Cotton Comes to Harlem

R

Released May 27, 1970

1h 37m

Comedy

Drama

List

Reviews

67%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Harlem's African-American population is being ripped off by the Rev. Deke O'Malley (Calvin Lockhart), who dishonestly claims that small donations will secure parcels of land in Africa. When New York City police officers Gravedigger Jones (Godfrey Cambridge) and Coffin Ed Johnson (Raymond St. Jacques) look into O'Malley's scam, they learn that the cash is being smuggled inside a bale of cotton. But the police, O'Malley and lots of others find themselves scrambling when the money goes missing.

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The best comedy movie ever made!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

delysid d

an ok film about a corrupt preacher

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

09/17/17

Full Review

Audience Member

When folks talk about the groundbreaking blaxploitation films, "Shaft" and "Sweet Sweetback's Baadasssss Song" are usually the main films mentioned. This film is rarely mentioned, even tough it came out the previous year and stars a pair of black actors as cops and was directed by Ossie Davis. This adaptation of a Chester Himes novel is an extremely effective blend of action and comedy. Well worth a look for fans of the genre.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Another African American favorite

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

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Audience Member

That this film continues to attract an audience all these years later is not surprising. The story it tells is as relevant today as it was back in 1970 and today perhaps has the ability to reach a broader audience in a way, one that can see the levels of nuance and hypocrisy found in the plot.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/25/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Cambridge and St. Jacques are one of all time best buddy cop duos. They are hip, sexy, and funny. The mystery is intriguing, and the uncomfortable situations keep the viewer's attention throughout. This is one to be seen uncut, because a lot of the humor is quite racy. It's a time capsule in a way also since the Harlem depicted here no longer exists.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/02/23

Full Review

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Ossie Davis

Director

Godfrey Cambridge

Gravedigger Jones

Raymond St. Jacques

Coffin Ed Johnson

Calvin Lockhart

Rev. Deke O'Malley

Judy Pace

Iris

Redd Foxx

Uncle Bud

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Ossie Davis: 1917-2005

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Brian Orndorf

Blu-ray.com

Harlem is mostly about the ride, with chases and barbed banter urging the movie along, keeping the whole endeavor light on its toes.

Rated: B+

Sep 27, 2014

Full Review

Carol Cling

Las Vegas Review-Journal

Rated: 4/5

Oct 31, 2003

Full Review

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

One of the earliest and best Blaxploitation films.

Rated: 4/5

Nov 5, 2002

Full Review

Philip Martin

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

Rated: 3/5

Jul 31, 2002

Full Review

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Synopsis

Harlem's African-American population is being ripped off by the Rev. Deke O'Malley (Calvin Lockhart), who dishonestly claims that small donations will secure parcels of land in Africa. When New York City police officers Gravedigger Jones (Godfrey Cambridge) and Coffin Ed Johnson (Raymond St. Jacques) look into O'Malley's scam, they learn that the cash is being smuggled inside a bale of cotton. But the police, O'Malley and lots of others find themselves scrambling when the money goes missing.

Director: Ossie Davis
Screenwriter: Ossie Davis, Chester Himes, Arnold Perl
Distributor: United Artists
Production Co: Formosa Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 27, 1970, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Runtime: 1h 37m
Sound Mix: Mono

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