Key Cast : Godfrey Cambridge, Raymond St. Jacques, Calvin Lockhart, Judy Pace, Redd Foxx, John Anderson, Emily Yancy, J.D. Cannon, Mabel Robinson, Dick Sabol, Theodore Wilson
Rating: R
Genre(s): Crime, Action, Adventure
Description
Detectives “Gravedigger” Jones (Godfrey Cambridge) and “Coffin Ed” Johnson (Raymond St. Jacques) are on the case and in everyone’s face when they investigate Rev. Deke O’Malley (Calvin Lockhart) – a brother whose “Back to Africa” campaign is nothing more than a big scam for bigga’ bucks.
But when $87,000 of O’Malley’s laundered cash gets stashed in a bail of cotton, Gravedigger and Coffin find they’re not the only dudes suddenly interested in soaring cotton prices!
Trailing the bale all over Harlem, the detectives come up against the mafia, the police, black militants and more in an all-out dash to nab $87,000 cash – and to 86 anyone who stands in their way!
Trivia
∙ This was the first film that Ossie Davis directed.
∙ Based on the novel, Cotton Comes to Harlem, by Chester Himes. Chester Himes was an African-American writer who wrote a number of successful detective books. Cotton Comes to Harlem was the sixth of his eight, Harlem- based detective novels.
∙ The location scenes for Cotton Comes to Harlem were filmed in Harlem, New York.
DVD Availability
Buy the Cotton Comes to Harlem Movie DVD
"Cotton Comes to Harlem" was directed by Ossie Davis
and stars Godfrey Cambridge, Calvin Lockhart, Redd
Foxx and many other great African-American actors.
It is based on one of the Harlem detective novels by Chester Himes.
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over $25.
"Cotton Comes to Harlem" Movie Poster
Cotton Comes to Harlem Movie Poster
Buy vintage Cotton Comes to Harlem movie posters, lobby cards and movie photographs with pictures of select scenes from the movie.
Click the poster image on the left
for purchase details.
Chester Himes Harlem Detective Novels
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Chester Hime’s Harlem Detective Novels
African-American writer Chester Himes wrote a series of detective novels that were based in Harlem, New York.
He wrote a series of eight books based on his characters Grave Digger Jones and Coffin Ed Johnson.
Chester Himes had two of his detective novels made into movies. They were "Cotton Comes to Harlem" and "Come Back Charleston Blue."
The Chester Himes detective books available for purchase are listed below. Click on the book title for purchase information.
Chester Himes Harlem detective novels that are available: (Some of these books are no longer being printed so they are only available used from resellers.)
"Cotton Comes to Harlem" Soundtrack
The "Cotton Comes to Harlem" movie soundtrack is no longer being produced. However, you can purchase used copies from resellers on Amazon.com.
The movie soundtrack features songs by Melba Moore, George Tipton and Leta Galloway.
