Harlem, New York City 1964
An atmospheric tour through Harlem, New York in the mid-1960s. In the residential district children play in the street, pose for the camera and play outside a 'mixed school'. We tour the luncheonettes, shops and derelict building of downtown Harlem, and watch as a group of firemen fight a house-fire. Young mothers shop in discount stores and the church gives out free meals. As night falls, Harlem lights up with neon. America's immigrants have made their mark here: Diners make their way to Chow Mein Chinese Restaurant, the Eshad Ali Arabic restaurant or the Bombay for Indian food. Driving through through Harlem's streets the neon signs of the theatres and churches streak the sky and crowds. Harlem's youth let down their hair at the Apollo Theatre, the Lido Club and Loew's Theatre.
12:57:08-12:58:40 Sign "street closed school days play area".
School entrance with civil defense sign - kids come out of school and play in street - black and white children together. 12:58:40-13:01:31 Firemen hosing burning building - blazing flames from balcony - people next door look out of window and crowd looks on from street - teenage boys laugh - black firemen get on fire engine. 13:01:31-13:02:21 Sign 'Alexander Hamilton Houses" by site under construction and tower blocks nearby. 13:02:23-13:02:40 Sign for bargain meat. Luncheonette. 13:02:40- 13:04:32 Tracking shot past derelict shops. Manny's billiards. Little Jim's Fish & Chip shop. Hair salon. Laundry shop. Religious shop advertising perfume. Daniel's Billiards. Rena's French dry cleaners "stain specialist. 13:04:32- 13:04:44 Tower blocks. Black children. 13:04:44- 13:05:28 Amsterdam News newspaper headquarters and headlines. Venice Bar next to Amsterdam News office with sign in window barring unescorted women (re prostitution); "this is a Raided premises - Police Dept.". 13:05:28- 13:05:38 Club Baby Grand. 13:05:38- 13:05:54 Frank's Restaurant. 13:05:54- 13:06:10 Sunset movie theatre marquee showing films Shocking Paris Scandal, Blue Beard, Fury At Smuggler's Bay & Gun The Man Down. 13:06:10- 13:06:20 Tracking shot past shopfronts, Square Deal Market. 13:06:20- 13:07:05 Apollo Theatre, marquee and posters advertising Gloria Lynne, Jimmy Smith concerts. 13:07:05- 13:07:27 Playland games arcade exterior and interior with rides, shooting gallery. Street with traffic. 13:07:27- 13:07:33 Bowling Harlem Lanes. 13:07:33- 13:08:07 Palm Cafe with loans company upstairs. Rudy Williams rock band advertised in window. Jazz musicians photos in window. 13:08:07- 13:08:17 Rhode Loans pawnshop. 13:08:17- 13:08:27 Club Lido. 13:08:27- 13:09:09 House of Hope drug addict rehab centre. 13:09:09- 13:09:15 Upper Park Avenue Baptist Church. Poster for Mississipi Relief Committee for homeless. 13:09:15- 13:09:26 High angle street and traffic. 13:09:26- 13:09:43 125th Street subway station and train past. 13:09:43- 13:09:49 Handwritten sign "The Frost Gospelaires". 13:09:49- 13:09:58 Baptist Church & welcome sign re anti-crime and anti-narcotic action. 13:09:58- 13:10:24 Bridge of 125th Street subway station and street signs nearby. 13:10:24- 13:10:34 Grand Union Hotel with flashing sign. 13:10:34- 13:10:45 Ladies' and children's clothes shop.
