The Dallas-based Sack Amusement Company was for many years was the principal supplier of motion pictures with all-black casts. Their films exclusively played the circuit of theaters catering to African-American audiences. Sack movies were generally turned out by the same technical crews employed by such small independent studios as Monogram and PRC. Midnight Shadow and The Bronze Buckaroo conform to the narrative conventions of Hollywood B pictures. Both are fascinating curiosities that reveal a side of commercial American filmmaking long overlooked by even the most rabid fans of vintage movies.The Bronze Buckaroo (1939, B&W): Singing cowboy Bob Blake rides the ranges of Arizona in search of the culprit who murdered the father of his friend, Betty Jackson. The Bronze Buckaroo stars former Duke Ellington Orchestra vocalist Herb Jeffries (billed here as Herbert Jeffrey). Starring Herb Jeffries, Lucius Brooks, Artie Young, Spencer Williams; Written and Directed by Richard C. Kahn.Midnight Shadow (1939, B&W): Small-town beauty Margaret Wilson rejects her long-time suitor Buster Barnett after being swept off her feet by suave Prince Alihabad. The Prince is actually a charlatan interested in securing a Texas oil field owned by the Wilson family. When Margaret's father is murdered, amateur criminologist Junior Lingley seizes the opportunity to put his detective skills to the test. Starring Frances Redd, Buck Woods, Richard Bates, Clinton Rosemond; Directed by George Randol.
H**R
Two Good Flicks on One DVD!
The story "Wheres My Man To-Nite?" is about an African-American who enters during the early days of World War Two which started in September 1939, over two years prior to American entering the Second World War in December 1941. The young army provate goes A.W.O.L. and travels stowed aboard a freight train's box-car where he finds a hobo who turns out to be his long list father who's dies on the Arizona desert, the son later discovers whom he was. He finds two spies and and soon after spots some members of his military company scouting and informs them of the two spies who he tackles and subdues with the help of his squad leader. Afterward he is punished for absence without leave, but gets to remain in the U.S. Army because of the bravery he displayed in the capture of enemy agents. "Mystery in Swing" is good and features great African-American musicians and dancers of the early 1940s it the Cotton Club in Harlem (New York City).
T**C
Don't expect nothing too pretty from the video quality
Don't expect nothing too pretty from the video quality, but great for those who collect Race Films.A blu-ray version of "The Bronze Buckeroo" can be found in Kino Lorber's "Pioneers of African American Cinema."
F**R
herb rides
fan of herb jefferies reason I bought film.too bad alpha video is of such poor quality.but they are cheap.
K**N
Hidden History
The picture quality is very good and the content is even better.
G**N
Five Stars
I am happy to have this movie because of its historic interest for me.
I**N
The most embarrasing movie I ever saw
The 1939 movie The Bronze Buckaroo, with an all-black cast, depicts African Americans in the worst prejudicial manner, typical of 1939. Virtually all of the characters, but not all, act like people with an extremely low IQs. They act funny and do stupid things. I wonder whether this film should be destroyed or saved to show how our country treated African Americans in the past and learn from it.In the film, a friend receives a letter seeking help. The writer has disappeared. His sister does not know if he is alive. Their father was murdered. A neighbor ranch owner wants to buy their ranch, but they refuse to sell. The neighbor has no cattle on his ranch, only a bunch of rough people. Our hero, who received the letter and acted pretty well, travels to his friend's ranch and the sister and seeks to find and help him.
S**M
Mystery in Swing where are you???
I only ordered this DVD last year just for "Mystery in Swing"... To my surprise that movies was not on the DVD at all it seems that Alpha makes mass copies of there movies, and to be honest (I wish they were), would list somewhere that the movies are produced via DVD-R. I want so bad to have a copy (good one) for my library.
Trustpilot
2 weeks ago
5 days ago