Ceremonies in Dark Old Men

Russell B. Parker, a former vaudeville hoofer, is a man of big dreams but small ambitions. He hardly works at all in fact, often spending the time incessantly playing checkers with his friend, William Jenkins. Parker lives with Theopolis and Bobby, his two unemployed sons, and Adele, his hard-working daughter. The ghost of his dead wife, a woman who drove herself into an early grave working to support the family, nags at his conscience.

Directed by Michael Schultz, Kirk Browning, Ceremonies in Dark Old Men leans on a strong ensemble — J. Eric Bell, Godfrey Cambridge, Rosalind Cash — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 1975.