Hallelujah- 1929
KTa6286282 I seen her,Mrs Nina Mae McKinney for the first time ever on Turner Classics in the 1929 movie Hallelujah and became an instant fane of hers,I feel kinda bad because I never heard of her before,she was the most talanted,beautiful,gifted sister I have ever seen,especially considering she was trying to do her thing in 1929.I am hurt that I could find so little about her on my computer,being Black history month(which should be every day)I do not see or hear about her any where. I guess I should be thanking you and Turner classic for making me aware. I am a fan for life thanks
Shazzar Long Beach, CA Date: 16 February 2001 Historical Masterpiece! I saw "Hallelujah" on cable television one night, and I had to buy the video because it really touched me. I learned that it was the first all-black sound movie, and I must say it was a classic. This was such an achievement for 1929, and I must say I immediately became a fan of the beautiful Nina Mae McKinney who played the young temptress Chick in the movie. This movie was enlightening because the characters, action and everything that took place reminded me so much of today's time, especially the character Chick as a temptress, the African-American church with its unique praise and the importance of dance and song. I loved the moral of the story, it was one of redemption and forgiveness. This is a powerful film and it will always remain a historical classic. "Hallelujah" gave the young Nina Mae McKinney her start, and she later inspired other African-American beauties like Dorothy Dandridge and Lena Horn to let their stars shines. Truly she was before her time, but she helped blaze the trail for others to follow, and gave so much light from her star in this film. This movie is unforgettable and truly a classic!
jimkis-3 Indiana 5 September 2001 I really enjoy this film. The performances of the leads are stellar -- especially Daniel J. Haynes in the lead. And Nina Mae McKinney is fabulous as "Chick" -- a seductress who tempts Haynes on so many different levels -- subverting and perverting his religious fervor to mold to her pure carnal lust. The spirituals are stirring; the story, though somewhat maudlin, is compelling and quite plausible. The revival scenes are both uplifting and moving. Forget that it was the first "all-black" musical or drama or whatever...it holds it place as a fine film...and doesn't need to be pigeonholed as a historical or "race" period piece. Bold, brave...and ultimately reverent...this is a true film classic.
Bill Slocum (bill.slocum@verizon.net) Greenwich, CT USA 11 October 2002 A milestone set to music Also quite something is Nina Mae McKinney, one lovely bundle of chocolatey sweetness, as she is introduced while we see her jitterbugging on a dock in a short skirt with a lucky 7 dice motif. The wrong woman to flash your wad at, as in money. Those eyes, that smile... She's Halle Berry for the Hays Code days, and she is quite special to watch, a bad girl with ragged streaks of gold running through a conniving heart.
Kieran Kenney California Date: 21 July 2004 I probably don't need to go into the historical facts about this movie or the plot, as this had probably been expunded in numerous other comments. Personally I think that Hallelujah is a beautiful and powerful film, sympathetic to African Americans, and I think it's remarkable that it was produced at all. Nina Mae McKinney is a power-house. A short, curvy beauty with an interesting voice, she has something of a young Myrna Loy. In fact, I just recently saw a still from a Loy film called The Squall where Loy looks an awful lot like McKinney.
Well done!, August 1, 2003 Andre M. "brnn64" (Mt. Pleasant, SC United States) - This was the second talking feature featuring Black Americans ("Hearts in Dixie" w/Stepin Fetchit seems to be MIA). But it's very good. Oh sure, the story's a tad hackneyed (Country boy goes to the big city and is bamboozeld by city gal), but the execution of it all makes it worthwhile. Daniel Hayes is good as the country boy (wait til you see the "train sermon") and Nina Mae McKinney makes me proud to be a South Carolinian. You'll really enjoy the climactic scene, which is remarkable considering the primitive state of sound films in those days. But enough of that-see and enjoy.
A unique glimpse of black music in the 1920s, January 16, 1999 The best sequence is the dancehall, where Nina Mae McKinney gives a stunning performance of 'Swanee Shuffle' - just the right sort of popular song; although actually filmed in a New York studio using black actors, the sequence gives the most accurate representation I've ever seen of a low-life black dance-hall -part of the roots of classic jazz. Nothing else on film comes near this: most Hollywood films sanitize black music out of all recognition; and later, in the 1930s, when black artists began to show their real styles, jazz had moved on to become more sophisticated and the whole style of behaviour had changed. All this makes the film a unique document: and it's worth adding that the soundtrack is a remarkable achievement, given the primitive equipment available at the time, using a much wider range of editing and mixing techniques than is generally thought to have been used so early on in talkies. (Reviewed by Roger Wilmut)
A VINTAGE MASTERPIECE., October 7, 2002 "scotsladdie" (GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA) King Vidor, this film's director was vitally interested in social issues: here he wanted to show the rest of 1929 America what the black man was going through. This early talkie was the first all-black feature film and indeed one of the boldest pictures ever made - M-G-M knew it wouldn't get much of a release in the deep Southern states of the U.S. In my opinion, Nina Mae McKinney was a fascinating performer who should have had more to do in films: here she plays Chick, a vibrant beauty among lowlifes. Originally filmed as a silent, the sound was added in post production.
