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Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970) 6.5
Gravedigger Jones and Coffin Ed Johnson are two black cops with a reputation for breaking the odd head. Both are annoyed at the success of the Reverend Deke O'Mailey who is selling trips ... See full summary » Director:Ossie Davis |
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Title: Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970)
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1 win & 1 nomination.
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Cast
| Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
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Godfrey Cambridge | ... | |
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Raymond St. Jacques | ... | |
| Calvin Lockhart | ... |
Rev. Deke O'Malley
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Judy Pace | ... |
Iris
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| Redd Foxx | ... |
Uncle Budd /
Booker Washington Sims
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Emily Yancy | ... |
Mabel
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| John Anderson | ... |
Capt. Bryce
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Lou Jacobi | ... |
Goodman
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| Eugene Roche | ... |
Lt. Anderson
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| J.D. Cannon | ... |
Calhoun
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Mabel Robinson | ... |
Billie
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Dick Sabol | ... |
Jarema
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| Cleavon Little | ... |
Lo Boy
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Teddy Wilson | ... |
Barry
(as Theodore Wilson)
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Maxwell Glanville | ... |
Caspar
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
Gravedigger Jones and Coffin Ed Johnson are two black cops with a reputation for breaking the odd head. Both are annoyed at the success of the Reverend Deke O'Mailey who is selling trips back to Africa to the poor on the installment plan. When his truck is hijacked and a bale of cotton stuffed with money is lost in the chase, Harlem is turned upside down by Gravedigger and Coffin Ed, the Reverend, and the hijackers. Much of the humor is urban black, which was unusual in 1970. Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net>
Taglines:
Introducing COFFIN ED and GRAVEDIGGER, two detectives only a mother could love.Parents Guide:
View content advisory »
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
27 May 1970 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Algodón en Harlem See more »Filming Locations:
Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USABox Office
Budget:
$1,200,000 (estimated)Company Credits
Show detailed
company contact information
on
IMDbPro »
Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
Color (DeLuxe Color)Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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Music by Galt MacDermot
Lyrics by Joseph S. Lewis
Sung by George Aliceson Tipton (as George Tipton)
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Did You Know?
Goofs
During the car chase, the mirror on the driver's side of the police car gets shot off. Once the police car collides with the watermelon cart a few seconds later, the mirror reappears. See more »Soundtracks
Cotton Comes To HarlemMusic by Galt MacDermot
Lyrics by Joseph S. Lewis
Sung by George Aliceson Tipton (as George Tipton)
See more »
"Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song" is usually credited as the first blaxploitation film. Its really shouldn't be for several reasons. First off, its a more serious urban drama. And plus, "Cotton Comes to Harlem" was released a year earlier. "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song" is an important and influential film no doubt, but its not a very good one. In fact, I've yet to meet anyone who's actually made it through the whole thing. On the other hand, "Cotton Comes to Harlem" is just as funny and exciting today as when it came out, despite a few dated elements that some will find politically incorrect. Please, credit either this or "Shaft" as the first blaxploitation film, because "Sweet Sweetback" is really lame.
One of the films strengths is the chemistry between the stars. As Gravedigger Jones and Coffin Ed, Godfrey Cambridge and Raymond St. Jacques make a great team that plays off each other perfectly. Plus, Calvin Lockhart plays one of the sleaziest and pathetic film villains of the era and Judy Pace is absolutely beautiful. The direction by Ossie Davis keeps this film moving at a very quick pace. Granted, he never tops the first twenty minutes for excitement (the car chase early on is amazing), but the rest of the film is quite good when viewed on its own. This is a film that exists to entertain and does so very well. Its as exciting as "Shaft" and as funny as "Dolemite", only this time the laughs are intentional. (7/10)