Son of Ingagi
Encyclopedia
Son of Ingagi is a 1940 American film
directed by Richard Kahn. Son of Ingagi is the first science fiction
-horror film
to feature an all-black cast. The film is about Elanor and Bob Lindsay inheriting the house of the doctor Helen Jackson who had just returned from her trip to Africa. Jackson also had returned with a missing link
monster named Ingina as well as African gold. When Ingina drinks the doctor's potion, it puts him into a rage that makes him murder Dr.Jackson. The Lindsay family inherits Jackson's house where they soon find the presence of the monster. Son of Ingagi was written by Spencer Williams based on his own short story House of Horror. The production company was impressed with Williams' script and allowed him to direct and write his own feature film The Blood of Jesus
in 1941.
) and Jackson's attorney asking the them to come over to her place so she can change her will. When Dr.Jackson works in her office she is approached by her brother Zeno, who insist that on Jackson's visits to Africa she must have taken gold and hidden it in her office. In response, Dr.Jackson hits a gong which calls upon the monster Ingina, a missing link
monster who she has taken from her previous trip to Africa. Jackson's brother leaves terrified. At the Lindsay's wedding, an explosion erupts, which leads most party-goers to investigate with only Eleanor staying at home. Eleanor is then visited by Dr.Jackson, who explains that she was in love with Eleanor's father and that she had fled to Africa later after he married Eleanor's mother.
Later in her laboratory, Jackson works on a potion for the benefit of human race. Ingina takes the potion and drinks it which causes Ingina to go on a rampage which kills Jackson. The Lindsays later find that they are beneficiaries in Helen's will, and due to her sudden death they are initially suspected of murdering her. Later, the Lindsays are acquitted of the crime, and move into Helen's manor. Eleanor soon discovers that food is mysteriously disappearing. Bradshaw, the executor of the will, comes to urge them to sell the house, and while rummaging through the desk, he carelessly rings the gong, which summons Ingina from the hiding place in the cellar. Ingina reacts to the stranger and kills Bradshaw. Detective Nelson is assigned to solve the mystery of the house and moves into the home. Zeno breaks into the couple's bedroom, but escapes when Eleanor accidentally hits Bob instead of Zeno. After seeing Ingina emerge from the basement, Zeno follows Ingina's path to seize Helen's gold. Zeno finds gold but is caught by Ingina who drags Zeno upstairs for Nelson to find. Eleanor spots Ingina and faints at the sight the creature. Ingina then carries Eleanor downstairs. When Nelson finds Zeno's body he awakens Bob who searches for Eleanor. Ingina accidentally starts a fire, and Eleanor's screams draw Bob and Nelson into the basement where Nelson fails to arrest Ingina. Bob, however, succeeds in locking the beast in a cell while the house and Ingina burn. Nelson emerges from the bushes outside with the bags of gold while Bob and Eleanor escape unharmed.
-based company Sack Amusement Enteprises produced and distributed race films, was impressed with Spencer Williams' screenplay for Son of Ingagi and offered him the opportunity to write and direct a feature film. William's resulting film was The Blood of Jesus
(1941) while Son of Ingagi was directed by the white American
director Richard Kahn. At that time, the only African American filmmaker was the self-financed Oscar Micheaux
.
Cynthia Erb, author of Tracking King Kong: A Hollywood Icon in World Culture suggests that the reason the film's monster does not match the title in the film was possibly for box office reasons, as to have it relate to the popular success of the exploitation film Ingagi
(1930). Both Richard Gilliam of Allmovie and Erb note that Ingagi was probably influenced by Boris Karloff
's character in Frankenstein
with Ingina's outbursts of violence and tendency to show emotions of suffering and being mournful.
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
directed by Richard Kahn. Son of Ingagi is the first science fiction
Science fiction film
Science fiction film is a film genre that uses science fiction: speculative, science-based depictions of phenomena that are not necessarily accepted by mainstream science, such as extraterrestrial life forms, alien worlds, extrasensory perception, and time travel, often along with futuristic...
-horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
to feature an all-black cast. The film is about Elanor and Bob Lindsay inheriting the house of the doctor Helen Jackson who had just returned from her trip to Africa. Jackson also had returned with a missing link
Missing Link
Missing link is a nonscientific term for any transitional fossil, especially one connected with human evolution; see Transitional fossil - Missing links and List of transitonal fossils - Human evolution.Missing Link may refer to:...
monster named Ingina as well as African gold. When Ingina drinks the doctor's potion, it puts him into a rage that makes him murder Dr.Jackson. The Lindsay family inherits Jackson's house where they soon find the presence of the monster. Son of Ingagi was written by Spencer Williams based on his own short story House of Horror. The production company was impressed with Williams' script and allowed him to direct and write his own feature film The Blood of Jesus
The Blood of Jesus
The Blood of Jesus is a 1941 American race film written, directed, and starring Spencer Williams. It was also released under the alternate title of The Glory Road.-Plot:...
in 1941.
Plot
After the wedding of Eleanor and Bob Lindsay, a doctor named Helen Jackson had a discussion with Detective Nelson (Spencer WilliamsSpencer Williams (actor)
Spencer Williams was an African American actor and filmmaker. He was best known for playing Andy in the Amos 'n Andy television show and for the directing the 1941 race film The Blood of Jesus. Williams was a pioneer African-American film producer and director.-Early career:Williams...
