A Rage in Harlem

"A Rage in Harlem" is a 1991 film adaptation of Chester Himes's crime novel, which was first published in French in 1957. The novel, and subsequently the film, brought the hard-boiled thriller tradition to New York City's Harlem, featuring Black protagonists. The story follows the naive Jackson, who is tricked out of his savings by the beautiful Imabelle. When the con is revealed, Jackson must steal money from his boss, and Imabelle disappears. His troubles escalate as he turns to his twin brother, Goldy, who engages in various schemes to raise money. The film also introduces detectives Coffin Ed Johnson and Gravedigger Jones, who become central to Himes's later Harlem Detective cycle novels.1