OF ONE BLOOD-1944-This fable/melodrama
starts off in “the hall of records” where a white haired old man
with a long white beard relates the story of Zeke Ellis, his wife and
three sons. They leave their home for higher ground after a flood
warning but don't make it. They get hit by the flood and Zeke and his
wife are killed. Two brothers Zebedee and Zion swim to safely
separated from third brother Zachariah who also swims safely to the
shore. They are taken in by The Red Cross but an older boy Wesley
convinces them to hop a freight with him. The older boy gets left
behind at a stop and the duo wonders if they will ever see their
brother again.
Years pass and the boys are now men. After shining
shoes for a while Zeb becomes a cop while Zion studies to be a
lawyer. A woman named Zelma tries to dissuade him. “Hard work is
for mules and fools”. In 1941 a big band plays and two women do a
tap dance. Newspaper publisher Jordan, Zelma's father runs a campaign
against a bootlegger in a derby hat who bosses a bunch of dumb
henchman. Then two community leaders give very good speeches about
race and violence and inequality. After Zelma has a riding accident
coincidentally near the bootleggers hideout, the worker the gang
refers to as “The Dummy” (writer/director Spencer Williams) hides
Zelma and calls the police. Lawyer Zion and policeman Zebedee go the
hideout to get Zelma. When the boss is about to shoot Zeb “the
dummy” hits him over the head with a bottle killing him but not
before he reveals to Zeb that he is actually their long lost bro
Zachariah and “the dummy” is their long lost friend Wesley, now
an FBI agent! It may be the only movie I’ve ever seen where a glass
bottle didn't break when hit over someone’s head! Couldn't afford a
fake one?
Interesting story hampered of course by bad editing, acting
and effects. But still enjoyable! Like most of Spencer Williams
directorial out (THE BLOOD OF JESUS, GO DOWN, DEATH), OF ONE BLOOD
was thought to be a lost film until being rediscovered in 1983.
Thanks for reading!
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