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The Emperor Jones (1933)Unscrupulously ambitious Brutus Jones escapes from jail after killing a guard and through bluff and bravado finds himself the emperor of a Caribbean island. Director:Dudley Murphy |
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Title: The Emperor Jones (1933)
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Cast
| Complete credited cast: | |||
| Paul Robeson | ... | ||
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Dudley Digges | ... | |
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Frank H. Wilson | ... |
Jeff
(as Frank Wilson)
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Fredi Washington | ... |
Undine
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Ruby Elzy | ... |
Dolly
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George Haymid Stamper | ... |
Lem
(as George Stamper)
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
At a Baptist prayer meeting, the preacher leads a prayer for Brutus Jones, who is leaving to become a railway porter. Jones joins the congregation in a spiritual. Once on the train, Jeff, a porter, shows Jones the ropes. Jones secretly takes up with Jeff's girl, Undine. He makes some money in a deal with a rich businessman on the train. Jones proves to be a cunning manipulator and a good liar. In a crap game, Jones stabs Jeff over a pair of loaded dice. Now doing hard labour, Jones kills a white prison guard and escapes. Shovelling coal on a ship in the Caribbean, Jones swims to an island. He is brought before the island's ruler, where Smithers, a crooked white trader, buys his freedom. Jones schemes his way into a partnership in Smithers' business, then finally control of the entire island through a touch of witchcraft, or so it seems. Brutus declares himself to be The Emperor Jones... Smithers reports on the unrest that Jones' rule is causing. One morning, the palace is empty of ... Written by David Steele
Genres:
DramaParents Guide:
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Details
Country:
USALanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
29 September 1933 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
El emperador Jones See more »Filming Locations:
Eastern Service Studios, Astoria, Queens, New York City, New York, USA See more »Box Office
Budget:
$250,000 (estimated)Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
| (2003 restored) | (original)Sound Mix:
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)Color:
Black and WhiteAspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1
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Did You Know?
Trivia
The original Broadway production of "The Emperor Jones" opened at the Neighborhood Playhouse on November 1, 1920 and ran for 204 performances. Between 1925 and 1927 the play was revived three times, once with Paul Robeson who recreated his stage role in this movie version. See more »Quotes
Brutus Jones: They's some things I don't got to be told. I can see 'em in folks' eyes.See more »
It's Black History Month, so I'm reviewing African-Americans on film in chronological order. It's now 1933 when actor/singer Paul Robeson accepted an offer to reprise his role as Brutus Jones in a film version of Eugene O'Neill's play. His character goes from porter, to convict, to emperor of an island in possibly too quick time during the movie though some of the dialogue does sometimes explain how much time has passed when those transitions occur. No matter, since Robeson is the whole show here and manages to be a very compelling presence whether singing or talking a long streak. And there are many good supporting turns by Frank Wilson as Jeff-a fellow porter who shows Brutus the ropes, Ruby Elzy as Dolly-Jones' first girlfriend at home, Fredi Washington as Undine-Jeff's girl who Brutus steals, and Dudley Digges as Smithers-a white trader Jones eventually partners with. Then there are cameos by the likes of Billie Holiday, Rex Ingram, Moms Mabley, and Harold Nicholas-who as usual dances here-that should provide some extra enjoyment for anyone curious about that sort of thing. While, like I said, transitions may not seem completely natural, this version of The Emperor Jones is worth seeing for Robeson's presence alone.