Summary

KING NARCISSE - BISHOP AND GOSPEL SINGER

Source Archive Films by Getty Images
Title: KING NARCISSE - BISHOP AND GOSPEL SINGER
File Number: DWZ-7 Beta SP
Color: B W
Type: Music
Year: 1963
Subjects: Black churches, religion, Christianity, King Narcisse, Oakland, California, preachers, gospel, religion, trance, spirituals
Description: 10:00:00:02 - 10:33:19:05 B W Sound 1963 King Narcisse - Bishop and gospel singer. Short documentary about charismatic preacher in Oakland, California & his Mt. Zion Spiritual Temple. Intermittent VO throughout in German. Good shots of gospel choirs and parishioners in ecstatic convulsions. Scenes of Narcisse in his extremely decorated home, riding in his Rolls Royce, practicing the piano, etc. (Evangelists, Black churches, religion, Christianity, worship, religious services, music.) 10:00:00:02 - 10:01:33:24 B W Sound 1963 Oakland, California. Bishop King Narcisse's Mount Zion Church. MS crowd of Black people entering church, where women in white robes sit march down aisle. Gospel music playing. VO in German. Titles introduce King Narcisse, "Portrait of an American Negro Sect and it's exceptional leaders." Narcisse in gaudy regalia. Moves thru crowd like celebrity. Gospel choir claps. 10:01:33:25 - 10:11:02:24 B W Sound 1963 Oakland, California. King Narcisse adjusts mic up at the pulpit. Starts singing. Gospel choir clapping hands. VS congregation singing. VS CU King Narcisse as he sings. CU faces of middle aged women. Narcisse sings "Heavenly Choir." Stops singing & begins short sermon. Women in white robes & veils. They sing "We Gonna Walk to Jerusalem." Fervent parishioners. Ecstatic, trembling, convulsing. Narcisse cries, men have to wipe tears from his face. Church members put money in the collection plate as they leave church. 10:11:02:25 - 10:13:33:16 B W Sound 1963 San Francisco. Poor people & missionary women lined up along walk outside house waiting for King Narcisse. He exits house, shakes hands, says prayer, and passes out slices of Wonder Bread - food to the needy. Says blessing. (charity, handouts.) 10:13:33:17 - 10:14:47:05 B W Sound 1963 Bay Area (probably Oakland). House of King Narcisse in ritzy neighborhood. Chauffeur polishing Narcisse's black Rolls Royce. Narcisse exits home, goes into garden. Raises arms in prayer. Wishing well in garden supposedly filled with Holy Water. Says blessing over water. (wealth) 10:14:47:06 - 10:15:36:22 B W Sound 1963 Bakersfield, California. Narcisse's humble origins. Portrait of Jesus leaning against "Holy Tree." Black housewife walking in front of Narcisse's first temple. Sign on temple w prayer written on it, signed by Bishop Lewis Narcisse. Mt. Zion Spiritual Temple. 10:15:36:23 - 10:21:25:12 B W Sound 1963 Black churches, religion, Christianity. Picture of King Narcisse as young man, in religious vestments, holding cross. Young woman in robe playing piano & singing in music room of Narcisse's house, "I Turn to Thee." Narcisse in smoking jacket sits at piano & gives her suggestions. Plays & sings, "I am on the battlefield for my Lord." Music lessons. Dissolves to images of Narcisse's grandmother & mother, who hold photos of him, in poor neighborhood. Dissolves back to Narcisse. VS music room: gaudy furniture & decoration, expensive silver tea service. (Wealth) 10:21:25:13 - 10:23:02:25 B W Sound 1963 Oakland. King Narcisse exits his house as nurse follows. Walks on red carpet towards his Rolls Royce. Chauffeur opens door for him. Symbol of church & Hebrew writing on side of car. Chauffeur rolls up carpet & puts it in car before driving off. Car POV fancy neighborhood. Narcisse watching small TV in back of car. Drives past Grand Lake theater in Oakland on Grand Avenue & heads towards freeway. CU POV behind Rolls Royce emblem. Sign for Bay Bridge - San Francisco. 10:23:03:05 - 10:24:05:09 B W Sound 1963 San Francisco. Narcisse's charity work. Gets out his Rolls Royce in poor neighborhood. Chauffeur puts velvet robe on him. Hands out cookies to children and makes them say "thank you." Poor children, poverty. 10:24:05:10 - 10:25:28:08 B W Sound 1963 Bay Area. Heavyset black woman cooking in iron skillet in kitchen. Preparing food for supper given to the staff of the Mt. Zion Spiritual Temple. Soul food. Man plays piano as they eat at small tables. Drinking coffee, dinner. Nurse (handmaiden) wipes King Narcisse's hands for him before he eats. He sits at fancy table with higher level officials from church (all men) in fancy vestments. Raise hands in prayer. 10:25:28:09 - 10:26:18:06 B W Sound 1963 King Narcisse sits on throne as a few of his followers stand & listen as he pontificates. He explains his motto, "This philosophy: It's nice to be nice, and it's nice to let people know that you're nice." "I am spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ...to let people know...they are nice." Followers manage to listen with straight faces. Neon sign in church displays motto, "It's Nice to Be Nice." 10:26:18:07 - 10:32:30:04 B W Sound 1963 Temple. Women in white robes singing spiritual at church service. King Narcisse gives sermon. "I think everybody in her ought to be thankful for waking up this morning." Preacher in his full regalia. Altars, religious relics. Says prayer w response from congregation. Crowd sings hymn as woman plays piano. Black woman in white robes shouting out during hymn. Faces of devout women wringing hands, crying: filled w religious spirit. Women w hands clasped in prayer. 10:32:30:05 - 10:33:19:05 B W Sound 1963 Poverty, ghetto. Jaunty gospel music on soundtrack. Women exit ramshackle church after service. Men roll out red carpet at church entrance--preacher King Narcisse exits building onto red carpet & enters his Rolls Royce limousine, waves goodbye. End titles over silhouette of Africa.
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