1977 - Black Joy - Norman Beaton's iconic con-man masterclass
Video Overview & Insights
Life is for living — From wide-eyed dreamer to street-smart survivor in gritty '70s Brixton — where every hustle hides a lesson, and every laugh comes with a price tag.
i grew up here 65-77. Lived just off Ferndale Road in Dolman Street. Mum worked in Reliance Arcade, I was a bit like the boy, i was a bit older but used to walk around Brixton on my own especially during the school holidays strutting around little Jack the lad. Best time of my life
Ben Jones lands in London from Guyana expecting opportunity, but gets a crash course in city survival from charismatic hustler Dave. As scams unfold and loyalties shift, Ben must choose between losing himself or finding his own rhythm.
Original Title: Black Joy (1977) | AKA: Dark Days and Light Nights (source play)
Great movie 🎬 🎥
⭐️ STARRING
Norman Beaton — Dave
So much evil in the world ...
Trevor Thomas — Ben Jones
Dawn Hope — Saffra
Desmond!!! 😊
Floella Benjamin — Miriam
Oscar James — Jomo
😊
Paul Medford — Devon
Shango Baku — Raastaman
Wow ..its Harry the dub seller in babylon..what a sound track.. Heptones killing it
🎥 CREW
Directed by: Anthony Simmons
Great movie 🎬 ❤🇳🇿🇳🇿🇳🇿
Written by: Anthony Simmons & Jamal Ali
Based on the play by: Jamal Ali
As an American (U.S. Virgin Islands, living on the continent), I'm very curious if Wendell B. Harris (Chameleon Street) saw this film.
The scene where Saffra gets pissed off at Ben for being with Sally is interesting.
Cinematography by: Phil Meheux
Release date: 26 August 1977
glad i stumbled upon this as i’ve looking for any U.K. black films from the ‘70’s and ‘80’s. thanks for uploading this! great movie.
Filming location: Brixton, London, England
🎯 WHY WATCH?
Never heard of this movie before folks are Guyanese?
Fun Fact: This cult gem charmed Cannes Film Festival in 1977
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gOOD mOVIE
Comedy • Drama • Cult Film • British Cinema • 1970s
This is mind satisfying videos
More User Perspectives
The child is ridiculous 😂 The morals in this movie are shocking. The casual racism, treatment of women, women not taking care of their inner selves and letting man run them, conning good/innocent people, but that’s the point I guess, to show that side. They also had community. It’s definitely a product of its time.
Still a good film. The soundtrack is fire.
Norman and Floella great as ever.
That was amazing
@sophiareeves339Never seen this movie before but I like it
@BerthaLearyyoung JayZ Shawn Carter
@oswaldgrant4463This is this movie to watch on a lazy Sunday night one love everyone 💚💜
@Scottishbill-d2m33:29 he genuinely a nice man
@Scottishbill-d2mHe can from Guyana
@leahbenisrael4706Nice and great movie 🎥🍿❤ watching from Ghana 🇬🇭
@BufiamZuberutv-r5y😂
@DennisDavis-q5zNICE
@bunakuma874The little kid is Paul Medford who played Kelvin one of the original cast members in Eastenders. Oscar James also starring in this played Kelvins Dad Tony Carpenter
@JasonJay321:07:43 Count Suckle? Used to run the Roaring 20’s and Q Club in Praed St Paddington
@JasonJay32Cool
@CharlieChanceJeanneNostalgic!& Iconic film. Ace acting from the best actors of that era. Great to see Floella Benjamin amongst others 😊
@claraegbonwon9619People didn't sound or talk like this .this is why they want the youth fighting the older people. So they can change history. Life wasn't like this
@clowns_scare_meCult movie haven't seen for over 40+ years...thanks for the upload
@reggaeroots1693Porkpie😂😂😂
@VoornaamAchternaam-w4y3nANAL VISATATION AT CUSTOMS IS CAP 😂😂😂
@VoornaamAchternaam-w4y3nNever saw this! Many thanks. 👊🏼
@brutusalwaysmindedWell appreciated you tube i,will enjoy watching this movie
@WascooRonnWatching your mother and stepfather go at it is disturbing even for back then😢.
I don't understand why they including something like that.
It's weird
Nostalgic old film set in Brixton, I was reminded of childhood shopping with our Mum. Interestingly enough of all the Businesses seen throughout the film "Boot's" chemist is possibly the only business that has survived until present day (2026)
@mercibiney37wow thanks for this Great Movie spent lot of time in in Brixton and south London in the 90'S working Great to see margate in this moved there 1979 two years after this film was made now on Isle of Wight
@mindblast3901Thank you for uploading this film I had never seen it before
@stopharley8230We saw this in the movie theatre back in '77
@DragonrdhYear I was born june2✌️
@rahsunallah2825Wow! Seeing Brixton in the 70's Awesome. On a more sober note, the racist way the authorities treat black people is sickening , they should be ashamed of themselves.
@wadesmith666Kelvin was a likkle teef.
@resjon7981Britain in. Decline late 1970s high. Inflation mass. Migration britain changed for the. Worst. Migrants came. Over. To cliam benifits
@SatnamSingh-s8bAbsolutely 💯
@emo3275-q8l6:07 lil man look like Jay-z lol
@daniel4v2n38I was young when this film came out and I thoroughly enjoyed it at the time because there hardly any films or TV that I could see myself in. Looking a this film in 2026 ,I can't believe how horrid this film is, the awful acting with the poor Back American dialect mixed with a so-called West Indian accents is just sh$t, and playing to all the Black stereotypes such as the over sexualisation. We should have been better then and should be even better know.
@sharmabright1506What if past is not prologue?
@Ahab-0691Absolute Classic
@rudeboyranking642I only ever knew Desmond the hilarious barber, I now see he really used to be in them streets 😂
Floella Benjamin I met at an event my mother took me to back in the day… Floella is a famous Children’s TV presenter… all I remember of her in person was her massive smile and her commanding a lot of attention in the room. A true trailblazer ❤
Nasty az devils in the beginning gate keeping everything and sticking the nasty az fingers…. Smdh!
@DeeDee-pv1viDid the West Indians really had to be violated 2:52 before entering into the UK in those times? 😳 if they did that was a criminal offense and it should be looked into.
@RamsesRisesHeard of this back in the day never seen it till now. It's similar to a British The harder they fall.
@malcolmclements9254