1973·Romance·1h 42m
7.1
★
As an African American family and friends gather in an apartment for a house party, two mischief-making devil-bats take human form in order to break up the party.
Directed by Melvin Van Peebles
musical
based on play or musical
blaxploitation cinema
devil
broadway musical
Trailer
IMDB
N/A
Where to Watch
Cast
Esther Rolle
Miss Maybell
Mabel King
Mrs. Bowser
Rhetta Hughes
Earnestine
Crew
Melvin Van Peebles
Director
Melvin Van Peebles
Screenplay
Melvin Van Peebles
Original Music Composer
Melvin Van Peebles
Editor
Melvin Van Peebles
Theatre Play
Melvin Van Peebles
Songs
Popular Reviews
20 reviews
Joshua Timpko
7.0★ · 07/11/26
Criterion Challenge 2026
Criterion Category #6: The Twenty Least Watched Films
I didn’t know what to expect going into Don’t Play Us Cheap. All I had to go off of was the premise on Criterion’s website which says it’s about a Saturday night birthday party at a Southern black household - the household of Miss Maybell - where Two imps, Trinity (Joe Keyes Jr.) and Brother David (Avon Long), who have given their souls to the devil and are determined to gain their wings by doing evil deeds. They show up at Miss Maybell’s home hell-bent on ruining the festivities. They morph into Black men, Brother Dave dressed in a bright-red zoot suit with devil horns at the shoulder and a red shirt and tie, and Trinity attired in a black patent-leather suit with red trim, a red shirt, and a black ribbon tie. But soon they realize that breaking up this party is going to be harder than they thought, given that all the party guests seem to have an infinite capacity for having a good time. They've got all the liquor, food, and good music anyone would need to keep a party on the tracks all night long. The story then centers around whether Trinity’s burgeoning love for Earnestine - Miss Maybell’s niece, and the one whose birthday it is - will turn him away from the devil for good.
It’s a simple plot, portrayed in a diorama setting, as it’s meant to invoke the Tony-nominated Broadway musical that it’s based on - also written and directed by Melvin Van Peebles.
It’s worth pausing on that name, because he’s undoubtedly a pioneer in arts, and someone I’ve heard about in passing, but my knowledge of his work is pretty limited. But after watching Don’t Play Us Cheap, you can color me intrigued to look into more of his filmography and his life.
I should warn anyone out there though, this film is… to put it nicely, rough around the edges. It has a patina of low-budget to it that can turn certain viewers off. But any astute viewer would see the final product as a true accomplishment of creativity and what can be done with what little you have at your disposal. The set looks something out of community theater, the performances often feel not far off from that either, sometimes folks are completely out of focus, sometimes the sound is inconsistent, there doesn’t seem to be any fuss made about continuity. And yet, in totality, what you have is a film jam-packed with charm and joy.
And what I believe is the saving grace of this film are the musical performances. Oh yeah, did I mention this is a musical? I would describe my viewing experience of this as being 60% checked out during any of the narrative work - trying to look past the sloppy cinematography and the bland line readings - but then giving 110% of my attention to the film whenever any character started singing. Early on there is a performance of “You Cut Up The Clothes In The Closet of My Dreams” that is nothing short of a SHOWSTOPPER, performed to perfection by Joshie Jo Armstead. After that, I locked into this film in a very different way, waiting patiently for the next song. When George McCurn begins singing “Quitin’ Time” my jaw was on the floor. There are a handful of other songs that act as highlights; The Book of Life, Saturday Night, Break That Party, Feast On Me, and I’m sure others that I can’t remember. And across the board, the score is full of these delicious 70s jazz, soul, and bosa nova reprises, but also incorporates a wide swath of Black musical genres
And throughout these performances, you do often get moments of genuine visual creativity, especially in the back half, when you have characters like Earnestine giving her solo performance in a sun-dolloped bedroom, or a reprise near the end where two bourgeois parents are trying to convince their son to avoid the lower-class Earnestine.
So, long story short, your mileage may vary on this one. If you can look past the rough-around-the-edges nature of the filmmaking, you’re bound to have a good time.
