Cotton Comes to Harlem

Cotton Comes to Harlem is an action film cowritten and directed in 1970 by Ossie Davis and starring Godfrey Cambridge, Raymond St. Jacques, and Redd Foxx it is based on Chester Himes novel of the same name. The opening theme, Aint Now But Its Gonna Be was written by Ossie Davis and performed by Melba Moore.

The detectives go to OMalleys girlfriend, Iris Brown Judy Pace. Iris is roughed up by Ed, but she wont talk. Patrolman Jarema arrives and says Lt. Anderson wants the detectives at the crash site. They tell Jarema to stay and watch Iris. Ed recognizes Early Risers corpse at the crash site as Gravedigger finds raw cotton in the meat truck. The detectives leave to find Lo Boy Cleavon Little, Risers junkie partner, who tells them he saw Barry Waterfield run away from the crash, chased by white men wearing masks. Digger wants to know how Lo Boy knows they were white if they were masked. They run white, dammit, Lo Boy says.Iris tricks Jarema and gets away. She meets Billie, who is practicing at the Apollo Theater, and Barry, her boyfriend. OMalley is hiding out with Mabel Hill, the wife of one of the people killed during the robbery. Hill tells she overheard two white officers discussing a reward for a bale of cotton. Hill tries to kiss just as Iris enters, starting a fight. Iris bashes Mabel over the head. OMalley knocks Iris unconscious, and leaves through the window as someone begins pounding at the door. ........

Source: Wikipedia