It's film noir from an early African American movie producer. It's set in 1932 and 1935 in Harlem, New York. It tells the story of the murder of a white woman initially blamed on an African American watchman at the factory.
In 1935 Arthur Vance (Lorenzo McClane) was one of two African American watchmen at a chemical company in Harlem. The company's director, Anthony Brisbane (Andrew S. Bishop), asks him to come to the office briefly in the afternoon but then sends him home and tells him to return at 6:00 pm. Later on his shift, Vance discovers the body of a young white woman. The police and several notes at the scene point the finger at him.
The film then flashes back to 1932, where we meet African American Henry Glory (Clarence Brooks) selling a novel he authored door-to-door. Misunderstanding the directions of a buyer who recommends a potential purchaser across the street, Henry arrives at a different door and meets and is attracted to Claudia Vance (Dorothy Van Engle), a good-looking young woman who also buys a book. Unfortunately, next door to Claudia's apartment is a place run by the Catbird (Bee Freeman), a shady operation. On a later visit, Henry is robbed and thinks Claudia has set him up.
Back in 1935, we learn that Claudia is Arthur Vance's brother. Henry Glory is now an attorney, and Claudia asks him to represent Arthur. Together, they try to solve the mystery. We meet the other watchman, Lem (Alec Lovejoy), the white woman who was murdered, and her volatile boyfriend.
"Murder in Harlem" is valuable from a history-of-film perspective. The acting is clunky, and the surviving film has a few gaps that make some scenes choppy. But the movie includes some awesome African American music of the era. Oscar Micheaux is the earliest essential African American movie producer, beginning in the silent film era.
In 1935 Arthur Vance (Lorenzo McClane) was one of two African American watchmen at a chemical company in Harlem. The company's director, Anthony Brisbane (Andrew S. Bishop), asks him to come to the office briefly in the afternoon but then sends him home and tells him to return at 6:00 pm. Later on his shift, Vance discovers the body of a young white woman. The police and several notes at the scene point the finger at him.
The film then flashes back to 1932, where we meet African American Henry Glory (Clarence Brooks) selling a novel he authored door-to-door. Misunderstanding the directions of a buyer who recommends a potential purchaser across the street, Henry arrives at a different door and meets and is attracted to Claudia Vance (Dorothy Van Engle), a good-looking young woman who also buys a book. Unfortunately, next door to Claudia's apartment is a place run by the Catbird (Bee Freeman), a shady operation. On a later visit, Henry is robbed and thinks Claudia has set him up.
Back in 1935, we learn that Claudia is Arthur Vance's brother. Henry Glory is now an attorney, and Claudia asks him to represent Arthur. Together, they try to solve the mystery. We meet the other watchman, Lem (Alec Lovejoy), the white woman who was murdered, and her volatile boyfriend.
"Murder in Harlem" is valuable from a history-of-film perspective. The acting is clunky, and the surviving film has a few gaps that make some scenes choppy. But the movie includes some awesome African American music of the era. Oscar Micheaux is the earliest essential African American movie producer, beginning in the silent film era.
