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Passing Through

Play trailer Passing Through 1977 1h 45m Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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A jazz-sax player (Nathaniel Taylor) seeks his African roots with his grandfather (Clarence Muse) and fights record-industry mobsters.

Critics Reviews

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Richard Brody The New Yorker 03/11/2022
The extraordinary ambition of “Passing Through” is to break through the surfaces of drama and to get the spirit of jazz, and the real-world circumstances of its creation, onto film. Go to Full Review Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader 06/06/2013
Original and thoughtful, this is a very special first feature, with a feeling for the music that's boldly translated into film style. Go to Full Review Dennis Harvey 48 Hills 10/28/2021
Often as richly textured visually as it is sonically, with both classic tracks and performances by the Pan African Peoples Arkestra, Passing is a priceless memento of the time, even if its narrative aspects are haltingly developed. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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12/11/2011 The narrative is contrived and the story wandering, but the art direction, photography, editing, sound mixing and overall directorial vision are astounding. No other film that I've ever seen captures the power of jazz and its role in the African American fight for equality like this film does. A spectacular artistic document of a movement, a people and a music. See more Read all reviews
Passing Through

My Rating

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Cast & Crew

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Lawrence Gordon Clark

Director

Nathaniel Taylor

Warmack

Clarence Muse

Actor

Pamela Jones

Maya

Movie Info

Synopsis A jazz-sax player (Nathaniel Taylor) seeks his African roots with his grandfather (Clarence Muse) and fights record-industry mobsters.
Director
Lawrence Gordon Clark
Genre
Drama
Original Language
English
Runtime
1h 45m