African American Movies and Films by Oscar Micheaux

So hilariously awful it’s not clear whether the filmmakers were in on the joke, Lying Lips is a ridiculous murder mystery. Made with an all African American cast, director Oscar Micheaux was the first major black filmmaker in America. He would make many great films dealing with race and other issues that minorities faced, but Lying Lips is not one of them. Attempting straight laced melodrama, Edna Mae Harris leads the way in comically bad acting and taking baths with high heels on. Aside from the laughable production values, some aspects of early twentieth century African American culture are well documented: music, social structure, dance, and segregation.