Ruby Dee
Biography: Ruby Dee (October 27, 1922 - June 11, 2014) was an American actress, poet, playwright, screenwriter, journalist, and civil rights activist. She originated the role of "Ruth Younger" in the stage and film versions of A Raisin in the Sun. Her other notable film roles include The Jackie Robinson Story (1950), Do the Right Thing (1989) and American Gangster (2007).
Place of Birth: Not available
Birthday: October 27, 1922
Deathday: June 11, 2014
Popularity:
Known For
Do the Right Thing
1989-06-14
Do the Right Thing
Overview: Salvatore "Sal" Fragione is the Italian owner of a pizzeria in Brooklyn. A neighborhood local, Buggin' Out, becomes upset when he sees that the pizzeria's Wall of Fame exhibits only Italian actors. Buggin' Out believes a pizzeria in a black neighborhood should showcase black actors, but Sal disagrees. The wall becomes a symbol of racism and hate to Buggin' Out and to other people in the neighborhood, and tensions rise.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1989-06-14
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Jungle Fever
1991-06-07
Jungle Fever
Overview: A successful and married black man contemplates having an affair with a white girl from work. He's quite rightly worried that the racial difference would make an already taboo relationship even worse.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1991-06-07
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American Gangster
2007-11-02
American Gangster
Overview: Following the death of his employer and mentor, Bumpy Johnson, Frank Lucas establishes himself as the number one importer of heroin in the Harlem district of Manhattan. He does so by buying heroin directly from the source in South East Asia and he comes up with a unique way of importing the drugs into the United States. Partly based on a true story.
Genres: Drama Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2007-11-02
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America
2009-02-28
America
Overview: In "America," Dr. Maureen Brennan, a psychiatrist at a youth treatment center, encounters her newest patient, a bi-racial boy named America. Through their sessions, Dr. Brennan helps America come to terms with his roller-coaster life, which began when he was taken by authorities from his crack-addicted mother, and placed into foster care as an infant. The short time of stability in his life occurred when America lived with Mrs. Harper, the elderly nanny to one of his foster families. Later reunited with his mother, she soon abandons America and he is again placed into foster care. Lagging behind in school and full of anger, America retreats further away from society after years of sexual abuse. After attempting suicide, America is placed in a treatment center where Dr. Brennan helps him open up about his painful past and discover the support and courage he needs to get his life back on track.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2009-02-28
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Cat People
1982-04-02
Cat People
Overview: After years of separation, Irena Gallier and her minister brother, Paul, reunite in New Orleans. When zoologists capture a wild panther, Irena is drawn to the cat – and zoo curator Oliver to her. Soon, Paul will have to reveal the family secret: that when sexually aroused, they revert into predatory jungle cats.
Genres: Thriller Horror
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1982-04-02
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Love at Large
1990-03-09
Love at Large
Overview: Vampish miss Dolan hires hardboiled P.I. Harry Dobbs to tail her shady boyfriend. Harry realizes that the man leads a double life but then his client disappears. Harry teams up with his own tail, P.I. Stella Wynkowski, to clear things up.
Genres: Comedy Drama Mystery Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1990-03-09
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Jazztime Tale
1991-11-02
Jazztime Tale
Overview: Family - Set in Harlem in 1919, two girls - one white, one black - form a lifelong friendship through a chance encounter and the jazztime music of young "Fats" Waller.
Genres: Animation Family
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1991-11-02
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Just Cause
1995-02-17
Just Cause
Overview: A Harvard professor is lured back into the courtroom after twenty-five years to take the case of a young black man condemned to death for the horrific murder of a child.
Genres: Action Drama Mystery Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1995-02-17
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Cop and ½
1993-04-02
Cop and ½
Overview: When a pint-sized 8-year-old kid witnesses a murder he offers to help the police, if they make him a cop, too. Saddled with this streetwise sidekick, a hardboiled cop is forced to take his new partner seriously as they race the clock to bring the bad guys to justice.
