Chester Himes

After reading a collection of Chester Himes’ short stories and having previously read most of his novels, I was intrigued to watch the film Come Back Charleston Blue.

Come Back, Charleston Blue is a 1972 comedy film starring Godfrey Cambridge and Raymond St. Jacques, and is based on Chester Himes’ novel The Heat’s On. It is a sequel to the wildly popular 1970 film Cotton Comes to Harlem.

Come Back, Charleston Blue is great for a number of reasons but for residents of Harlem, the street scenes of our neighborhood in the early 70’s are fantastic (much of the film was shot in the winter of 1971/72 and snow abounds).

The viaduct under Riverside Drive:

Cars on Harlem Streets:

125th Street looking east from Lenox:

The Mosque on 116th Street:

And the National Memorial African Bookstore on 125th Street:

To watch the film:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmLoiqJXorg&feature=youtu.be


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