They Learned About Women-1930
John Seal Oakland CA Date: 27 April 2003 The only interesting part of They Learned About Women is the Harlem Madness sequence, featuring the magnetic Nina Mae McKinney as a chorus line singer.
Safe In Hell- 1932
At a time when most African-Americans were stereotyped, both Nina Mae McKinney and Clarence Muse were the two most reputable characters in the movie. Although their parts in the script are written in dialect, both spoke normally.
BrunoCat Oakland CA 5 April 2000 Another fascinating pre-code gem We get to see Nina Mae McKinney's star power on display (including one hot jazz number!).
Pie Pie Blackbird-1932
Larry41OnEbay-2 Dayton, Ohio 12 February 2001 Those sexy brown eyes of Nina's make this another short to be savored again and again. Nina Mae McKinney is beautiful, as always, in this well budgeted little charmer. The very young Nicholas brothers drop by to talk pie and Nina obligees by bouncing them on her knees with a song. Then the camera zooms into the pie cooling near by and the image dissolves into a shot of the pie getting larger and larger. As the pastry fills the screen the crust peels back to reveal a small swing band with two back to back baby grand pianos! Another number, some scat singing and those sexy brown eyes of Nina's make this another short to be savored again and again. If you can find it. you will be enchanted.
The Black Network-1936
Larry41OnEbay-2 Dayton, Ohio 12 February 2001 Lovely Nina Mae McKinney has all the Jazz Baby qualities! The setting is the Black Radio Network where the sponsor has a successful show because of the lovely Nina Mae McKinney has all the Jazz Baby qualities and she and her boyfriend make the show a hit. But the sponsor's wife is jealous and bumps the young beauty off the air and ruins the show. The young Nicholas brothers drop by to sing and dance and sell a winning numbers ticket which in the end puts our pretty couple on Sugar Hill! Another number, some scat singing and those sexy brown eyes of Nina's make this another short to be savored again and again. If you can find it. you will be enchanted.
Nina is The Greatest! Nina Mae McKinney, I have to say is the greatest, its ashame she's been forgotten, she was before Lena Horne and Dorothy Dandridge, but because she wouldn't kiss anyone's butt or play maids or stereotype roles she didn't last long in Hollywood, she was a tough woman. She did great in Hallelujah, the best first talkie all black musical. She does wonderful in this short, I went through hell finding and collecting these black short musicals of that 30s and 40s era but their worth it. This short film is great. Nina Mae looks beautiful and sings a great low-down song with scat. I have it and its beautiful, and I watch it over and over again, its great better over and over again, the whole cast Amanda Randolph and the WashBoard Serenaders. You'll love it, Turner Classic Movies may show it, but you have to catch it, because they have no schedule for shorts.
Gang Smashers-1938
This is one of Nina Mae McKinney's best movies. This movie would remind you of a Warner Bros. type movie of the late 1930s or early 1940s. Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Ann Sheridan type movie, crime/drama. Monte Hawley, Laurence Criner, and Nina Mae McKinney keeps this movie on its feet. They surely act like the Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney, Edward G. Robinson, and Ann Sheridan. Nina Mae would remind of Ann Sheridan roles, tough, sure, fiesty, sassy, and funny. This movie is about a undercover police woman who poses as a nighclub entertainer to catch the main man behind the racketeers going on around Harlem. In the meanwhile two men are falling for her, she pretends to be in love with them to get them caught. One good one bad. She finds out who is the true love for her. For being a 60 min movie, its very jam-packed and filled with drama, great acting, great entertainment and music from the great Harlem days. Nina Mae is very glamorous in this movie, wears some beautiful gowns. Nina Mae McKinney steals this movie, she shows her singing talents, comedy and sense of humor, and all in all her great acting that won our hearts when she was in Hallelujah. Nina Mae McKinney surely has the acting talents of a Clara Bow, Greta Garbo, and Ann Sheridan. But she's in a class of her own for sure.
The Devil's Daughter-1939
29 July 2002 Nina Mae McKinney is #1 Nina Mae McKinney always give a great performance in what she does, no matter if its little or a big role. This film could have added another hour or so. It was good, but wish it could of been more. Nina Mae saves this film, if it wasn't for her, this film wouldn't of been much to look at.
Straight to Heaven-1939
My interest for this movie was because of Nina Mae McKinney. The movie is boring without her in the scenes. She keeps the movie watchable with her in it. She sings "When The Dark Became Dawn" which is worth watching for. Jackie Ward is the star of this film, even though Nina gets top billing. Jackie Ward is no younger then 12 or 13, but a good actor and good singer. Nina Mae does some great acting, no stereotype, or dumb talking or acting stupid. The only way Blacks could and show their talent was in Independent Black Movies and be movie stars within their own race, but unknown to other races, and they deserved better. A lot of the films have been hidden, and the history of Black Movies. But a lot of them are starring to get released. I guess Hollywood felt Blacks couldn't keep a movie audience, that we couldn't act. But if you watch these films you will see differently.
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