Genres: Action Comedy Family
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1993-04-02
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Buck and the Preacher
1972-03-17
Buck and the Preacher
Overview: A wagon master and a con-man preacher help freed slaves dogged by cheap-labor agents out West.
Genres: Action Comedy Western
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1972-03-17
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No. 2
2006-02-16
No. 2
Overview: A matriarch organizes a feast with her family, in which she will name her successor. The heart has gone out of Nanna Maria's family. There are no parties — they don't even fight anymore...
Genres: Comedy Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2006-02-16
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The Tall Target
1951-08-17
The Tall Target
Overview: A detective tries to prevent the assassination of President-elect Abraham Lincoln during a train ride headed for Washington in 1861.
Genres: Thriller History Mystery
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1951-08-17
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Edge of the City
1957-01-04
Edge of the City
Overview: An army deserter and a black dock worker join forces against a corrupt manager.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1957-01-04
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A Raisin in the Sun
1961-05-28
A Raisin in the Sun
Overview: Walter Lee Younger is a young man struggling with his station in life. Sharing a tiny apartment with his wife, son, sister and mother, he seems like an imprisoned man. Until, that is, the family gets an unexpected financial windfall.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1961-05-28
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The Jackie Robinson Story
1950-05-16
The Jackie Robinson Story
Overview: Biography of Jackie Robinson, the first black major league baseball player in the 20th century. Traces his career in the negro leagues and the major leagues.
Genres: Drama Family
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1950-05-16
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The Incident
1967-11-05
The Incident
Overview: Two hoodlums terrorize the passengers of a late-night New York City subway train.
Genres: Thriller Crime Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1967-11-05
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A Simple Wish
1997-07-11
A Simple Wish
Overview: Murray is a male fairy godmother, and he is trying to help 8-year-old Anabel to fulfil her "simple wish" - that her father Oliver, who is a cab driver, would win the leading role in a Broadway musical. Unfortunately, Murray's magic wand is broken and the fairies convention is threatened by evil witches Claudia and Boots.
Genres: Adventure Comedy Family Fantasy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1997-07-11
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Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
2003-02-10
Unchained Memories: Readings from the Slave Narratives
Overview: When the Civil War ended in 1865, more than four million slaves were set free. Over 70 years later, the memories of some 2,000 slave-era survivors were transcribed and preserved by the Library of Congress. These first-person anecdotes, ranging from the brutal to the bittersweet, have been brought to vivid life in this unique HBO documentary special, featuring the on-camera voices of over a dozen top African-American actors.
Genres: History Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2003-02-10
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Their Eyes Were Watching God
2005-03-06
Their Eyes Were Watching God
Overview: A drama set in the 1920s, where free-spirited Janie Crawford's search for happiness leads her through several different marriages, challenging the morals of her small town. Based on the novel by Zora Neale Hurston.
Genres: Drama Romance TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2005-03-06
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Politics of Love
2011-08-26
Politics of Love
Overview: Politics makes strange bedfellows, but never stranger than when a sexy, savvy, African-American conservative Republican reluctantly falls for his Democratic counterpart: a beautiful Indian-American Obama campaign volunteer. Sparks fly, tempers flare, heads turn, and romance blossoms for this mismatched pair of lovers in the frantic and intoxicating days leading up to Election Day. Can the politics of love conquer all?
Genres: Romance Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2011-08-26
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Feast of All Saints
2001-11-11
Feast of All Saints
Overview: Set in nineteenth-century New Orleans, the story depicts the gens de couleur libre, or the Free People of Colour, a dazzling yet damned class caught between the world of white privilege and black oppression.
Genres: Romance Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2001-11-11
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Black Girl
1972-11-09
Black Girl
Overview: An aspiring dancer and her two wicked sisters resent their mother's love for a foster daughter.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1972-11-09
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Video Girl
2011-10-11
Video Girl
Overview: Lorie Walker is a small town girl whose big dreams of becoming a dancer come true when she becomes a star in the Hip-Hop video world. But she soon learns the hard way that life in front of the camera is not as glamorous as it seems.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2011-10-11
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Decoration Day
1990-12-02
Decoration Day
Overview: A cantankerous widower (Garner) who is virtually living the life of a recluse is forced to rejoin his community when his Godchild (Skaggs) gets in trouble and a childhood friend (Cobbs), a black tenant farmer, refuses to belatedly accept a Congressional Medal of Honor for bravery in World War II.
