Hallelujah
One of the first films with an all-African American cast produced by a major studio, this musical follows sharecropper Zeke Johnson (Daniel L. Haynes) and chronicles his relationship with swindler Chick (Nina Mae McKinney), pushing him toward a dishonorable path. This was Nina May McKinney’s first film role, after being discovered by director King Vidor—earning her a contract at MGM, making McKinney the first Black actor with this accomplishment. It has been noted that during the production of this film, McKinney met and entered a brief affair with actor Pepi Lederer.

Safe in Hell
New Orleans sex worker Gilda (Dorothy Mackaill) murders her former boss—who had brought on Gilda’s struggles—and sets his apartment ablaze. To escape a murder charge, she sets off to a Caribbean island where booze is legal and criminals live without recourse. Nina Mae McKinney plays a dynamic supportive role as hotel manager Leonie in this pre-Code fare. Safe in Hell was McKinney’s next substantial role following Hallelujah; many studios at the time failed to create positive roles for Black contract players, leading McKinney to look for opportunities in Europe where she was dubbed “The Black Garbo.”