Saturday, April 25, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Hammer Museum, Los Angeles
The only film written, directed, produced by and starring Eddie Murphy, this film, set in 1930s Harlem, imagines a world of Black nightlife, entrepreneurship and survival amid gangsters and corrupt cops. Robert Townsend pens a soulful love letter to Black popular music in this film loosely inspired by Motown-era vocal groups. Following a fictional quintet from 1960s chart success through industry exploitation, infighting and addiction, the film delivers a clear-eyed critique of a business that profits from Black genius while denying Black ownership. Featuring a pop-history–rich script by Townsend and Keenen Ivory Wayans and a pitch-perfect ensemble performance, this story bridges generations of Black artistry and cinema as it beautifully reveals the spiritual power of brotherhood and Black music.—*guest programmer Artel Great* Director: Robert Townsend. Screenwriters: Robert Townsend, Keenen Ivory Wayans. With: Robert Townsend, Michael Wright, Leon Robinson, Harry J. Lennix, Tico Wells, John Canada Terrell, Harold Nicholas, Diahann Carroll.