Genres: TV Movie Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1990-12-02
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Uptight
1968-12-28
Uptight
Overview: Black militants building up an arsenal of weapons in preparation for a race war are betrayed by one of their own.
Genres: Drama Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1968-12-28
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Finding Buck McHenry
2000-04-16
Finding Buck McHenry
Overview: Jason Ross is an 11-year-old boy whose love for baseball exceeds his talent for the game. When cut from his little league team, Jason's undefeatable spirit leads him to try and create an expansion team. In searching for a new coach, Jason comes to believe that Mack Henry, the custodian at his school, is really Buck McHenry, the legendary pitcher from the old Negro Baseball Leagues. While Mack begins to coach this small rag-tag team, Jason and his friends set out to prove his true identity.
Genres: Drama Family
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2000-04-16
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Mr. and Mrs. Loving
1996-03-13
Mr. and Mrs. Loving
Overview: A moving and uplifting drama about the effects of interracial marriage in the 1960s. Friends since childhood, and loved by both families, this couple are exiled after their wedding and have to wage a courageous battle to find their place in America as a loving family.
Genres: Romance Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1996-03-13
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It's Good to Be Alive
1974-02-22
It's Good to Be Alive
Overview: This movie details the struggles of former Brooklyn Dodger catcher Roy Campanella to adapt to life in a wheelchair following his crippling automobile accident in 1959. Cinematographer Ted Voigtlander was Emmy-nominated.
Genres: Drama TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1974-02-22
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A Storm in Summer
2000-01-18
A Storm in Summer
Overview: Set in 1969, Abel Shaddick, a crotchety deli owner, has a grudge against virtually everyone in his upstate New York town of Fairview, particularly against his slacker nephew Stanley who lives behind the shop. Without telling his uncle, Stanley agrees to put up a needy city kid for the summer as part of a charity program run by rich debutante Gloria. Abel immediately vetoes the plan, but it is too late. The kid, young Herman Washington, is already on his way...
Genres: Drama TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2000-01-18
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Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-Jamal
2013-02-01
Long Distance Revolutionary: A Journey with Mumia Abu-Jamal
Overview: The film chronicles the life and revolutionary times of death row political prisoner Mumia Abu-Jamal.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2013-02-01
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Betty and Coretta
2013-02-02
Betty and Coretta
Overview: The widows of Martin Luther King and Malcolm X and how they carry on as single mothers after the assassination of their husbands.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2013-02-02
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Steam
2007-11-15
Steam
Overview: Three women — a young coed, a forty-something single mother, and one a senior-aged widow — meet in the sauna of the local gym, where they gradually get to know one another and bond over their respective trials and tribulations.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2007-11-15
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I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
1979-04-28
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Overview: Based on writer Maya Angelou's eloquent reminiscences of her days as a gifted youngster growing up in the South during the Depression years where she and her older brother were raised by their grandmother after the divorce of their parents.
Genres: Drama TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1979-04-28
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Virgin Island
1959-08-07
Virgin Island
Overview: A British woman marries an American writer in spite of her family's disapproval and goes to live with him on a tropical island.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1959-08-07
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Take a Giant Step
1959-12-01
Take a Giant Step
Overview: This pioneering film in the history of African-American cinema, released two years before "A Raisin In The Sun", is the coming-of-age story of a Black high-school student living in a middle-class white neighborhood in the late '50s.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1959-12-01
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Tuesday Morning Ride
1995-01-01
Tuesday Morning Ride
Overview: Tuesday Morning Ride is based on the short story "A Summer Tragedy" by Arna Bontemps, a Harlem Renaissance writer. Set in the 1930s, the story depicts an old man and woman -- he a stroke victim, she blind -- who feel they have nothing to live for since their children do not visit. They decide to put on their finest clothing and take a final ride in their car -- with no turning back. The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1995-01-01
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Gone Are the Days!
