Emperor Jones

views updated

Emperor Jones ★★½ 1933

Loosely based on Eugene O'Neill's play, film portrays the rise and fall of a railroad porter whose exploits take him from a life sentence on a chain gang to emperor of Haiti. Robeson re-creates his stage role in his first screen appearance. 72m/B VHS, DVD . Paul Robeson, Dudley Digges, Frank Wilson, Fredi Washington, Ruby Elzy; D: Dudley Murphy. Natl. Film Reg. '99.