) and Jackson's attorney asking the them to come over to her place so she can change her will. When Dr.Jackson works in her office she is approached by her brother Zeno, who insist that on Jackson's visits to Africa she must have taken gold and hidden it in her office. In response, Dr.Jackson hits a gong which calls upon the monster Ingina, a missing link
Missing Link
Missing link is a nonscientific term for any transitional fossil, especially one connected with human evolution; see Transitional fossil - Missing links and List of transitonal fossils - Human evolution.Missing Link may refer to:...
monster who she has taken from her previous trip to Africa. Jackson's brother leaves terrified. At the Lindsay's wedding, an explosion erupts, which leads most party-goers to investigate with only Eleanor staying at home. Eleanor is then visited by Dr.Jackson, who explains that she was in love with Eleanor's father and that she had fled to Africa later after he married Eleanor's mother.
Later in her laboratory, Jackson works on a potion for the benefit of human race. Ingina takes the potion and drinks it which causes Ingina to go on a rampage which kills Jackson. The Lindsays later find that they are beneficiaries in Helen's will, and due to her sudden death they are initially suspected of murdering her. Later, the Lindsays are acquitted of the crime, and move into Helen's manor. Eleanor soon discovers that food is mysteriously disappearing. Bradshaw, the executor of the will, comes to urge them to sell the house, and while rummaging through the desk, he carelessly rings the gong, which summons Ingina from the hiding place in the cellar. Ingina reacts to the stranger and kills Bradshaw. Detective Nelson is assigned to solve the mystery of the house and moves into the home. Zeno breaks into the couple's bedroom, but escapes when Eleanor accidentally hits Bob instead of Zeno. After seeing Ingina emerge from the basement, Zeno follows Ingina's path to seize Helen's gold. Zeno finds gold but is caught by Ingina who drags Zeno upstairs for Nelson to find. Eleanor spots Ingina and faints at the sight the creature. Ingina then carries Eleanor downstairs. When Nelson finds Zeno's body he awakens Bob who searches for Eleanor. Ingina accidentally starts a fire, and Eleanor's screams draw Bob and Nelson into the basement where Nelson fails to arrest Ingina. Bob, however, succeeds in locking the beast in a cell while the house and Ingina burn. Nelson emerges from the bushes outside with the bags of gold while Bob and Eleanor escape unharmed.
Cast
- Zack Williams as Ingina
- Laura Bowman as Dr. Jackson
- Alfred Grant as Robert Lindsay
- Daisy Bufford as Eleanor Lindsay
- Arthur Ray as Zeno Jackson
- Spencer WilliamsSpencer Williams (actor)Spencer Williams was an African American actor and filmmaker. He was best known for playing Andy in the Amos 'n Andy television show and for the directing the 1941 race film The Blood of Jesus. Williams was a pioneer African-American film producer and director.-Early career:Williams...
as Nelson - Earl J. Morris as Bradshaw
- Jesse Graves as Chief of Detectives
- The Toppers as themselves
Production
Spencer Williams' screenplay for Son of Ingagi was based on his own story story titled House of Horror. Alfred N. Sack, whose Dallas, TexasDallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
-based company Sack Amusement Enteprises produced and distributed race films, was impressed with Spencer Williams' screenplay for Son of Ingagi and offered him the opportunity to write and direct a feature film. William's resulting film was The Blood of Jesus
The Blood of Jesus
The Blood of Jesus is a 1941 American race film written, directed, and starring Spencer Williams. It was also released under the alternate title of The Glory Road.-Plot:...
(1941) while Son of Ingagi was directed by the white American
White American
White Americans are people of the United States who are considered or consider themselves White. The United States Census Bureau defines White people as those "having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa...
director Richard Kahn. At that time, the only African American filmmaker was the self-financed Oscar Micheaux
Oscar Micheaux
Oscar Devereaux Micheaux was an American author, film director and independent producer of more than 44 films...
.
Cynthia Erb, author of Tracking King Kong: A Hollywood Icon in World Culture suggests that the reason the film's monster does not match the title in the film was possibly for box office reasons, as to have it relate to the popular success of the exploitation film Ingagi
Ingagi
Ingagi is a 1931 Pre-Code exploitation film. It purports to be a documentary of Sir Hubert Winstead of London on an expedition to Africa, and it concerns a tribe of gorilla-worshiping women encountered by the explorer. It was produced by Congo Pictures and distributed by RKO Radio Pictures...
(1930). Both Richard Gilliam of Allmovie and Erb note that Ingagi was probably influenced by Boris Karloff
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt , better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein , Bride of Frankenstein , and Son of Frankenstein...
's character in Frankenstein
Frankenstein (1931 film)
Frankenstein is a 1931 Pre-Code Horror Monster film from Universal Pictures directed by James Whale and adapted from the play by Peggy Webling which in turn is based on the novel of the same name by Mary Shelley. The film stars Colin Clive, Mae Clarke, John Boles and Boris Karloff, and features...
with Ingina's outbursts of violence and tendency to show emotions of suffering and being mournful.