Filmed in 1924, Body and Soul is the best-known silent film of pioneer African-American filmmaker Oscar Micheaux. In it, Paul Robeson, the great singer/actor/athlete, made his first appearance in a motion picture.
Written, produced and directed by Micheaux, it also starred Mercedes Gilbert, Julia Theresa Russell, Lawrence Chenault and Marshall Rogers.
Body and Soul is another film made in 1947 film noir film which tells the story of a boxer who becomes involved with a corrupt promoter. It stars John Garfield, Lilli Palmer, Hazel Brooks, Anne Revere and William Conrad.
The movie was written by Abraham Polonsky and directed by Robert Rossen.
It won the Academy Award for Film Editing and was nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (John Garfield) and Best Writing, Original Screenplay.