'Godfather of Harlem': Plymouths, Eddie's sweet shop and fancy suits recreate the Harlem of the '60s
As far as gangster dramas go, 'Godfather of Harlem' comes off as an impressive tale about the famed '60s Harlem mob boss Ellsworth Raymond "Bumpy" Johnson.
'Godfather of Harlem' is a visual treat, both as a socially-motivated series and as a gangster saga. Complementing every scene is the music and the entire '60s setting.
For gangster drama aficionados, the entire Harlem setting is a delight to watch. The opener establishes the fact that the creators, Chris Brancato, and Paul Eckstein, have been thorough in their research.
The opening shot is a magnificent view of the Alcatraz prison that sees Bumpy (Forest Whitaker) released after serving a 10-year sentence. We see him in those prison blue uniforms for a good 20 seconds.
What follows next is a man who is impeccably dressed in a striped charcoal-colored suit that resembles the '60s fashion of suits — slimmer cuts.
His car is a sleek, black Continental, the best ride back in the day. The pub scene evoked the dark smoke-filled atmosphere of some pubs in the 60s, as seen in programs such as 'Up the Junction' and films such as 'Get Carter'.
The intro that has montages of the '60s Harlem with Swizz Beatz's 'Just in Case' blasting in the background is just a tease of the authentic recreation of the place to that period.
Lenox Avenue – also named Malcolm X Boulevard; both names are officially recognized – is the primary north-south route through Harlem in the upper portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan that is part of the lyrics and the audience gets a hint of what the avenue looked like.
The video also has fleeting images of the Civil War. The plush Lennox terrace too seems to be remodeled to fit the '60s look.
The Plymouth cars were a rage back then and so were the shotguns (double-barrel for Bumpy) and the sub-machine guns among gangsters. 'Godfather of Harlem' supplies these in abundance.
Perhaps the best tribute is to Eddie's sweet shop. The century-old ice cream parlor, serving homemade confections has a scene that spans a good few minutes. All this is just in episode one 'By Whatever Means Necessary'.
With nine more episodes to go, we can expect some more throwbacks and stunning visual references to Harlem. Brancato and Eckstein have an eye for detail and have left no stone unturned in recreating the Harlem of the '60s.
In addition to the stellar cast performance and a tightly-woven narrative, this setting proves that the show has managed to get most things right in its first season. 'Godfather of Harlem' premiered on Epix, September 29.