Body and Soul (1925) *** (out of 4) Paul Robeson plays a really sinister con man who will dip to any level to get what he wants. He pretends to be a Reverend and soon he sets his eyes on the good girl Isabelle (Mercedes Gilbert). At first her and her mother just see him as a kind-hearted preacher but soon the daughter realizes his evil ways include trying to steal her life savings.Director Oscar Micheaux had already made several movies but there's no question that this here was going to be his epic. Robeson was already well-known on the stage so the two of them teaming up seemed like a grand idea but apparently the two men fought for most of the shooting time and apparently they hated each other so much that Robeson wouldn't even discuss this film. It's also said that the original version was much darker but the director was forced to cut it down by several reels, which is really too bad.As it stands, BODY AND SOUL is a very impressive movie and it's really shocking at how well it turned out and especially when you consider that the budget was very low and of course there was the behind-the-scenes issues. There's no question that the greatest thing about the picture is the performance by Robeson who really does do a terrific job at coming off as this holy man. He certainly makes you believe this fake side of his character and it's easy to see why someone would fall for him. The actor also perfectly nails the more sinister side of the character.The film looks very good, again, for its budget and the editing is also good. The entire movie looks very professional, which wasn't always the case for these early race movies. I'd also argue that the story itself was quite good and it really wasn't too often that you'd see any movie taking a look at religious figures in a negative way. BODY AND SOUL is certainly another winning film from the director and a great start for Robeson.

BODY AND SOUL (1925) is the third of Oscar Micheaux's surviving silents, with a cast exclusively comprised of African-American actors. It tells the story of Isaiah Jenkins (Paul Robeson), a phony reverend who preaches to a congregation in a small town in the American South, who is really an escaped convict. The locals look up to him, including Martha Jane (Mercedes Gilbert). Martha tries to push her daughter, Isabelle (Julia Theresa Russell) into marrying the reverend, even though she is already seeing his twin brother Sylvester (also played by Robeson). Isabelle, though, sees that he is not as pious as he appears to be. An incident takes place between Isaiah and Isabelle that drives Isabelle away from home, and Martha Jane is forced to confront an unpleasant truth she never would have imagined...I felt that this was the best of Micheaux's surviving silent movies. The narrative is straightforward and easy to follow, without being burdened by excess characters or lengthy explanations. As was common with many silents, there are some melodramatic contrivances at times but nothing really insulting. Micheaux's narrative here is well focused and a flashback scene makes the movie more powerful. Paul Robeson is the main standout here, with a very charismatic performance as the fake preacher, alternately charming, intimidating, and aggressive – his acting is very expressive. Mercedes Gilbert, a famed black stage actress of the time, also does some nice work as the mother who has to accept that appearances can be deceiving. Some of her gestures and expressions are very much of her time, but she still projects a magnetism and emotional sincerity that makes her work convincing. Julia Theresa Russell is a bit more low-key, quite naturalistic in her portrayal.Micheaux has some very effective camera-work here, particularly in the flashback scene which conveys disturbing events well with just a minimum of imagery and skillful editing. Not all of the editing here is superb, though – there are a few awkwardly staged moments, like a poorly choreographed fight scene and occasional repetition of action. However, despite that, the movie has an abundance of outstanding scenes.BODY AND SOUL is, in conclusion, an advance over Micheaux's previous silents WITHIN OUR GATES and THE SYMBOL OF THE UNCONQUERED. It succeeds because of a focused, straightforward story, charismatic performances, and skillful production. SCORE: 8/10

Its nice to see there was a Black director (Micheaux) with the gumption to take on difficult themes (like a crooked preacher and sexual abuse). Unfortunately his mastery of technique wasn't very good; this movie resembles the sort of thing D.W. Griffith was doing in 1913, both in form and tone (cf. A Girl and her Trust). Cinema had evolved by 1925.There is one great comic sequence that is worth the price of the movie, an over-the-top sermon (on the valley of dry bones) in which the whiskey-guzzling preacher has his congregation in such ecstasy that they do what looks suspiciously like break-dancing. Robeson, usually the good guy, here proves that he is equally adept at playing a sleazebag when required. There is a similar "sermon" in The Blues Brothers that was surely inspired by this one. The comical stereotypes would normally cause us to cry "racism", but this movie was made by and for blacks.Body and Soul explores serious issues and has moments of great fun, but is mainly of historical interest.

This film is about a Jack-Leg Preacher. A Jack-Leg Preacher is a crooked one. He drinks ands rapes women and then condemns people for his own gain. If that isn't Jack-Legged I don't know what is. Luckily for his the people that go to his church, the whole movie is just a dream, and he may not even be all too Jack-Legged. He may be a nice preacher.