The Blood of Jesus - Production

Production

The Blood of Jesus was the second film directed by Spencer Williams, who was one of the few African American directors of the 1940s. Williams began his career in the 1920s as an extra, and was later able to move up into writing scripts for all-black short comedies produced by the Al Christie studio. In 1928 he directed the silent film Tenderfeet, which was released by Midnight Productions. In 1939, he wrote two screenplays for the race film genre, the Western Harlem Rides the Range and the horror-comedy Son of Ingagi, and he also acted in these films. Williams was invited by Alfred N. Sack, president of the Dallas, Texas-based production/distribution company Sack Amusement Enterprises, to write and direct a series of all-black films that would be released to the U.S. cinemas catering to African American audiences.

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?"