6.6/10
Criterion Category #6: The Twenty Least Watched Films
I didn’t know what to expect going into Don’t Play Us Cheap. All I had to go off of was the premise on Criterion’s website which says it’s about a Saturday night birthday party at a Southern black household - the household of Miss Maybell - where Two imps, Trinity (Joe Keyes Jr.) and Brother David (Avon Long), who have given their souls to the devil and are determined to gain their wings by doing evil deeds. They show up at Miss Maybell’s home hell-bent on ruining the festivities. They morph into Black men, Brother Dave dressed in a bright-red zoot suit with devil horns at the shoulder and a red shirt and tie, and Trinity attired in a black patent-leather suit with red trim, a red shirt, and a black ribbon tie. But soon they realize that breaking up this party is going to be harder than they thought, given that all the party guests seem to have an infinite capacity for having a good time. They've got all the liquor, food, and good music anyone would need to keep a party on the tracks all night long. The story then centers around whether Trinity’s burgeoning love for Earnestine - Miss Maybell’s niece, and the one whose birthday it is - will turn him away from the devil for good.
It’s a simple plot, portrayed in a diorama setting, as it’s meant to invoke the Tony-nominated Broadway musical that it’s based on - also written and directed by Melvin Van Peebles.
It’s worth pausing on that name, because he’s undoubtedly a pioneer in arts, and someone I’ve heard about in passing, but my knowledge of his work is pretty limited. But after watching Don’t Play Us Cheap, you can color me intrigued to look into more of his filmography and his life.
I should warn anyone out there though, this film is… to put it nicely, rough around the edges. It has a patina of low-budget to it that can turn certain viewers off. But any astute viewer would see the final product as a true accomplishment of creativity and what can be done with what little you have at your disposal. The set looks something out of community theater, the performances often feel not far off from that either, sometimes folks are completely out of focus, sometimes the sound is inconsistent, there doesn’t seem to be any fuss made about continuity. And yet, in totality, what you have is a film jam-packed with charm and joy.
And what I believe is the saving grace of this film are the musical performances. Oh yeah, did I mention this is a musical? I would describe my viewing experience of this as being 60% checked out during any of the narrative work - trying to look past the sloppy cinematography and the bland line readings - but then giving 110% of my attention to the film whenever any character started singing. Early on there is a performance of “You Cut Up The Clothes In The Closet of My Dreams” that is nothing short of a SHOWSTOPPER, performed to perfection by Joshie Jo Armstead. After that, I locked into this film in a very different way, waiting patiently for the next song. When George McCurn begins singing “Quitin’ Time” my jaw was on the floor. There are a handful of other songs that act as highlights; The Book of Life, Saturday Night, Break That Party, Feast On Me, and I’m sure others that I can’t remember. And across the board, the score is full of these delicious 70s jazz, soul, and bosa nova reprises, but also incorporates a wide swath of Black musical genres
And throughout these performances, you do often get moments of genuine visual creativity, especially in the back half, when you have characters like Earnestine giving her solo performance in a sun-dolloped bedroom, or a reprise near the end where two bourgeois parents are trying to convince their son to avoid the lower-class Earnestine.
So, long story short, your mileage may vary on this one. If you can look past the rough-around-the-edges nature of the filmmaking, you’re bound to have a good time.
6.6/10
Criterion Challenge 2026
Criterion Category #6: The Twenty Least Watched Films
I didn’t know what to expect going into Don’t Play Us Cheap. All I had to go off of was the premise on Criterion’s website which says it’s about a Saturday night birthday party at a Southern black household - the household of Miss Maybell - where Two imps, Trinity (Joe Keyes Jr.) and Brother David (Avon Long), who have given their souls to the devil and are determined to gain their wings by doing evil deeds. They show up at Miss Maybell’s home hell-bent on ruining the festivities. They morph into Black men, Brother Dave dressed in a bright-red zoot suit with devil horns at the shoulder and a red shirt and tie, and Trinity attired in a black patent-leather suit with red trim, a red shirt, and a black ribbon tie. But soon they realize that breaking up this party is going to be harder than they thought, given that all the party guests seem to have an infinite capacity for having a good time. They've got all the liquor, food, and good music anyone would need to keep a party on the tracks all night long. The story then centers around whether Trinity’s burgeoning love for Earnestine - Miss Maybell’s niece, and the one whose birthday it is - will turn him away from the devil for good.
It’s a simple plot, portrayed in a diorama setting, as it’s meant to invoke the Tony-nominated Broadway musical that it’s based on - also written and directed by Melvin Van Peebles.
