Hallelujah (1929) Director: King Vidor Producer: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) Starring: Daniel L. Haynes, Nina Mae McKinney, William Fountaine, Harry Gray, Victoria Spivey Release Date: August 20, 1929 Runtime: 100 minutes Format: Black & White | Early Sound (Talkie) | Musical Drama Country: United States Language: English Genres: Drama | Musical | Religion | Pre-Code | Southern Gothic --- Summary: Hallelujah follows Zeke Johnson (Daniel L. Haynes), a sharecropper in the rural South who turns to religion after tragedy strikes his family. Seduced by the lively and dangerous Chick (Nina Mae McKinney), Zeke’s life spirals into sin and redemption as he struggles to reconcile his faith with his desires. Told with stunning emotional intensity and featuring powerful gospel music, Hallelujah was one of the first major studio films to feature an all–African American cast, exploring themes of morality, spirituality, and human weakness in a way few films of the era dared to attempt. --- Background: Directed by King Vidor, Hallelujah was an unprecedented achievement in early sound cinema and a groundbreaking step for African American representation in Hollywood. Vidor personally lobbied MGM to make the film, taking a pay cut to ensure its production. It was one of the earliest attempts by a major studio to authentically depict Black life in the American South, blending realism with musical expression and religious fervor. Shot partly on location in Tennessee and Arkansas, the film used synchronized sound to integrate spirituals and blues, creating an atmosphere both raw and lyrical. --- Trivia: Hallelujah was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Director (King Vidor). Nina Mae McKinney, only 16 at the time, became one of the first Black women to sign a long-term contract with MGM. The film was shot as both a silent and sound version to accommodate theaters still unequipped for audio playback. Despite its racial stereotypes, it remains a landmark in the portrayal of African American culture on film. Selected for preservation in the National Film Registry for its cultural and historical significance. --- Hashtags: #Hallelujah1929 #KingVidor #NinaMaeMcKinney #DanielLHaynes #MGM #PreCodeHollywood #EarlySoundFilm #AllBlackCast #FilmHistory #GospelCinema #ClassicHollywood #1920sCinema #NationalFilmRegistry #SouthernGothic #BlackFilmHistory #GoldenAgeOfHollywood