and Tan Fantasy. It consists of a single reel of positive 16mm acetate film (a), is in black-and-white and contains sound. A single row of perforations runs along one edge, while a variable-area, optical-sound (audio on film) track runs along the other.

A metal film reel (b), a film cannister (c) and a cardboard shipping box (d) also accompany the 16mm acetate film strip. The film reel and cannister are both brown. The shipping box, which is also brown, has black metal corners as well as black straps made of fabric.

In the opening scene, two men wearing suits sit and play musical instruments. Duke Ellington, who is one of the musicians, plays the piano with his back turned to the camera while the other man plays a trumpet.

The film continues to tell the story of Duke’s struggles and his girlfriend’s attempts to assist him by dancing in his show in order to cement its success, even though she knows her heart condition will ultimately not allow her to survive the performance.

Place filmed

Astoria, New York City, Queens County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Place depicted

Harlem, New York City, New York County, New York, United States, North and Central America

Collection title

Nieman Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Type

sound films

black-and-white films (visual works)

release prints (motion pictures)

short subjects

16mm (photographic film size)

Topic

Jazz (Music)

Musicians

Race films

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman

Object number

2015.167.2.1a-d

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

Usage

Usage conditions apply

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5b89ef076-c509-46ed-b8a8-1cb5abc32ebf

Broken Strings

Directed by

Ray, Bernard B, Russian, 1895 - 1964

Written by

Muse, Clarence Edouard, American, 1889 - 1979

Created by

Ray, Bernard B, Russian, 1895 - 1964

Subject of

Lewis, Sybil, American, 1919 - 1988

Washington, William, American, 1924 - 1982

Moore, Tommie, American, 1917 - 2004

Beard, Mathew Jr., American, 1925 - 1981

Webster, Pete, American, 1905 - 1988

Thompson, Edward, American, 1898 - 1960

Woods, Buck, American, 1905 - 1974

Jones, Darby, American, 1910 - 1986

Brooks, Jess Lee, American, 1894 - 1944

Morris, Earle, American, born 1897

The Stevens Sisters, American

Carpenter, Elliot, American, 1894 - 1982

Date

1940

Medium

acetate film

Dimensions

Duration: 60 Minutes

Length (Film Reel 1): 1300 Feet

Length (Film Reel 2): 900 Feet

Description

A 16mm release print of a feature film entitled Broken Strings. It consists of a single reel of positive 16mm acetate film (a), is in black-and-white and contains sound. A single row of perforations runs along one edge, while a variable-area, optical-sound (audio on film) track runs along the other.

In the opening scene, a man plays the violin at a concert as his family watches his performance from the wings and audience members smile. At the end of his performance, the audience applauds, and he returns to the wings, hands his son his violin before returning to the stage a third time and addressing the audience.

The rest of the film follows the violinist, whose career abruptly ends when he suffers a hand injury in a motor vehicle accident. His hopes of passing his classical training and success to his son are challenged when he learns his son prefers swing music to refined classical.

Place depicted

United States, North and Central America

Place filmed

United States, North and Central America

Collection title

Nieman Film Collection

Classification

Media Arts-Film and Video

Type

sound films

black-and-white films (visual works)

release prints (motion pictures)

feature films

16mm (photographic film size)

Topic

Domestic life

Drama (Theatre)

Jazz (Music)

Musicians

Race films

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Randall and Sam Nieman

Object number

2015.167.3.1ab

Restrictions & Rights

Unknown - Restrictions Possible

Usage

Usage conditions apply

GUID

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd57e39ee1a-f15b-4b71-b718-7bdea9ddeb51