1963-08-09
Gone Are the Days!
Overview: A young, idealistic man returns home to the plantation where he grew up in servitude. With him, he brings his fiance, Lutiebelle, in hopes of convincing the plantation owner that she is really his cousin in order to secure the family inheritance. To aid in the comic complications that follow are his family members Missy and Gitlow, and the plantation owners endearing (but ineffectual) son Charlie.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1963-08-09
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After Goodbye
1993-06-23
After Goodbye
Overview: Award-winning actress Ruby Dee narrates this powerful documentary about the impact of AIDS on the families, friends and members of the acclaimed Turtle Creek Chorale. In the past decade, 145 member of the Chorale have died, most from HIV and AIDS. Although grief is a constant presence, After Goodbye: An AIDS Story shows that the singers and their loved ones are also engaged in a continual process of healing. This ultimately uplifting and inspirational video is a testament to the amazing strength of the human spirit.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1993-06-23
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Sports on the Silver Screen
1997-03-16
Sports on the Silver Screen
Overview: HBO (in association with the American Film Institute) presents this 1997 anthology, narrated by Liev Schreiber, which looks at sports in cinema from the earliest silent films until the nineties. Watch not for dramatic scenes but for the glimpse of historical figures shown both cinematic and athletic- in this tribute to the merging of sports and Hollywood.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1997-03-16
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That Man of Mine
1946-01-01
That Man of Mine
Overview: Featuring the swinging sounds of the all-woman band The International Sweethearts of Rhythm and a young Ruby Dee, the 1946 musical showcases tenderness in romance and community through a series of musical numbers. The loosely connected plot follows film producers hoping to cast a stand-out actress for their next film. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2008.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1946-01-01
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Deadlock
1969-02-22
Deadlock
Overview: The murder of a journalist, coming shortly after the killings of a black teenager and a white cop, threatens to inflame passions in the city. To prevent a riot, Lieutenant Sam Danforth and District Attorney Leslie Washburn are determined to find the killer, even though they do not exactly get along with each other and disagree over procedure.
Genres: Drama TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1969-02-22
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Long Day's Journey Into Night
1982-11-23
Long Day's Journey Into Night
Overview: Over the course of one day in August 1912, the family of retired actor James Tyrone grapples with the morphine addiction of his wife Mary, the illness of their youngest son Edmund and the alcoholism and debauchery of their older son Jamie. As day turns into night, guilt, anger, despair, and regret threaten to destroy the family.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1982-11-23
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A Place Out of Time: The Bordentown School
2009-07-22
A Place Out of Time: The Bordentown School
Overview: For a seventy-year period, when America cared little about the education of African-Americans, and discrimination was law and custom, The Bordentown School was an educational utopia. An incubator for black pride and intellect, it taught values, discipline, and life skills to generations of black children. This is the story of that remarkable school, as told by Bordentown alumni, historians, and remarkable archival footage. It is also the story of black education in America across three centuries, presenting a nuanced, rarely seen portrait of a separate black space; and a much-needed preface to the growing national discussion about historically black institutions and their role in nurturing identity and accomplishment. What was lost and what was gained in the march toward equality?
Genres: Documentary Family History
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2009-07-22
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Passing Glory
1999-02-21
Passing Glory
Overview: A true story of a priest (Andre Braugher) in New Orleans who formed a group of black players and challenged an all-white prep school basketball team in the 1960's. Eventually events like these signaled the pivotal turn in the games' history leading to the integration in today's sport. Directed by Steve James (Hoop Dreams), these basketball players didn't just make shots, they made history.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1999-02-21
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The Wall
1998-05-24
The Wall
Overview: The story of three items left at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall: a pencil holder, a sheriff's badge, and an electric guitar. Each item connects the living with the dead and are left as either memorials or to heal the wounds of war.
