The Blood of Jesus
| The Blood of Jesus | |
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theatrical poster
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| Directed by | Spencer Williams |
| Produced by | Spencer Williams Alfred N. Sack |
| Written by | Spencer Williams |
| Starring | Spencer Williams Cathryn Caviness |
| Cinematography | Jack Whitman |
| Distributed by | Sack Amusement Enterprises |
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Release date
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Running time
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57 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | US$5,000 |
The Blood of Jesus is a 1941 American race film written, directed, and starring Spencer Williams. It was also released under the alternate title of The Glory Road.
In a small rural village with an African American population, a church group is holding a riverside baptismal service, and one of the faithful being immersed is the recently married Martha (Cathryn Caviness). However, Martha’s husband Ras (Spencer Williams) is absent from the service – he claims he was hunting, but he actually poached a neighbor’s boar. At home, Ras accidentally shoots Martha when his rifle drops on the floor and discharges. The church congregation gathers at Martha’s bedside to pray for her recovery, and during this period an angel (Rogenia Goldthwaite) arrives to take Martha’s spirit from her body. She is brought to the Crossroads between Heaven and Hell, and initially she is tempted by the slick Judas Green (Frank H. McClennan), who is an agent for Satan (James B. Jones). Judas takes Martha to a nightclub, where the floor show includes an acrobat and a jazz singer. Judas arranges to have Martha employed by the roadhouse owner Rufus Brown, but the angel returns and advises Martha to flee. As she is escaping, a nightclub patron mistakenly believes Martha is a pickpocket who robbed him. A chase ensues and Martha races back to the Crossroads, where Satan (along with a jazz band on a flatbed truck) is waiting for her arrival. The angel appears to protect Martha from the mob, who are driven away. The sign at the Crossroad is transformed into the vision of Jesus Christ being crucified, and Christ’s blood drips down on Martha’s face. She awakens to discover she is home and her health is restored. Martha is reunited with her husband, who has now embraced religion. The angel who took Martha on her journey returns to bless the marriage.
The Blood of Jesus was the second film directed by Spencer Williams, who was one of the few African American directors of the 1940s. The Blood of Jesus was produced in Texas on a budget of US$5,000. To present the afterlife, Williams used scenes from a 1911 Italian film called L'Inferno that depicted souls entering Heaven. In addition to Williams, the cast was made up of amateur actors and members of Reverend R.L. Robinson's Heavenly Choir, who sang the film’s gospel music score. The film’s soundtrack included the songs ""All God's Children Got Shoes," "Amazing Grace,""Go Down, Moses," “Good News!", "I've Heard of a City Called Heaven," ""On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand," "Run, Child, Run," "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot,"Weary Blues" and "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord?"
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