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Of all Paul Robeson's eleven starring film performances, by far his most iconic was his breakthrough in the big-screen adaptation of Eugene O'Neill's The Emperor Jones (1933). He was already a legend for his stage incarnation of Brutus Jones, a Pullman porter who powers his way to the rule of a Caribbean island, but with this, his first sound-era film role, his regal image was married to his booming voice for eternity. With The Emperor Jones, Robeson became the first African-American leading man in mainstream movies and, he said, gained a deeper understanding of cinema's potential to change racial misconceptions. Previously censored, The Emperor Jones is presented here in its most complete form.
Original Release
09/29/1933
US Release
09/29/1933
Links
Cast
| Name | Character |
|---|
| Paul Robeson | Brutus Jones |
| Dudley Digges | Smithers |
| Frank H. Wilson | Jeff (as Frank Wilson) / Jeff |
| Fredi Washington | Undine |
| Ruby Elzy | Dolly |
| George Haymid Stamper | Lem (as George Stamper) / Lem |
| Brandon Evans | Carrington |
| Taylor Gordon | Stick-man |
| Billie Holiday | Extra in Nightclub Scene |
| Rex Ingram | Court Crier |
Directors
Dudley Murphy, William C. de Mille
Writers
Eugene O'Neill, DuBose Heyward
Cast
| Name | Character |
|---|
| Paul Robeson | Brutus Jones |
| Dudley Digges | Smithers |
| Frank H. Wilson | Jeff (as Frank Wilson) / Jeff |
| Fredi Washington | Undine |
| Ruby Elzy | Dolly |
| George Haymid Stamper | Lem (as George Stamper) / Lem |
| Brandon Evans | Carrington |
| Taylor Gordon | Stick-man |
| Billie Holiday | Extra in Nightclub Scene |
| Rex Ingram | Court Crier |
| James P. Johnson | Pianist |
| Moms Mabley | Marcella |
| Harold Nicholas | Young Tap Dancer |
| Blueboy O'Connor | Treasurer |
| Fritz Pollard | Extra in Nightclub Scene |
| Lorenzo Tucker | Extra in Nightclub Scene |
Producers
| Name | Role |
|---|
| Gifford Cochran | Producer |
| John Krimsky | Producer |
Editors
