Hallelujah

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Hallelujah

1929

1h 46m

Musical

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

86%

Tomatometer

14 Reviews

57%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

Zeke Johnson (Daniel L. Haynes) and his brother, Spunk (Everett McGarrity), sell their family's crops for $100. When Zeke manages to lose the money gambling, due to his shifty girlfriend, Chick (Nina Mae McKinney), a fight ensues in which Spunk is killed. This causes Zeke to leave and seek a religious life. Years later, he returns to his hometown as a preacher, bringing his fiancée, Missy Rose (Victoria Spivey). However, Chick is still interested and knows how to manipulate him.

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TIME Staff

TIME Magazine

09/12/2019

Vidor's skill as a picturemaker is enough alone to make Hallelujah one of the best films of the year.

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Mordaunt Hall

New York Times

09/12/2019

A most impressive audible film.

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Variety Staff

Variety

02/23/2012

Vidor's strict adherence to realism is so effective at times it is stark and uncanny.

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André Bazin

L'Obs (France)

12/08/2021

Great cinematographic events like Hallelujah are thus always the fruit of great sociological events. Indeed, this film is an eternal testament that transcends both its author-director and the history of cinema itself.

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D. Winter Hall

New Zealand Herald

02/10/2021

Hallelujah should be seen for the cast alone.

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Ralph Matthews

Baltimore Afro-American

07/15/2020

Surely no dissenting voice could be raised against the singing.

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Twat

11/06/2023

One of the best films to come out of 1929. Also the first sound film with an all-black cast; pretty cool.

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03/10/2022

Groundbreaking at the time it was made

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12/14/2021

King Vidor always wanted to make an all black feature. This was his chance. Zeke, a poor cotton farmer falls for Chick who's a honky tonk girl. After his younger brother gets killed, Zeke repents and becomes a preacher. Chick sees Zeke perform and initially makes fun of him but when she feels alone while the rest of the congregation follows him, she also repents. Zeke falls for Chick.

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09/04/2021

Amazing movie one of my favorites

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06/25/2019

Great movie amazing movie

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11/22/2014

Perhaps a little shaky in the narrative department, but the acting and music are some of my all-time favorites. Tyler Perry should take note on how to make a respectable black drama.

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King Vidor

Director

Daniel L. Haynes

Zekial 'Zeke' Johnson

Nina Mae McKinney

Chick

William Fountaine

Hot Shot

Harry Gray

Pappy 'Parson' Johnson

Fannie Belle DeKnight

Mammy Johnson

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Synopsis

Zeke Johnson (Daniel L. Haynes) and his brother, Spunk (Everett McGarrity), sell their family's crops for $100. When Zeke manages to lose the money gambling, due to his shifty girlfriend, Chick (Nina Mae McKinney), a fight ensues in which Spunk is killed. This causes Zeke to leave and seek a religious life. Years later, he returns to his hometown as a preacher, bringing his fiancée, Missy Rose (Victoria Spivey). However, Chick is still interested and knows how to manipulate him.

Director: King Vidor
Screenwriter: Wanda Tuchock, Ransom Rideout, Richard Schayer
Distributor: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Distributing Corp.
Production Co: Metro Goldwyn Mayer
Genre: Musical
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 20, 1929, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 1, 2009
Runtime: 1h 46m
Sound Mix: Mono

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