Don’t Play Us Cheap 1973

Trinity Joe Keyes Jr. and Brother Dave Avon Long are a pair of demons looking for a party to break up. They stumble upon a lively Harlem gathering, and while Trinity is eager to stir trouble, Dave warns him not to touch the scene at all. They keep a close watch as the party hums with music and laughter, and the two wanderers quietly assess the crowd, plotting how to derail what looks like a good time.

The party is in full swing, hosted by Miss Maybell Esther Rolle in honor of Earnestine Rhetta Hughes’s birthday. The atmosphere is warm and festive, a contrast to the chilly plan the demons have in mind. Trinity slips into the celebration, trying to upend the mood, while Earnestine’s family and friends mingle, exchanging stories and greetings that make the night feel personal and communal.

Trinity’s first instinct is to break the records, declaring, > “you can’t have a party without music.” Yet the records Thor-ed by the party’s energy prove unbreakable, and Trinity finds himself confronted by a crowd that seems to feed off the very thing he wants to drain. He guzzles a full bottle of liquor, hoping to drain the room of alcohol, only to discover that every guest has brought their own supply. When he tries to devour all the sandwiches, another tray is instantly carried in, keeping the feast going and the party alive.

As the night unfolds, Trinity’s mean-spirited behavior earns Earnestine’s tears. He realizes he’s gone too far and, in a surprising turn, apologizes to her and confesses that he has fallen for her. The moment softens the atmosphere, but the tension deepens as three more guests arrive: Mr. Johnson [Frank Carey], Mrs. Johnson [Jay Van Leer], and their educated son Harold. Earnestine’s attention shifts toward Harold, leaving Trinity feeling edged out and increasingly jealous.

Brother Dave arrives in human form, itching to break up the party, yet Trinity resists the intrusion. Mr. Johnson warns Harold to steer clear of Earnestine, saying her family is too “common” and that Harold can’t risk the big future he has ahead. Earnestine pursues a dance with both Harold and Trinity, but Mr. Johnson and Dave continually pull them apart, preserving the party’s momentum even as the tension between characters simmers just beneath the surface.

With time running short, Dave convinces Trinity to try one last time to end the party before midnight, the hour when they will supposedly be turned into the very beings they pretend to be—actual human beings. The clock’s approach intensifies the strange arithmetic of the night, and soon Dave and Trinity find themselves seated at the dinner table with the rest of the guests, a setting that amplifies the social dynamics at play.

The dinner marks a turning point: Dave insults Mrs. Johnson, prompting her to depart with Mr. Johnson and Harold. The other guests express relief that the trio has left, a subtle signal that the party’s fragile harmony is preserving itself in the face of disruption. After the meal, Trinity rises to declare that he and Earnestine are engaged, an announcement that visibly enrages Dave and unsettles the plan they had pursued all night.

In a final, cheeky gambit, Dave makes one last attempt to derail the engagement by attempting a move on Miss Maybell. He discovers she is willing to entertain the pursuit, which enrages the otherworldly intruder even further. In a last, fantastical twist, Dave transforms into a cockroach and attempts to sneak away as Miss Maybell watches, swiftly delivering a humorous and sudden end to his caper as she smashes him with a decisive carry-through of the night’s chaotic entertainment.

What starts as an impish night of demon scheming folds into a strange study of desire, loyalty, and community. The Harlem party becomes a microcosm where faux supernatural beings flirt with human emotions, and where affection can bloom even in the most unexpected places. The gathering, anchored by Miss Maybell and Earnestine, unfolds with warmth and wit, revealing the fragile line between mischief and humanity in a setting that feels both timeless and vividly specific to its era.