It’s worth pausing on that name, because he’s undoubtedly a pioneer in arts, and someone I’ve heard about in passing, but my knowledge of his work is pretty limited. But after watching Don’t Play Us Cheap, you can color me intrigued to look into more of his filmography and his life.
I should warn anyone out there though, this film is… to put it nicely, rough around the edges. It has a patina of low-budget to it that can turn certain viewers off. But any astute viewer would see the final product as a true accomplishment of creativity and what can be done with what little you have at your disposal. The set looks something out of community theater, the performances often feel not far off from that either, sometimes folks are completely out of focus, sometimes the sound is inconsistent, there doesn’t seem to be any fuss made about continuity. And yet, in totality, what you have is a film jam-packed with charm and joy.
And what I believe is the saving grace of this film are the musical performances. Oh yeah, did I mention this is a musical? I would describe my viewing experience of this as being 60% checked out during any of the narrative work - trying to look past the sloppy cinematography and the bland line readings - but then giving 110% of my attention to the film whenever any character started singing. Early on there is a performance of “You Cut Up The Clothes In The Closet of My Dreams” that is nothing short of a SHOWSTOPPER, performed to perfection by Joshie Jo Armstead. After that, I locked into this film in a very different way, waiting patiently for the next song. When George McCurn begins singing “Quitin’ Time” my jaw was on the floor. There are a handful of other songs that act as highlights; The Book of Life, Saturday Night, Break That Party, Feast On Me, and I’m sure others that I can’t remember. And across the board, the score is full of these delicious 70s jazz, soul, and bosa nova reprises, but also incorporates a wide swath of Black musical genres
And throughout these performances, you do often get moments of genuine visual creativity, especially in the back half, when you have characters like Earnestine giving her solo performance in a sun-dolloped bedroom, or a reprise near the end where two bourgeois parents are trying to convince their son to avoid the lower-class Earnestine.
So, long story short, your mileage may vary on this one. If you can look past the rough-around-the-edges nature of the filmmaking, you’re bound to have a good time.
6.6/10
Criterion Category #6: The Twenty Least Watched Films
I didn’t know what to expect going into Don’t Play Us Cheap. All I had to go off of was the premise on Criterion’s website which says it’s about a Saturday night birthday party at a Southern black household - the household of Miss Maybell - where Two imps, Trinity (Joe Keyes Jr.) and Brother David (Avon Long), who have given their souls to the devil and are determined to gain their wings by doing evil deeds. They show up at Miss Maybell’s home hell-bent on ruining the festivities. They morph into Black men, Brother Dave dressed in a bright-red zoot suit with devil horns at the shoulder and a red shirt and tie, and Trinity attired in a black patent-leather suit with red trim, a red shirt, and a black ribbon tie. But soon they realize that breaking up this party is going to be harder than they thought, given that all the party guests seem to have an infinite capacity for having a good time. They've got all the liquor, food, and good music anyone would need to keep a party on the tracks all night long. The story then centers around whether Trinity’s burgeoning love for Earnestine - Miss Maybell’s niece, and the one whose birthday it is - will turn him away from the devil for good.
It’s a simple plot, portrayed in a diorama setting, as it’s meant to invoke the Tony-nominated Broadway musical that it’s based on - also written and directed by Melvin Van Peebles.
It’s worth pausing on that name, because he’s undoubtedly a pioneer in arts, and someone I’ve heard about in passing, but my knowledge of his work is pretty limited. But after watching Don’t Play Us Cheap, you can color me intrigued to look into more of his filmography and his life.
I should warn anyone out there though, this film is… to put it nicely, rough around the edges. It has a patina of low-budget to it that can turn certain viewers off. But any astute viewer would see the final product as a true accomplishment of creativity and what can be done with what little you have at your disposal. The set looks something out of community theater, the performances often feel not far off from that either, sometimes folks are completely out of focus, sometimes the sound is inconsistent, there doesn’t seem to be any fuss made about continuity. And yet, in totality, what you have is a film jam-packed with charm and joy.
