Review
“Excuse me, Missy Rose, but it looks like the devil’s in me tonight.” – Zeke
Though not without its valid criticisms (for its racial stereotypes, chiefly), Hallelujah was a landmark for Black representation on film. And to reduce it to its stereotypes would do a great disservice to the cast and (racially-mixed) production crew, because all in all Hallelujah is a remarkable film. Nina Mae McKinney is especially delightful, and it’s a shame she didn’t get the same opportunities as white actresses of the time, because she was able to do comedy and drama equally well.
You can see the spiritual transformation play out on her face and in her body language.
My favorite scene in the entire film is when Chick (Nina Mae McKinney) is listening to Zeke’s (Daniel L. Haynes) passionate sermon and goes from scornful to deeply moved. You can see the spiritual transformation play out on her face and in her body language. She’s a phenomenal actress with a vivaciousness and physicality that she makes look easy, while the opposite is true.
Hallelujah is available to stream for free on Tubi and is also available to own on DVD.
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