- Directed by
- Micheaux, Oscar, American, 1884 - 1951
- Written by
- Micheaux, Oscar, American, 1884 - 1951
- Produced by
- Micheaux, Oscar, American, 1884 - 1951
- Distributed by
- Micheaux Film and Book Company, American, 1918 - 1940
- Subject of
- Robeson, Paul, American, 1898 - 1976
- Chenault, Lawrence, American, 1877 - 1943
- Gilbert, Mercedes, American, 1894 - 1952
- Created by
- Russell, Julia Theresa, American, 1898 - 2000
- Owned by
- D.C. Public Library, American, founded 1896
- Date
- 1925
- Medium
- polyester film
- Dimensions
- Duration: 33 Minutes
- Length (Film): 1200 Feet
- Caption
- 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
- Reel two of a 1925 silent film with the title Body and Soul. It consists of a single reel of 16mm black-and-white polyester film without a sound track.
- The film tells the story of an escaped prisoner on the run (played by Paul Robeson) who returns to his hometown, Tatesville, an African American town in the state of Georgia. Upon his return, the escapee assumes the identity of a clergyman, Reverend Isiah T. Jenkins, but continues attending the local juke joint surreptitiously, gambling and drinking with some frequency. On one occasion he happens upon Yellow-Curley Hinds (Lawrence Chenault), a former cellmate who recognizes him and the two conspire to rob some of the parishioners. Reverend Jenkins decides to rob Martha Jane (Mercedes Gilbert), one of the women in his congregation, of her life savings, while Martha Jane is intent on ensuring her daughter Isabelle (Julia Theresa Russell) marries the reverend. Isabelle, however, is not in love with Rev. Jenkins. Instead, her affection belongs to the reverend's estranged identical twin brother Sylvester (also played by Paul Robeson).
- Place used
- Washington, District of Columbia, United States, North and Central America
- Place depicted
- Georgia, United States, North and Central America
- Collection title
- DC Public Library Film Collection
- Classification
- Time-based Media - Moving Images
- Topic
- Actors
- Communities
- Film
- Race films
- Religion
- Credit Line
- Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
- Object number
- 2017.55.80.1a
- Restrictions & Rights
- Restrictions likely apply. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.