And what I believe is the saving grace of this film are the musical performances. Oh yeah, did I mention this is a musical? I would describe my viewing experience of this as being 60% checked out during any of the narrative work - trying to look past the sloppy cinematography and the bland line readings - but then giving 110% of my attention to the film whenever any character started singing. Early on there is a performance of “You Cut Up The Clothes In The Closet of My Dreams” that is nothing short of a SHOWSTOPPER, performed to perfection by Joshie Jo Armstead. After that, I locked into this film in a very different way, waiting patiently for the next song. When George McCurn begins singing “Quitin’ Time” my jaw was on the floor. There are a handful of other songs that act as highlights; The Book of Life, Saturday Night, Break That Party, Feast On Me, and I’m sure others that I can’t remember. And across the board, the score is full of these delicious 70s jazz, soul, and bosa nova reprises, but also incorporates a wide swath of Black musical genres
And throughout these performances, you do often get moments of genuine visual creativity, especially in the back half, when you have characters like Earnestine giving her solo performance in a sun-dolloped bedroom, or a reprise near the end where two bourgeois parents are trying to convince their son to avoid the lower-class Earnestine.
So, long story short, your mileage may vary on this one. If you can look past the rough-around-the-edges nature of the filmmaking, you’re bound to have a good time.
6.6/10
NiaPRO
7.0★ · 05/08/26
So fun!!! Full of heart humanity and pure joy it was so enjoyable to watch:)
So fun!!! Full of heart humanity and pure joy it was so enjoyable to watch:)
grace
8.0★ · 02/17/26
“The devil gets into everybody once in a while.”
Fun, vibrant, and full of undaunted black joy in a world that tries desperately to tear them down. Evil cannot win where there is community.
Fun, vibrant, and full of undaunted black joy in a world that tries desperately to tear them down. Evil cannot win where there is community.
“The devil gets into everybody once in a while.”
Fun, vibrant, and full of undaunted black joy in a world that tries desperately to tear them down. Evil cannot win where there is community.
Fun, vibrant, and full of undaunted black joy in a world that tries desperately to tear them down. Evil cannot win where there is community.
FidlgbPRO
7.0★ · 02/03/26
“People are only human. Even the people we love is only human. The devil gets in them sometimes too, just like anybody else.”
A unique and fun portrayal of Black joy and resilience. Esther Rolle is a star as Miss Maybell. I would love to see a modern take on this with a bigger budget.
A unique and fun portrayal of Black joy and resilience. Esther Rolle is a star as Miss Maybell. I would love to see a modern take on this with a bigger budget.
“People are only human. Even the people we love is only human. The devil gets in them sometimes too, just like anybody else.”
A unique and fun portrayal of Black joy and resilience. Esther Rolle is a star as Miss Maybell. I would love to see a modern take on this with a bigger budget.
A unique and fun portrayal of Black joy and resilience. Esther Rolle is a star as Miss Maybell. I would love to see a modern take on this with a bigger budget.
Sleaze BeresPRO
6.0★ · 01/13/26
Criterion Challenge 13: Song and Dance (35/52)
The lower budget theatrical style of this really rocks. Opening on a rat and a cockroach coming out of a hole in the wall and singing. Closing on the family singing a song about turning the devil into a roach and smashing him. Some visual moments (the imps flying to earth, the Devil speaking to the audience while the cast is in a row being panned to left and right behind him) are crazy. Inventive maybe isn’t the word but does a lot with a little.
The lower budget theatrical style of this really rocks. Opening on a rat and a cockroach coming out of a hole in the wall and singing. Closing on the family singing a song about turning the devil into a roach and smashing him. Some visual moments (the imps flying to earth, the Devil speaking to the audience while the cast is in a row being panned to left and right behind him) are crazy. Inventive maybe isn’t the word but does a lot with a little.
Criterion Challenge 13: Song and Dance (35/52)
The lower budget theatrical style of this really rocks. Opening on a rat and a cockroach coming out of a hole in the wall and singing. Closing on the family singing a song about turning the devil into a roach and smashing him. Some visual moments (the imps flying to earth, the Devil speaking to the audience while the cast is in a row being panned to left and right behind him) are crazy. Inventive maybe isn’t the word but does a lot with a little.
The lower budget theatrical style of this really rocks. Opening on a rat and a cockroach coming out of a hole in the wall and singing. Closing on the family singing a song about turning the devil into a roach and smashing him. Some visual moments (the imps flying to earth, the Devil speaking to the audience while the cast is in a row being panned to left and right behind him) are crazy. Inventive maybe isn’t the word but does a lot with a little.