A Great Day in Harlem is a wonderful documentary about a seemingly ho-hum subject--the taking of a photograph. Even when the photograph in question involves some of the greatest jazz musicians who ever lived, building a film around a static subject like a photograph is not an easy task. The film’s achievement lies in making this come brilliantly alive. What one remembers after viewing Great Day is not the various facts presented, or even the personalities of those discussed or interviewed. What one remembers is the feeling of joyful immediacy that the film evokes, truly making the viewer feel as if he or she were actually there in Harlem on the day in question.—Rovi. Admission is free and all are welcome. Sponsored by the Friends of the Cranford Public Library.
