Lucky Ghost (1942)
An all-black horror comedy starring Mantan Moreland and sometimes partner (and straight man) F.E. Miller, Lucky Ghost is amusing low-brow fare that exploits the more base, stereotypical elements of old-time black life (chicken thievin', gamblin', runnin' from ghosteses) for laughs -- sort of like the BET of its day. Mantan and Miller win a house-cum-casino in a craps game, only to discover that the deceased former owners aren't too pleased that their old home is being used for "jitterbugging, jiving, and hullaballooing". I hate hullaballooing. The ghosts decide to scare everyone off by opening doors and windows, pulling out chairs, even playing the drums.
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Absolutely Fantastic
The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.
It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.
The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.