Slideshow
UNDERWORLD
U.S., 1937
Written and directed by Oscar Micheaux
Based on the novella by Edna Mae Baker
Starring Bee Freeman, Sol Johnson, Alfred 'Slick' Chester, Oscar Polk
Cinematography by Lester Lang
Approx. 76 min. DCP.
“When recent college graduate Paul Bronson (Sol Johnson) moves from the South to Chicago, he becomes involved with Leroy Giles (Alfred 'Slick' Chester), a local gambler. He also begins dating Dinah Jackson (Bee Freeman), a singer who is seeing Leroy although she is married to Sam Brown (Oscar Polk), a nightclub owner. While living in Chicago, Paul reconnects with Evelyn Martin (Ethel Moses), a beauty parlor owner and acquaintance from his college days. One day, Leroy spots the duo having lunch and informs Evelyn, who instructs Leroy to drug and rob Paul and to kill Sam. Just as Dinah walks into the room, Paul wakes up to Sam's dead body and the murder weapon beside him; she accuses him of the murder. Paul is however acquitted when an eyewitness comes forward with exculpatory testimony.” – National Museum of African American History & Culture