Genres: War Drama TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1998-05-24
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Countdown at Kusini
1976-04-16
Countdown at Kusini
Overview: An American musician working in Nigeria becomes involved with a patriot hunted by a mercenary in Africa.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1976-04-16
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Whitewash
1994-08-16
Whitewash
Overview: When Helene Angel walks home from school with her older brother she is attacked by a street gang and painted white. The effect on Helene and her family is devastating. Helene locks herself in her room, her brother blames himself for not having successfully defended his sister, and the media descends on their neighborhood, completely disrupting her small family. But an outpouring of love and understanding from Helene's friends, classmates and family helps her face what has happened and draws the community together. Inspired by actual events, WHITEWASH conveys a powerful message that transcends age and race, told in an entertaining way perfect for children of all ages.
Genres: Animation Family
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1994-08-16
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Taking Back Our Town
2001-12-10
Taking Back Our Town
Overview: A true story about a concerned housewife, Pat Melancon, who tries to block Shintech, a massive Japanese petrochemical conglomerate, from building a plant in her toxic township already known as "cancer alley". Pat and a few newly recruited, fledgling activitsts face the full force of Shintech's wealth and influence peddling, which has bought the cooperation of the government from the local level all the way up to the Governor's office.
Genres: Drama TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2001-12-10
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The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson
1990-10-15
The Court-Martial of Jackie Robinson
Overview: A film about the early life of the baseball star in the army, particulary his court-martial for insubordination regarding segragation.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1990-10-15
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A Time To Dance: The Life and Work of Norma Canner
1998-12-07
A Time To Dance: The Life and Work of Norma Canner
Overview: This intimate, uncannily moving documentary profiles Norma Canner, a pioneer in dance movement therapy, who found in dance a way to help people who had been discarded by society. The film traces the evolution of Norma's career from Broadway actress in the '40s, through her ground-breaking work in creative movement with disabled and mentally retarded children in the '60s, to her present work as a dance therapist with adults. Utilizing drawing, music, theater, and dance in the context of other modes of therapy, her work has proved extraordinarily beneficial for handicapped individuals, as well as providing cathartic healing experiences for those with deep emotional scars; And her work with children who were blind, deaf, or autistic has became a model.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1998-12-07
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Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years
1999-04-18
Having Our Say: The Delany Sisters' First 100 Years
Overview: Tells the story of Sadie and Bessie Delany, two African-American (they preferred "colored") sisters who both lived past the age of 100. They grew up on a North Carolina college campus, the daughters of the first African-American Episcopal bishop, who was born a slave, and a woman with an inter-racial background. With the support of each other and their family, they survived encounters with racism and sexism in their own different ways. Sadie quietly and sweetly broke barriers to become the first African-American home-ec teacher in New York City, while Bessie, with her own brand of outspokenness, became the second African-American dentist in New York City. At the ages of 103 and 101, they told their story to Amy Hill Hearth, a white New York Times reporter who published an article about them. The overwhelming response launched a bestselling book, a Broadway play, and this film.
Genres: History Drama TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1999-04-18
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Neighbours
1966-01-15
Neighbours
Overview: The Robinson's like to see themselves as liberals. So when their new black neighbours the Kingsbury's move into their apartment block they are invited for drinks but things don't quite go as they imagined it would.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1966-01-15
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No Way Out
1950-08-16
No Way Out
Overview: Two hoodlum brothers are brought into a hospital for gunshot wounds, and when one of them dies the other accuses their black doctor of murder.
