THE BLOOD OF JESUS

US, 1941, 57 minutes, Black and white.
Cathryn Caviness, Spencer Williams.
Directed by Spencer Williams.

In 1941, a film was produced by and for African -Americans. It was The Blood of Jesus. Written and directed by its star, Spencer Williams (who achieved some fame with his later television series Amos ‘n Andy), it was an attempt to make specifically religious films, moral and morale-boosting films, for its niche audience. Anyone who has seen any representation of an African -American funeral in a film will be familiar with the emphasis on the word of God, the preaching and the highly participative hymn-singing shown here.

The film opens with a sermon, processions and a baptism by immersion of the central character, Martha (Cathryn Caviness). She tries to persuade her husband, Razz Jackson (Spencer Williams), who has been out hunting to ‘get religion’. Tragedy quickly ensues as Razz puts down his gun. It slips and wounds Martha who has been contemplating a picture of the Sacred Heart hanging in the bedroom (to the accompaniment of ‘Were you there when they crucified my Lord?’. As she lies dying, there is talk of God’s will, miracles and her friends kneel by her bed (now to the accompaniment of ‘Give me that old time religion’. As she dies, we hear an organ and see processions of people walking towards the pearly gates. However, an angel dressed in white, with wings, appears at Martha’s bedside. She rises.

The main drama of the film is an interesting variation on a theology of death and judgment, that, as a person dies, they are confronted by the choice between good and veil, to make their life choice. Martha makes her way to the crossroads (with quotations from the Sermon on the Mount in the background). She is exhorted to walk clear of temptation and beware the hypocrisy of false prophets. But, Satan, appears (dressed rather ludicrously like a pantomime devil and performs accordingly which detracts somewhat from the life choices). A well-dressed man arrives to take care of Martha and a new dress and shoes. It is Judas who is commissioned by Satan, ‘Do your stuff’, as he cackles. The angel is still quoting Matthew’s gospel.

Martha goes to a club (with some extended scenes of dancing, an acrobatic dancer, some women of easy virtue putting cash into their stockings). Martha does not want to take a job in the club, which angers the boss. The beatitudes and the saying on the salt of the earth are heard as Martha looks at another picture of Jesus and prays, ‘May God have mercy on my soul’.

Martha is chased as she runs away (to the accompaniment of ‘Run, the devil’s behind you… leave him far behind’. At the crossroads she sees the sign with one way pointing ‘To Hell’ and the other ‘To Zion’. The sign becomes a cross and a crucifix figure appears. But, the voice of Jesus confronts Martha’s accusers with the words from John 8, challenging the innocent to cast the first stone. Martha crawls to the foot of the cross and prostrates herself (to the accompaniment of ‘Steal away to Jesus’). Drops of blood of Jesus fall on Martha’s face. She wakes, alive, feeling her face and gazing on the picture of the Sacred Heart. Razz and the neighbours rejoice (to the accompaniment of ‘The Good News’ Chariot’s coming’).

The contemporary poster claims, ‘A mighty epic of modern morals!’. While it is not that, nor is it so well acted or directed, but it signifies a great deal about African -American faith in these years and the perspective on Jesus’ love, forgiveness and the role of the Crucifixion and Jesus’ shedding his blood to save the human race. This strand of American film-making is not well-known and did not influence mainstream film-making.

1.The impact of the film in its time? Now?

2.Basic small-budget, acting style? The African American background? The target audience? A piece of cinema history?

3.The black and white photography, the locations in the south, the home, the externals at the river? The club? The special effects for the procession to Heaven? The musical score?

4.The hymn accompaniment? The negro spirituals?

5.The presentation of Martha, her relationship with Razz? Her being baptised? The other baptism and the minister? The sermon? The friends gathered at the river?

6.Razz, not believing in God, hunting? His wife asking him to get religion? The accidental shooting? His grief?

7.Martha, her dying? The women praying at her bedside? God’s will?

8.The appearance of the angel, the scriptural quotations? Martha rising from her bed? The discussion about religion, churches? The human race and faith?

9.The crossroads, one sign to Hell, the other to Zion? The warning to walk clear of temptation? False prophets?

10.The Devil, the comic style? His grin? Judas and his suit? The mission from Satan? The dress, the shoes, taking her to the city? The angel’s warnings?

11.The club, at the table, the dancing, the acrobatic dancer? Martha dancing? The girl putting money in the stocking? Martha not taking the job, the boss’s reaction, her weeping? The voicing of the Beatitudes? The picture of Jesus on the wall? Her prayer that God would have mercy on her soul? Her running away, the men chasing her? Coming to the crossroads again?

12.Satan, his taunting? The crossroads and Jesus on the cross, saying ‘Get behind me, Satan’? The conventional picture of the crucifix image? The questioning of the men as to what Martha had done? Asking them to cast the first stone? Their running away?

13.Martha crawling to the foot of the cross, the choir, the hymn, ‘Steal Away to Jesus’? The blood of Jesus dropping on her face?

14.Her waking up, touching her face? Looking to the picture of the Sacred Heart which had been so important to her early in the film? Razz discovering her, the neighbours coming? The Good News Chariot?

15.The happy ending – explicit religion, African American style, overt, music, demonstrative? The fact that this strand did not really influence American mainstream film-making?