Devil in a Blue Dress (1995): Denzel Washington's most underrated performance. Directed by Carl Franklin, based on Walter Mosley's novel. Easy Rawlins, a Black WWII veteran in 1948 Los Angeles, takes a job finding a missing white woman. Simple task becomes a labyrinth of violence, corruption, and impossible choices. This week on Black on Black Cinema, we look back on one of Denzel's lesser known classics.
This should have launched a franchise. Walter Mosley wrote 14 Easy Rawlins books. Denzel was perfect in the role. Don Cheadle's Mouse was a scene stealer. Carl Franklin's direction was a excellent visual take on the times and brought the book to life.
Why it matters: Denzel plays Easy as morally complex—not hero, not villain, just a Black man trying to survive. Don Cheadle's breakout as Mouse (chaotic, violent, loyal). Carl Franklin directs through the Black gaze. 1948 LA shown as a minefield for Black veterans. Themes: survival in immoral systems, respectability politics, racial passing.
This is a forgotten masterpiece. We break down why Devil in a Blue Dress deserves reconsideration.
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Black on Black Cinema is a long-running podcast featuring in-depth Black movie reviews and frank conversations that matter to the Black community. We review Black films across every genre — from Black horror and Black sci-fi to indie dramas, comedies, and blockbuster action. Covering filmmakers like Spike Lee, Jordan Peele, Ryan Coogler, Ava DuVernay, and more. Hosted by Jay, Micah, Terrence, and T'ara. Featured on RogerEbert.com. A TNP Studios production. New episodes weekly on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms. For more TNP Studios content, check out The Nerdpocalypse (movie & TV news), Look Forward (progressive politics), and Dense Pixels (video game news).
