Cotton Comes to Harlem

views updated

Cotton Comes to Harlem ★★★ 1970 (R)

Cambridge and St. Jacques star as Harlem plainclothes detectives Grave Digger Jones and Coffin Ed Johnson in this successful mix of crime and comedy. They're investigating a suspicious preacher's backtoAfrica scheme which they suspect is a swindle. Directorial debut of Davis. Filmed on location in Harlem, New York. Based on the novel by Chester Himes. Followed by a weak sequel, “Come Back, Charleston Blue.” 97m/C VHS, DVD . Godfrey Cambridge, Raymond St. Jacques, Calvin Lockhart, Judy Pace, Redd Foxx, John Anderson, Emily Yancy, J.D. Cannon, Teddy Wilson, Eugene Roche, Cleavon Little, Lou Jacobi; D: Ossie Davis; W: Ossie Davis; C: Gerald Hirschfeld; M: Galt MacDermot.