Genres: Drama Crime Thriller
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1950-08-16
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Captive Heart: The James Mink Story
1996-04-14
Captive Heart: The James Mink Story
Overview: James Mink is a black man in Canada who has built a very successful livery business, and enjoys a white wife and a beautiful daughter, Mary. An excellent match is arranged with an American businessman, but when he takes his new wife Mary across the border his true character emerges - he sells her into slavery. James and Elizabeth must go to Virginia to rescue their daughter.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1996-04-14
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King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
1970-03-24
King: A Filmed Record... Montgomery to Memphis
Overview: Constructed from a wealth of archival footage, the documentary follows Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from 1955 to 1968, in his rise from regional activist to world-renowned leader of the Civil Rights movement. Rare footage of King's speeches, protests, and arrests are interspersed with scenes of other high-profile supporters and opponents of the cause, punctuated by heartfelt testimonials by some of Hollywood's biggest stars.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1970-03-24
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Love in Syncopation
1946-08-03
Love in Syncopation
Overview: Follows the band's rise in show business, starting with its origins in the Navy during World War II and their struggle to make it.
Genres: Comedy Music
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1946-08-03
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The Fight Never Ends
1948-03-06
The Fight Never Ends
Overview: Joe Louis, portraying himself, is a good influence on a group of Harlem youths who are tempted to "go bad" by a gangster known as Caper, an older brother of one of the youths.
Genres: Crime Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1948-03-06
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What a Guy
1948-01-01
What a Guy
Overview: Mantan Moreland's comedy feature.
Genres: Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1948-01-01
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Wedding Band
1974-04-24
Wedding Band
Overview: A drama which examines the enduring nature of love between a white man and a black woman in 1918 South Carolina.
Genres: Drama TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1974-04-24
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The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll
2011-08-05
The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll
Overview: In this film, childhood friends come face to face with the demons of rock and roll (lust, drugs, and passion) on a cross-country road trip that compels them to face their past, present, and future. Rocker Spyder, whose debut album was a huge hit saw his follow-on album bomb, causing him to retreat to his small hometown and give up. Seven years later, 27-year-old Spyder reconnects with his long-lost best friend and writer of his debut album Eric, son of a late great punk rock guitar legend, who has long settled into the sedate life of a suburban middle school music teacher. The reunion forces the two to recall their youthful ambitions and re-examine the choices they've made.
Genres: Drama Music
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2011-08-05
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Making 'Do the Right Thing'
1989-11-03
Making 'Do the Right Thing'
Overview: The Behind-the-Scenes documentary of the dramatic comedy Do the Right Thing.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1989-11-03
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In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema
2007-09-15
In the Shadow of Hollywood: Race Movies and the Birth of Black Cinema
Overview: This documentary captures the sounds and images of a nearly forgotten era in film history when African American filmmakers and studios created “race movies” exclusively for black audiences. The best of these films attempted to counter the demeaning stereotypes of black Americans prevalent in the popular culture of the day. About 500 films were produced, yet only about 100 still exist. Filmmaking pioneers like Oscar Micheaux, the Noble brothers, and Spencer Williams, Jr. left a lasting influence on black filmmakers, and inspired generations of audiences who finally saw their own lives reflected on the silver screen.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2007-09-15
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All God's Children
1980-04-28
All God's Children
Overview: Big city judge Parke Denison is involved in a forced busing dispute at the climax of his long career. The friendship between two families -- one white, one black -- and their sons, who are buddies, provides the microcosm of this major social issue that has been argued for several decades.
Genres: Drama TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1980-04-28
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Go Tell It on the Mountain
1985-01-14
Go Tell It on the Mountain
Overview: This film adaptation of James Baldwin's celebrated novel tells the journey of a family from the rural South to "big city" Harlem seeking both salvation and understanding and of a young boy struggling to earn the approval of a self-righteous and often unloving stepfather.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1985-01-14
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Beah: A Black Woman Speaks
2004-02-25
Beah: A Black Woman Speaks
Overview: Beah: A Black Woman Speaks is a 2003 documentary about the life of Academy Award nominated actress Beah Richards. Directed by Lisa Gay Hamilton, it won the Documentary Award at the AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival in 2003.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2004-02-25
Popularity:
The Ernest Green Story
1993-01-17
The Ernest Green Story
Overview: Follows the story of Ernest Green, one of the Little Rock Nine who were the first blacks to integrate into an all white school.
