Cotton Comes to Harlem (1970)
1h 37m | PG-13
Harlem's African-American population is being ripped off by the Rev. Deke O'Malley, who dishonestly claims that small donations will secure parcels of land in Africa. When New York City police officers Gravedigger Jones and Coffin Ed Johnson look into O'Malley's scam, they learn that the cash is being smuggled inside a bale of cotton. However, the police, O'Malley, and lots of others find themselves scrambling when the money goes missing.
Director: Ossie Davis
Studio: Formosa Productions
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime
Video: 720p
Cast
Godfrey Cambridge
as Gravedigger Jones
Raymond St. Jacques
as Coffin Ed Johnson
Calvin Lockhart
as Rev. Deke O'Malley
Judy Pace
as Iris
Redd Foxx
as Uncle Bud / Booker Washington Sims
Emily Yancy
as Mabel
Reviews
A very different but strong angle on the typical Blaxploitation flick. I really enjoyed it. Unfortunately I haven't seen a lot of Ossie Davis' work, either directing (which he does here) or acting (besides 'Bubba Ho-Tep' from late in his career), but it makes me want to check out a lot more. Well worth your trouble to find, worth buying and rewatching, in fact.