13:10:45- Harlem street scenes, buildings and shopfronts - Night scenes from 13:13:56 13:10:44- 13:11:00 Exterior brownstone buildings with entrance steps - some with smashed or boarded up windows. 13:11:00- 13:11:11 Dustbins in front of house and children past. Kids pose. 13:11:29- 13:13:01 LS area. Row of houses with entrance steps - hotel sign - 13:13:01- 13:13:20 New Hope community church - sign Fountain Spring Baptist Church; sign "Home cooked food". 13:13:20- 13:13:22 Tower blocks. 13:13:22- 13:13:57 Children on swings in tower block play area. Bridge. 13:13:57- 13:14:20 Night - Lido Club neon sign at night. 13:14:20- 13:14:30 Tracking shot down street with neon signs - 13:14:30- 13:14:37 Loew's theatre showing Dean Martin Who's Been Sleeping In My Bed, A Yank in Vietnam - 13:14:37- 13:14:26 Apollo Theatre showing Jimmy Smith and Gloria Lynne. 13:14:26- Club Baby Grand sign and box office - advert for singers? Brenda & Barbara. West End movie theatre marquee showing Steve Reeve's Revolt of the Slaves, Lonely Man & Fury of the Pagan; 13:15:28- 13:15:46 Neon sign Sugar Ray's club. 13:15:46- 13:16:02 Neon sign "Bar-B-Q Italian Heros" in luncheonette window. 13:16:02- 13:16:54 Ext Abraham Lincoln Recreation Centre and Athletic League - interior with black children playing some form of billiard on a backgammon-type board, table tennis; adults play cards; girls dance in circle. 13:16:54- 13:17:10 Count Basie's jazz club. 13:17:10- 13:17:23 Big Wilt's Smalls Paradise. Handwritten sign in window "Tonight - Moondog with Ace & The King". 13:17:23- 13:17:32 Harlem Moon Bar. 13:17:32- Chow Mein & other Chinese restaurant. 13:18:11- 13:18:15 Door of NAACP. 13:18:15- 13:18:24 Bermuda Bar. 13:18:24- 13:18:33 Silver Rail. 13:18:33- 13:18:54 Grocery shop. 13:18:54- 13:19:05 Mt. Olivet Church. 13:19:05- 13:19:24 Pool Room. 13:19:24- 13:19:28 Hollywood Cafe. 13:19:28- 13:19:44 Hotel. 13:19:44- 13:19:56 Bolivar Bar. 13:19:56- 13:20:22 Bargain prices and cheap meat in window of butcher shop. 13:20:22- 13:20:56 Liquor shop sign & ext. 13:20:56- 13:21:00 Eshad Ali Restaurant. 13:21:00- 13:21:07 Bombay Indian restaurant. 13:21:07- 13:21:21 Night - tower block at night with lit-up windows. 13:21:21- 13:21:39 Street with traffic and neons. 13:21:39- 13:22:36 Tracking shot past lit-up shops incl. Blumenstein, Ripley, Fleetwood, furniture shop, Apollo Theatre.
FULL SYNOPSIS
School entrance with civil defense sign - kids come out of school and play in street - black and white children together. 12:58:40-13:01:31 Firemen hosing burning building - blazing flames from balcony - people next door look out of window and crowd looks on from street - teenage boys laugh - black firemen get on fire engine. 13:01:31-13:02:21 Sign 'Alexander Hamilton Houses" by site under construction and tower blocks nearby. 13:02:23-13:02:40 Sign for bargain meat. Luncheonette. 13:02:40- 13:04:32 Tracking shot past derelict shops. Manny's billiards. Little Jim's Fish & Chip shop. Hair salon. Laundry shop. Religious shop advertising perfume. Daniel's Billiards. Rena's French dry cleaners "stain specialist. 13:04:32- 13:04:44 Tower blocks. Black children. 13:04:44- 13:05:28 Amsterdam News newspaper headquarters and headlines. Venice Bar next to Amsterdam News office with sign in window barring unescorted women (re prostitution); "this is a Raided premises - Police Dept.". 13:05:28- 13:05:38 Club Baby Grand. 13:05:38- 13:05:54 Frank's Restaurant. 13:05:54- 13:06:10 Sunset movie theatre marquee showing films Shocking Paris Scandal, Blue Beard, Fury At Smuggler's Bay & Gun The Man Down. 13:06:10- 13:06:20 Tracking shot past shopfronts, Square Deal Market. 13:06:20- 13:07:05 Apollo Theatre, marquee and posters advertising Gloria Lynne, Jimmy Smith concerts. 13:07:05- 13:07:27 Playland games arcade exterior and interior with rides, shooting gallery. Street with traffic. 13:07:27- 13:07:33 Bowling Harlem Lanes. 13:07:33- 13:08:07 Palm Cafe with loans company upstairs. Rudy Williams rock band advertised in window. Jazz musicians photos in window. 13:08:07- 13:08:17 Rhode Loans pawnshop. 13:08:17- 13:08:27 Club Lido. 13:08:27- 13:09:09 House of Hope drug addict rehab centre. 13:09:09- 13:09:15 Upper Park Avenue Baptist Church. Poster for Mississipi Relief Committee for homeless. 13:09:15- 13:09:26 High angle street and traffic. 13:09:26- 13:09:43 125th Street subway station and train past. 13:09:43- 13:09:49 Handwritten sign "The Frost Gospelaires". 13:09:49- 13:09:58 Baptist Church & welcome sign re anti-crime and anti-narcotic action. 13:09:58- 13:10:24 Bridge of 125th Street subway station and street signs nearby. 13:10:24- 13:10:34 Grand Union Hotel with flashing sign. 13:10:34- 13:10:45 Ladies' and children's clothes shop.