Genres: Drama TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1993-01-17
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A Thousand Words
2012-03-07
A Thousand Words
Overview: Jack McCall is a fast-talking literary agent, who can close any deal, any time, any way. He has set his sights on New Age guru Dr. Sinja for his own selfish purposes. But Dr. Sinja is on to him, and Jack’s life comes unglued after a magical Bodhi tree mysteriously appears in his backyard. With every word Jack speaks, a leaf falls from the tree and he realizes that when the last leaf falls, both he and the tree are toast. Words have never failed Jack McCall, but now he’s got to stop talking and conjure up some outrageous ways to communicate or he’s a goner.
Genres: Drama Comedy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2012-03-07
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Zora is My Name!
1990-01-01
Zora is My Name!
Overview: A celebration of the life of Zora Neale Hurston, who was born at the turn of the 20th Century and grew to be an important voice with her written portrayals of Black American life in the rural south of the 1930's and 40's, and the stories, songs and folklore that were her heritage and inspiration.
Genres: Drama Comedy Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1990-01-01
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TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
2004-01-01
TV in Black: The First Fifty Years
Overview: Discover how television has reflected the African American experience in this retrospective of the medium's first half-century. Actors, writers and historians discuss the image of black America on television from Amos and Andy to the present day. The interviews accompany clips from groundbreaking shows and performances by entertainment pioneers that create a timeline of the portrayal of African Americans throughout TV history.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2004-01-01
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St. Louis Blues
1958-04-07
St. Louis Blues
Overview: Will Handy grows up in Memphis with his preacher father and his Aunt Hagar. His father intends for him to use his musical gifts only in church, but he can't stay away from the music of the streets and workers. After he writes a theme song for a local politician, Gogo, a speakeasy singer, convinces Will to be her accompanist. Will is estranged from his father for many years while he writes and publishes many blues songs. At last the family is reunited when Gogo brings them to New York to see Will's music played by a symphony orchestra.
Genres: Drama History
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1958-04-07
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The Balcony
1963-03-21
The Balcony
Overview: The Madam of a brothel satisfies the erotic fantasies of her customers, while a revolution is sweeping the nation. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2010.
Genres: Drama Comedy Fantasy
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1963-03-21
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Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'
2002-06-14
Theater Talk: 'A Raisin in the Sun'
Overview: Panel discussion about the original Broadway production of Lorraine Hansbury's "A Raisin in the Sun."
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2002-06-14
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Color Adjustment
1992-01-29
Color Adjustment
Overview: From Amos 'n' Andy to Nat King Cole, from Roots to The Cosby Show, black people have played many roles on primetime television. Brilliantly weaving clips from classic TV shows with commentary from TV producers, black actors and scholars, Marlon Riggs blends humor, insight, and thoughtful analysis to explore the evolution of black/white relations as reflected by America's favorite addiction.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1992-01-29
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Go Man Go
1954-01-27
Go Man Go
Overview: The story of Abe Saperstein and the creation of the Harlem Globetrotters.
Genres: Drama
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1954-01-27
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Discovering William Greaves
2006-12-06
Discovering William Greaves
Overview: A documentary on the career of William Greaves, featuring Greaves, his wife and co-producer Louise Archambault, actor Ruby Dee, filmmaker St. Clair Bourne, and film scholar Scott MacDonald. Released within Criterion's Symbiopsychotaxiplasm set.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2006-12-06
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Baby Geniuses
1999-03-12
Baby Geniuses
Overview: BabyCo is the world's leading manufacturer in baby products. However, what the public doesn't know, is that Drs Kinder and Heep, two of its most brilliant scientists, are tirelessly working in complete secrecy to crack the indecipherable code to 'baby talk': a highly sophisticated language, and the key to the secrets of the universe. Before long, problems arise when mischievous Sly, the smartest of the toddlers, escapes confinement, bent on uniting all babies to free those trapped in the laboratory. Now, Kinder and Heep must find Sly before it is too late.
