Directed by
Vidor, King, American, 1894 - 1982
Subject of
Haynes, Daniel Louis, American, 1889 - 1954
McKinney, Nina Mae, American, 1912 - 1967
Fountaine, William, American, 1897 - 1945
DeKnight, Fanny Belle, American, 1869 - 1950
Spivey, Victoria, American, 1906 - 1976
Gray, Harry
Dickerson, Milton
Couch, Robert, American, 1920 - 1977
Dixie Jubilee Singers, American, ca.1920s - 1930s
Composed by
Berlin, Irving, American, 1888 - 1989
Owned by
D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
Date
1929
Medium
polyester film
Dimensions
Duration (Reel 1): 30 Minutes
Length (Film): 1100 Feet
Duration (Reel 2): 37 Minutes
Length (Film): 1300 Feet
Duration (Reel 3): 31 Minutes
Length (Film): 1150 Feet
Caption
Hallelujah was the first sound film starring an all-Black cast. Centering the classic good versus evil narrative, Hallelujah tells the story of a black tenant farmer struggling to take care of his family whilst fighting the temptation of the streets--i.e. violence, gambling, and wayward women. Directed by King Vidor in 1929, Vidor received an Academy Award nomination at the first Academy Award ceremony in 1929.
This film was a part of the Washington D.C. Public Library's circulating 16mm film collection housed at the Martin Luther King Jr. Central Library. The collection is particularly noted for the wide variety of African American and African diaspora content.
Description
A musical film with the title Hallelujah. It consists of three (3) reels of black-and-white 16mm polyester film with variable-area optical sound.
The film, which has an all-black cast, follows a sharecropper named Zeke (Daniel Hayes) who, plagued with financial struggles and competing vices, flees his community and becomes a Baptist preacher following a physical altercation which results in his younger brother Spunk's (Everett McGarrity) accidental death. After reinventing himself as a preacher, Zeke begins a romantic relationship with Missy Rose (Victoria Spivey) but is ultimately seduced by Chick (Nina Mae McKinney), who was indirectly involved in his brother's death. Hot Shot (William Fountaine), Chick's longtime lover who had previously cheated Zeke out of a small fortune, runs off with Chick and both meet untimely deaths.
Place used
Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
Place filmed
Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, North and Central America
Arkansas, United States, North and Central America
Collection title
DC Public Library Film Collection
Classification
Time-based Media - Moving Images
Type
sound films
black-and-white films (visual works)
feature films
16mm (photographic film size)
Topic
Actors
Dance
Film
Music
Musical films
Popular music
Singers (Musicians)
Stereotypes
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Object number
2017.55.52.1abc
Restrictions & Rights
Restrictions likely apply
Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd55b602c11-d7b1-41c0-9ee0-7cc4432681b4

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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