Leadbelly

Leadbelly tells the story of Huddie Ledbetter, the blues and folk musician known as Leadbelly, from his twenties through his forties. Born in 1888 in the racially divided American South, he was a rebellious man with an extraordinary musical gift: a powerful voice and command of several instruments, at home in blues, gospel and folk songs. Much of the period covered is spent in prison and on chain gangs, yet even behind bars he became known for the songs he wrote and performed, before and during his confinement.

Gordon Parks directed the film, which was written by Ernest Kinoy and produced by Marc Merson. It followed Parks's earlier features Shaft, Shaft's Big Score! and The Super Cops, and stands as the fifth film he directed. Roger E. Mosley plays Huddie Ledbetter, with James Brodhead as John Lomax, John McDonald, Leonard Wrentz, Ernie Hudson and Dana Manno among a credited cast of thirty-six. The film runs 126 minutes.

Released in May 1976, the drama drew modest theatrical attention and has since found a steady audience on home viewing. On IMDb it holds a rating of 7.2 from 971 votes, a solid score from a small sampling that suggests the film is appreciated by those who seek it out rather than widely seen.