KEEP PUNCHING (1939) Henry Armstrong , Willie Bryant & Mae E. Johnson | Drama, Black Cinema | B&W

Keep Punching is a 1939 film about boxing. Its primary character is Henry Armstrong (born Henry Jackson). Unlike most films of the era, its cast was composed entirely of African Americans.

The film includes Whitey's Lindy Hoppers (Lindy Hop) performing the much imitated Big Apple Routine. A film clip of the dance scene was also released as the short “Jittering Jitterbugs” in 1943 showing the Big Apple routine choreographed by Frankie Manning and the a Jitterbug dance competition that followed in the film.

SYNOPSIS
Golden gloves champion Henry Jackson turns professional and gets scheduled into a tough match. Days before the match, he finds an old school friend of his, Frank Harrison, unaware that Frank is betting heavily on his loss. Frank sets Henry up with beautiful Jerry Jordan, who is instructed to get him drunk and impede him in any way possible, due to Frank blackmailing her. On the day of the fight she slips him a sleeping drug.

Henry Jackson, known as Little Dynamite, is a Golden Gloves champion who agrees to turn professional when approached by fight manager Ed Watson, despite the opposition raised by his father and Fanny Singleton, his sweetheart. Jackson is ready to fight for the championship when he runs into Frank Harrison, an old school friend. Harrison is not the faithful friend that Jackson believes him to be; he is betting heavily that the heavily-favored Jackson will lose the bout. To ensure that he does, Harrison introduces Jackson to hot mama Jerry Jordan, who is instructed to make him drink and stay out late to mess him up. The day of the fight, Harrison orders Jerry to slip Jackson a sleeping potion just before he leaves for the fight. Jerry, now in love with Jackson, finally agrees after Harrison threatens her. A few hours before the fight, Jackson, Harrison, Jerry, and Harlem hanger-on Windy are in Harrison's apartment when Jerry proposes a toast to Jordan. When he is not looking, she slips the sleeping potion into his glass. Windy sees her and switches glasses with Jackson. Jerry, ringside at the fight, sees the boy she loves getting a bad beating. Sobbing wildly, she leaves the arena and runs to a near-by church, where she drops on her knees and prays to God to forgive her and to let Henry win.

CAST & CREW
Henry Armstrong as Henry Jackson
Willie Bryant as Frank Harrison
Mae E. Johnson as Jerry Jordan(as Mae Johnson)
Hamtree Harrington as 'Windy' Butler
Canada Lee as Speedy Joe Williams
Lionel Monagas as Eddie 'Ed' Watson
Francine Everett as Fanny Singleton
Dooley Wilson as Baron Skinner(as Arthur 'Dooley' Wilson)
Hilda Offley as Mrs. Jackson
Walter Robinson as Mr. Jackson
George Wiltshire as Jack Hemingway
J. Rosamond Johnson as The Minister
Buddy Bowser as Harrison's Friend
Elson Wright asBartender
Lee Norman as Bandleader Norman Lee
Arthur White's Lindy Hoppers and Jitterbugs Dancers

Directed by John Clein
Screenplay by Marcy Klauber, Story by John Rosamond Johnson
Produced by John Clein, Edward Mead[1]
Cinematography J. Burgi Contner, Jay Rescher
Edited by Al Harburger
Music by, Lee Norman (music score)
Production company M. C. Pictures, Inc.
Distributed by State Rights
Release dates December 8, 1939 (Apollo Theater, Harlem)
Running time 81 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $28,000