Paradise In Harlem / Burlesque in Harlem
With powerful performances by a strong cast, first-rate camerawork and editing, and great naturalistic direction by Joseph Seiden, Paradise in Harlem marks one of the high points in the all-black cinema of the 30s and 40s. The climactic Othello sequence, with its unique audience participation, is a powerful and cathartic portrayal of the final redemption of the aging comic, played with passion by Frank Wilson.
Starring Frank Wilson, Mamie Smith, Edna Mae Harris, Norman Astwood; Directed by Joseph Seiden.
Burlesque in Harlem (1949, B&W): A provocative peek at a typical 1950 Harlem burlesque show, complete with racy slapstick comedy, bawdy blues singers, slick tap dancers, and voluptuous exotic showgirls in minimal attire. Legendary black comic, Pigmeat Markham, makes an appearance in a clever, fast-talking sketch about a sex clinic. Though tame by contemporary standards, these acts were definitely considered to be "adult entertainment" at the time. Burlesque in Harlem is a fascinating look at how society's mores have changed in the last half century.
Featuring Pigmeat Markham, George Wilshire, Dick Barrow, Jojo Adams, HuckleBuck Jones, Tarza Young, Slip & Slide, Princess d'Orsay; Directed by William Alexander.
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