Up Jumped the Devil

Up Jumped the Devil is a 1941 American comedy film directed by William Beaudine and starring Mantan Moreland.
Plot.
Washington and Jefferson are two criminals who are just released from prison. They look for jobs to avoid being arrested for vagrancy. When reading an ad in the paper they find out that Mrs. Brown, a wealthy woman, looks for a butler and a maid. Jefferson decides to apply for the job as butler, while he convinces Washington to dress up as a woman in order to get the job as maid. As they work in her mansion they stumble upon Bad News Johnson, a crook they knew from their prison days and who eventually recognizes them. He tries to make them come along and trick Mrs. Brown.