The oldest known surviving film starring an entirely Black cast, this unfinished 1913 romantic comedy -- the footage of which was miraculously recovered from the vaults of the bankrupt Biograph film studio, alongside outtakes and a trove of still images from the production -- stars legendary Bahamian-American vaudeville performer Bert Williams as a dandy competing with two rivals for the love of a woman (played by Harlem entrepreneur and actress Odessa Warren Grey). Williams -- wearing blackface makeup in a concession to entertainment standards of the day -- proves to be a leading man of striking depth, blending impressive slapstick gifts with emotional range. Reconstructed by the Museum of Modern Art from the extant fragments, LIME KILN CLUB FIELD DAY is a remarkable living vision of Black love, joy, and comic creativity.
| Directed by | T_ Hayes Hunter, Edwin Middleton |
| Country | USA |