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Harlem: Pa Jenkins (Augustus Smith), an honest and benign man, has just
been elected new leader of the better Business League - much to the dismay
of the league's former leader, Marshall (Norman Astwood), who soon enough
decides he has to get rid of Jenkins one way or the other, even if that
means murder, and who to that end has ensured the help of brute hunchback
Lomax (Herman Green) ...
But Jenkins has other problems as well, his daughter Ola (Dene Larry)
outright refuses to marry the man he has chosen to be her husband, Jim
Bracton (Ernie Ransom) and wants to instead marry idealist teacher Gregory
(Earl Sydnor). Jenkins wants her to marry Jim because back in the war, his
father saved his life, but as a matter of fact, Ola's judgment in this
matter is far better than her father's, as Jim is actually a womanizer,
who has impregnated Rosalia (Cristola Williams), one of the neighbours,
and he is actually after old man Jenkins' bonds. Ultimately, the situation
between Ola, Pa Jenkins and Jim escalates to a point where Ola and Gregory
elope, marry and move down South.
Marshall now realizes that he and Jim might have some common interests
in getting rid of Jenkins, and he makes him part of his plans. First, they
try to place a bomb in the congregation centre that is triggered by
vibration, but the musicians of the band rehearsing at the centre discover
it just in time and get rid of it. But by now, Marshall already has a new
plan that sees Lomax shooting Pa Jenkins at the next meeting of the
league.
Meanwhile, Ola and Gregory have learned about the bomb, and Ola rushes
back to her tather - and arrives just in time to witness poor pregnant
Rosalia killing herself - but she's also handed Rosalia's farewell letter
for Jim Bracton, which finally shows what a man he really is.
Ultimately, Ola finds her dad at a meeting of the league, and she tells
him the news and hands him the letter - upon which Pa Jenkins starts
scolding Jim (also present), when Lomax pulls his gun, shoots and ... Jim
leaps forward and catches the bullet meant for Pa Jenkins to redeem
himself, even if it means his own death ...
Generally speaking, all-black-films from the 1930's and 40's were made
and had to be made on a shoestring, which results in poor production
values, a limited number of sets and a bunch of non-actors in supporting
roles struggling through their lines, but usually these films also
featured some great jazz music. Murder on Lenox Avenue, of course,
is no exception to the rule, but at least it profits from a decent (if
uninventive) directorial job (soemthing not alwaqys found in
all-black-films), and two supporting performances that make up for some of
the film's shortcomings: Mamie Smith as a streetsmart fruit vendor and
Alec Lovejoy as comic relief playing a barman and musician. Of course,
these two don't make the film perfect, but at least provide it with
entertaining spots.
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find Murder on Lenox Avenue at adultvideouniverse.com
