Oft in the Silly Night is an American short comedy film released in 1929. It was produced by Al Christie from a story by Octavus Roy Cohen, part of a series published in the Saturday Evening Post and adapted to film in Christie productions. Among the early "talkie" films featuring an African American cast, the film survives and is available online.
The plot has a chauffeur sneaking out with his employer's car and daughter. The film and the series feature exaggerated "Negro" dialect and stereotypes.
The film was re-released on the DVD Birmingham Black Bottom in 2003.
Cast Edward Thompson as Temus Robinson Roberta Hyson as Mezanine Conner Arthur Ray as Julip Conner Spencer Williams as Eli Rubb Laurence Criner as L. J. Criner
See also "Oft in the Stilly Night", a poem by Thomas Moore and folk song adapted from it
References
"Oft in the Silly Night", pages 223-224, Slow Fade to Black: The Negro in American Film, 1900-1942, by Thomas Cripps Weird Wild Realm review - part of a review of 4 films packaged as Birmingham Black Bottom: The First All Black Cast Talkies Berkeley library brief discussion