13:10:45- Harlem street scenes, buildings and shopfronts - Night scenes from 13:13:56 13:10:44- 13:11:00 Exterior brownstone buildings with entrance steps - some with smashed or boarded up windows. 13:11:00- 13:11:11 Dustbins in front of house and children past. Kids pose. 13:11:29- 13:13:01 LS area. Row of houses with entrance steps - hotel sign - 13:13:01- 13:13:20 New Hope community church - sign Fountain Spring Baptist Church; sign "Home cooked food". 13:13:20- 13:13:22 Tower blocks. 13:13:22- 13:13:57 Children on swings in tower block play area. Bridge. 13:13:57- 13:14:20 Night - Lido Club neon sign at night. 13:14:20- 13:14:30 Tracking shot down street with neon signs - 13:14:30- 13:14:37 Loew's theatre showing Dean Martin Who's Been Sleeping In My Bed, A Yank in Vietnam - 13:14:37- 13:14:26 Apollo Theatre showing Jimmy Smith and Gloria Lynne. 13:14:26- Club Baby Grand sign and box office - advert for singers? Brenda & Barbara. West End movie theatre marquee showing Steve Reeve's Revolt of the Slaves, Lonely Man & Fury of the Pagan; 13:15:28- 13:15:46 Neon sign Sugar Ray's club. 13:15:46- 13:16:02 Neon sign "Bar-B-Q Italian Heros" in luncheonette window. 13:16:02- 13:16:54 Ext Abraham Lincoln Recreation Centre and Athletic League - interior with black children playing some form of billiard on a backgammon-type board, table tennis; adults play cards; girls dance in circle. 13:16:54- 13:17:10 Count Basie's jazz club. 13:17:10- 13:17:23 Big Wilt's Smalls Paradise. Handwritten sign in window "Tonight - Moondog with Ace & The King". 13:17:23- 13:17:32 Harlem Moon Bar. 13:17:32- Chow Mein & other Chinese restaurant. 13:18:11- 13:18:15 Door of NAACP. 13:18:15- 13:18:24 Bermuda Bar. 13:18:24- 13:18:33 Silver Rail. 13:18:33- 13:18:54 Grocery shop. 13:18:54- 13:19:05 Mt. Olivet Church. 13:19:05- 13:19:24 Pool Room. 13:19:24- 13:19:28 Hollywood Cafe. 13:19:28- 13:19:44 Hotel. 13:19:44- 13:19:56 Bolivar Bar. 13:19:56- 13:20:22 Bargain prices and cheap meat in window of butcher shop. 13:20:22- 13:20:56 Liquor shop sign & ext. 13:20:56- 13:21:00 Eshad Ali Restaurant. 13:21:00- 13:21:07 Bombay Indian restaurant. 13:21:07- 13:21:21 Night - tower block at night with lit-up windows. 13:21:21- 13:21:39 Street with traffic and neons. 13:21:39- 13:22:36 Tracking shot past lit-up shops incl. Blumenstein, Ripley, Fleetwood, furniture shop, Apollo Theatre.