Hallelujah
1929·Music·1h 40m
7.1
★
A black laborer turns preacher after accidentally killing a man.
Directed by King Vidor
hustler
musical
game of dice
femme fatale
preacher
all black cast
death of brother
loaded dice
cotton picker
woman seduces a man
moral corruption
con couple
wayward woman
corrupt religious leader
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Where to Watch
Cast
Daniel L. Haynes
Zeke
Nina Mae McKinney
Chick
William Fountaine
Hot Shot
Matthew Beard
Child (uncredited)
Clarence Muse
Church Member (uncredited)
Sam McDaniel
Adam (uncredited)
Crew
King Vidor
Director
Irving Thalberg
Producer
Cedric Gibbons
Art Direction
Irving Berlin
Songs
King Vidor
Story
Popular Reviews
6 reviews
Boy
Interesting stuff 🤔
Interesting stuff 🤔
niki
6.0★ · 01/07/26
pretty solid film when situating it in the political, cultural, and social standards of the time. phenomenal in its casting and plot but flawed due to the blatant promotion and perpetuation of black stereotypes and reduction of the black individual into racist tropes to satisfy white audiences of the time—a profit-based concern that persists to this day (a la the magnificent seven). however, king vidor’s directing and vision was ahead of its time in some ways but was overshadowed by the film’s flaws. undeniably a hard watch!
pretty solid film when situating it in the political, cultural, and social standards of the time. phenomenal in its casting and plot but flawed due to the blatant promotion and perpetuation of black stereotypes and reduction of the black individual into racist tropes to satisfy white audiences of the time—a profit-based concern that persists to this day (a la the magnificent seven). however, king vidor’s directing and vision was ahead of its time in some ways but was overshadowed by the film’s flaws. undeniably a hard watch!
CruiseCruz
6.0★ · 08/20/25
Watched it on Wikipedia
Watched it on Wikipedia
charlie
9.3★ · 07/17/25
open those arms, there’s a lot of take in
open those arms, there’s a lot of take in
Jonathan
6.0★ · 03/20/24
Hallelujah is a difficult film to touch upon, and while it is technically strong, it's impossible to ignore its blatantly outdated worldview. The film is a product of its time and seems to have been out of the best of intentions by King Vidor, but that doesn't excuse it from perpetuating harmful stereotypes.
I must say though that it has some of the most consistent utilizations of sound in a 1920's film, but I wish it had aged better.
I must say though that it has some of the most consistent utilizations of sound in a 1920's film, but I wish it had aged better.
Hallelujah is a difficult film to touch upon, and while it is technically strong, it's impossible to ignore its blatantly outdated worldview. The film is a product of its time and seems to have been out of the best of intentions by King Vidor, but that doesn't excuse it from perpetuating harmful stereotypes.
I must say though that it has some of the most consistent utilizations of sound in a 1920's film, but I wish it had aged better.
I must say though that it has some of the most consistent utilizations of sound in a 1920's film, but I wish it had aged better.