The Green Pastures is
a 1936 American film that visualizes stories from the Bible through the
perspective of black characters. It features actors like Rex Ingram
(who plays several roles, including “De Lawd”), Oscar Polk, and Eddie
“Rochester” Anderson. The film is based on the 1928 novel Ol’ Man Adam an’ His Chillun by Roark Bradford and the 1930 Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name by Marc Connelly1.
The plot includes elements from the Creation story, Noah’s Ark, and
other Old Testament narratives, all seen through the lens of rural
black Americans.