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Come Back, Charleston Blue

Come Back, Charleston Blue is a 1972 American crime comedy film starring Godfrey Cambridge and Raymond St. Jacques, loosely based on Chester Himes' novel The Heat's On. It is a sequel to the 1970 film Cotton Comes to Harlem.

Come Back, Charleston Blue

Mark Warren

Peggy Elliott
Bontche Schweig

The Heat's On
by Chester Himes

Richard C. Kratina

  • June 29, 1972 (1972-06-29)

100 minutes[1]

United States

English

Plot[edit]

Detectives Ed "Coffin Ed" Johnson and "Grave Digger" Jones are confounded by a string of strange murders in the neighborhood of Harlem, New York. The murders themselves are not nearly as bizarre as the calling card left by the murderer: a blue steel straight razor. Legend has it that this was the calling card of Charleston Blue, a vigilante who tried to rid the neighborhood of all criminal elements using a straight razor. Blue, having disappeared years ago after he went after Dutch Schultz (with his trusty straight razor), was considered dead by all except his girlfriend, who kept his razors locked away until his "comeback."


Soon after the murders start, it is discovered that the razors were missing, and all evidence points to Joe Painter, a local photographer, who has begun dating Carol, the beloved niece of mafia errand boy Caspar Brown. Joe and Brown are at odds over Caspar's refusal to help Joe kick the mafia out of the neighborhood, so Joe enlists the help of a group of brothers and the spirit of Charleston Blue. However, Johnson and Jones discover that Joe's plan does not seem to be exactly what he claimed it was.

as Detective "Gravedigger" Jones

Godfrey Cambridge

as Detective Ed "Coffin Ed" Johnson

Raymond St. Jacques

Peter Deanda as Joe Painter

as Captain Frederick J. Bryce

Percy Rodriguez

as Carol

Jonelle Allen

as Caspar

Maxwell Glanville

as Her Majesty

Minnie Gentry

as Jarema

Dick Sabol

as Frank Mago

Leonardo Cimino

Toney Brealond as Drag Queen

Tim Pelt as Earl J

Marcia McBroom as Girl Barber

Darryl Knibb as Douglas

Joseph Ray as Bubba

Adam Wade as Benjy

Dorothi Fox as Streetwalker

Also appearing in a minor role is Philip Michael Thomas (as a Minister) in his film debut.

Production[edit]

The film was shot in Harlem,[1] which required producer Samuel Goldwyn Jr. to negotiate with CORE and other groups over their demands for "money, jobs and control."[2]

Come Back Charleston Blue

1972

1972

List of American films of 1972

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Come Back, Charleston Blue