''Hearts in Dixie'', a 1929 American film starring

Stepin Fetchit Lincoln Theodore Monroe Andrew Perry (May 30, 1902 – November 19, 1985), better known by his stage name Stepin Fetchit, was an American vaudevillian, comedian, and film actor of Jamaican and Bahamian descent, considered to be the first black ...

, was one of the first ( All-Talking) sound films, big-studio productions to boast a predominantly

African-American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa. ...

cast. This

musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serv ...

celebrates African-American music and dance. It was released by

Fox Film Corporation The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American independent company that produced motion pictures and was formed in 1914 by the theater "chain" pioneer William Fox (producer), William Fox. It was the corporate successor to ...

just months before the release of '' Hallelujah!'', another all-black musical released by competitor

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

. The director of ''Hearts in Dixie'' was Paul Sloane. Walter Weems wrote the screenplay, and William Fox was producer.

Synopsis

The film has no overarching storyline, consisting of a series of unconnected scenes celebrating the advent of sound technology in the context of "black music". ''Hearts in Dixie'' unfolds as a series of sketches of life among American blacks. Although the characters are not

slaves Slavery is the ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labour. Slavery typically involves compulsory work, with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. Enslavemen ...

, they are nevertheless racial stereotypes in terms of the contemporary white images of the period.

Cast

: Gummy *

Clarence Muse Clarence Muse (October 14, 1889 – October 13, 1979) was an American actor, screenwriter, director, singer, and composer. He was the first African American to appear in a starring role in a major studio film, 1929's '' Hearts in Dixie''. ...

: Nappus *

Eugene Jackson Eugene W. Jackson II (December 25, 1916 – October 26, 2001) was an American child actor who was a regular of the ''Our Gang'' short series during the silent Pathé era. Career When he joined the gang, Jackson replaced the series' first ...

: Chinquapin *

Bernice Pilot Bernice Pilot (June 28, 1897 - September 22, 1981) was an American actress. She appeared in numerous films including as the female lead in the 1929 film ''Hearts in Dixie''. In most of Pilot's film roles, she portrayed maids. Pilot was born in Pa ...

: Chloe * Clifford Ingram: Rammey * Mildred Washington: Trallia * Zack Williams: Deacon *

Gertrude Howard Gertrude Howard (October 13, 1892 – September 30, 1934) was an American actress of the silent film, silent and early sound film eras. Biography Born in 1892, Howard performed in the chorus of ''The Wife Hunters'' (1911) on Broadway. She broke ...

: Emmy * Dorothy Morrison: Melia *Vivian Smith: Violet * A.C.H. Bilbrew: Voodoo Woman *

Richard Carlyle Richard Carlyle (March 20, 1914 – November 15, 2009) was a film, television and Broadway actor. Early years Carlyle was born in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. His education included attendance at Sherwood Dramatic Art School and the Art ...

: White Doctor *The Billbrew Chorus

References

External links

* * 1929 films 1920s musical drama films American musical drama films American black-and-white films Fox Film films 1929 drama films Films directed by Paul Sloane 1920s English-language films 1920s American films English-language musical drama films 1929 musical films {{musical-drama-film-stub

Synopsis

Cast

See also

References

External links