Genres: Science Fiction Comedy Family
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1999-03-12
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Poitier's Walter Lee
2018-09-25
Poitier's Walter Lee
Overview: An interview with film scholar Mia Mask, co-editor of Poitier Revisited.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2018-09-25
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To Be Young, Gifted and Black
1972-01-20
To Be Young, Gifted and Black
Overview: A mosaic biopic on Lorraine Hansberry, based on the stage play combining her unpublished writings, letters, and diaries.
Genres: Drama TV Movie
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1972-01-20
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The Sheriff
1971-03-30
The Sheriff
Overview: A rape case opens racial divisions in a small town. A black sheriff and his white deputy investigate allegations that a wealthy white businessman raped a black college student.
Genres: TV Movie Drama Crime
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1971-03-30
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Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee
2014-06-22
Life's Essentials with Ruby Dee
Overview: In this open-letter style documentary, Ruby Dee & Ossie Davis' rich lives guide their grandson on his personal quest to master lasting love, conscious art, and undying activism.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2014-06-22
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On Merit
1972-01-01
On Merit
Overview: Examines the history and purpose of the "merit system" used by the U.S. Civil Service in hiring and promoting Federal Government workers. Shows how the system impacts jobs and career prospects for women and minorities.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1972-01-01
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The Unfinished Journey
1999-12-31
The Unfinished Journey
Overview: A short about American life and history produced for the millennium New Year's Eve celebration.
Genres: Documentary History
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1999-12-31
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Our Paul: Remembering Paul Robeson
2007-01-31
Our Paul: Remembering Paul Robeson
Overview: A retrospective look at the career of Paul Robeson and his legacy as both an American and a citizen of the world.
Genres: No genres available
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2007-01-31
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Paul Robeson: Here I Stand
1999-02-24
Paul Robeson: Here I Stand
Overview: Paul Robeson: Here I Stand presents the life and achievements of an extraordinary man. Athlete, singer, and scholar, Robeson was also a charismatic champion of the rights of the poor working man, the disfranchised and people of color. He led a life in the vanguard of many movements, achieved international acclaim for his music and suffered tremendous personal sacrifice. His story is one of the great dramas of the 20th century, spanning an international canvas of social upheaval and ideological controversy.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1999-02-24
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The Torture of Mothers: The Case of the Harlem Six
1980-01-01
The Torture of Mothers: The Case of the Harlem Six
Overview: In 1963 a group of young Black boys living in Harlem were involved in an incident that earned them the nickname "The Harlem Six." Intent on protecting and clearing the names of their sons, several mothers bonded together to make their story known. This work emerges as a powerful close up of police brutality, and of power dynamics of 1960's Harlem.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1980-01-01
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All About Us
2007-10-01
All About Us
Overview: Two Hollywood filmmakers attempt to find Morgan Freeman in Mississippi and convince him to star in their next movie. When life gets in their way they soon discover what matters to them most.
Genres: Drama Romance
Original Language: en
Release Date: 2007-10-01
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Easy to Get
1947-07-10
Easy to Get
Overview: U.S. Army training film about avoiding venereal disease, intended primarily for Black servicemen.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1947-07-10
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Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood
1998-02-10
Small Steps, Big Strides: The Black Experience in Hollywood
Overview: Louis Gossett Jr. takes viewers through a special documentary celebration of the groundbreaking achievements of African-American performers and their contributions to Hollywood filmmaking. Spectacular film clips, rare behind-the-scenes footage, archival photographs and fascinating interviews chronicle nearly a century of tribulation and triumph. Gazing at the outstanding range of African-American stars on today's movie screens, it is hard to imagine a time when there were no black leading men or women, a time when all of the roles available for people of color were considerably less heroic than they are now. Social progress came in small steps on the silver screen, film by film, for equal visibility and dignity on the silver screen; now it is possible to honor their struggles, their talent and their sacrifices.
Genres: Documentary
Original Language: en
Release Date: 1998-02-10
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