Cotton Comes to Harlem *** (1970, Godfrey Cambridge, Raymond St Jacques, Calvin Lockhart) – Classic Movie Review 9494

Director Ossie Davis’s 1970 comedy crime action thriller Cotton Comes to Harlem stars Godfrey Cambridge and Raymond St Jacques as black detectives Gravedigger Jones (Cambridge) and Coffin Ed Johnson (St Jacques).

The two Harlem cops are on the trail of a bogus minister, the Reverend Deke O’Malley (Calvin Lockhart) and a bale of cotton, where he is hiding a stash of cash.

This tough, exciting and entertaining blaxploitation thriller is based on the Chester Himes novel, with refreshing urban humour in the screenplay’s dialogue by Arnold Perl and Ossie Davis.

Davis takes his camera out into the streets of Harlem and gets amusing performances from his strong cast.

Sequel: Come Back Charleston Blue.

Also in the cast are Judy Pace, Redd Foxx, John Anderson, Lou Jacobi, Eugene Roche, Emily Yancy, J D Cannon, Mabel Robinson, Cleavon Little, Teddy Wilson, Maxwell Glanville and Dick Sabol.

Cotton Comes to Harlem is directed by Ossie Davis, runs 97 minutes, is made by Formosa Productions, is released by United Artists, is written by Arnold Perl and Ossie Davis, is shot by Gerald Hirschfeld, is produced by Samuel Goldwyn Jr, is scored by Galt McDermott and is designed by Manuel Gerard.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9494

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