Go Down, Death!

In reviewing movies featuring people of color in chronological order for Black History Month, we're now at 1944 when director/actor Spencer Williams made this parable about the dangers of deliberately falsifying a scandal of a decent preacher in order to keep one's bar in business. The man of the cloth is played by real-life reverend Samuel H. James as Jasper with Williams as the bar owner. I'll just now say that while the whole thing can be a bit heavy handed and perhaps in-your-face, the intentions were heartfelt and still effective. One has to admit, though, those "fly chicks" that attempted to tease Jasper were fine especially the one that showed some leg! And those images of Hell can be a little haunting. If there's some demerits, it's that the acting and film stock are very amateurish. Still, it's the intention that counts. So on that note, Go Down, Death! is worth a look. P.S. The forward at the beginning acknowledges the poem the title is based on by James Weldon Johnson who was born in Jacksonville, FL, which is where I once lived from 1987-2003.

Spencer Williams's film Go Down Death is a low budget allegory about what some really serious sin will get you in the afterlife. Given this isn't exactly done on a DeMille like budget you have to give it A for effort.

Preacher Samuel H. James is preaching against the sinful activities going on at Spencer Williams's juke joint so Williams decides to set up Jones with some compromising pictures with some loose women. But Williams's aunt Mya Hemings is one of his parishioners gets a hold of the blackmail pictures and Williams kills her for them.

After that the film is quite surreal, but effective given its budget. It's an interesting insight into the culture of the black churches of the time.

Like Spencer Williams's other religious films, this is crudely filmed on a shoestring budget. There are two most interesting elements, however. First, Spencer Williams portrays a serious villain, which is rare; he usually stuck to comic roles. Second, the minister's funeral sermon, which is intended to be the dramatic highlight, is based on the poem "Go Down Death" by James Weldon Johnson.

I don't know if watching these early "sepia" films changed my life, but I certainly look at the USA differently now that I've seen a few of them. A note: Spencer Williams didn't play the preacher, as I said in the earlier review. I'd have to see it again to be sure, but I think he played the murderer.

had to watch it for history of film class.... i understand why because of the racism in the the 30s and 40s and lack of African Americans in cinema... but M. Night Shalalalalaman and Branden Frasier couldn't make this film worse The audio is bad due to lack of funds, and the editing is riddled with jump cuts and i think it would have been a lot better and the acting and script understood more if it had been performed by third graders..there really is nothing beneficial one can get out of this film. except to understand that African Americans were basically shut out of Hollywood and forced to make mega ultra extreme low budget movies