Customer Reviews

Juke Joint [VHS]

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Spencer Williams is best remembered today as Andy from the Amos & Andy show, but he was also a pioneering Black director/producer. One of the best of his existing films is this one. "Juke Joint" is a Texas-made comedy of two con-men who bamboozle their way into a boardinghouse and wind up helping the daughter of the landlady.

The cinematography is hideous even by 1940s standards, but it's a very entertaining film aside from that. The slices of Black life in the 40s ring true and the sequences with the landlady and her family are warmly amusing (particularly the "grace" scene). Spencer Williams and July Jones (ne' Robert Orr)come off as a sort of Black Laurel and Hardy in their gentle humor (interesting to compare this to Spencer Williams' work with Tim Moore and Alvin Childress in "Amos & Andy'). Oh yes, the jitterbug contest is a sight to behold and you will rewind this repeatedly. However, it's shot from one rigid angle from a distance.

But these flaws aside, it's a good way to kill an afternoon.

Juke Joint with Spencer Williams is a really fun movie, that is if you are not opposed to early black comedies, which I find that many Blacks are. However, I think the reason for that, is that some ignore the historical significance, associated with the production "Juke Joint".

I found it historically important to the history of a black neighborhood in Dallas, Texas, called "Queen City" in south
Dallas. I found the actual location where the opening scenes
were shot in Dallas, just recently, by paying attention to the film. the "1241 Pine st. address is no longer in existence.

I absolutely loved the movie...of course, my dad, Tilford Patterson played the role of "Jefferson Lee". My dad's cousin, Clifford Beamon, played the role of "the Bartender". The movie depicts a light-hearted snapshot of what happened in a home where two "gentlemen" were given room & board as "Roomers" in the "Holiday" home. The movie also has educational value for younger members of our society who might be interested in catching a glimpse of the types of movies our parents had available to them during the late 40's. I encourage you to see it if you haven't already!!!

I enjoyed this movie. Spencer Williams was another black movie-maker who was successful like Oscar Micheaux. Spencer Williams always tried to tell a story in his movie, he wanted to prove a point. In this film, its a comedy. Everyone in this movie holds their own and live up to their character. If you don't like the movie, maybe you'll like the dancing of that time. Dancing today is hideous, compared to the dancing of back then.

This is a nice effort by Spencer Williams, an independent filmmaker better known as Andy of The Amos and Andy TV Show. However, this film is often incorrectly listed as featuring Mantan Moreland (including here at Amazon). Mantan is NOT in this film.