Having recently visited New Orleans, the title of this one interested me and some parts of it appear to have been filmed there including the famous Cafe Du Monde French Market which is in a brief sequence and looks like it has not changed since the 1940's. It's nice that they at least put some of this great city into a film about jazz. The cast is a whose who of music for the time period. Music is first and foremost here and I only wish there were even more in the movie.
Arthur Lubin (who later directed Mr. Ed tvees talking horse) does a fine job behind the camera and with the pacing of this film. At about an hour and a half when I found it on You Tube, the film is really quite enjoyable. The story is just enough to not get in the way of the music which is the star. Still for an obvious B feature, this movie has a pretty solid cast.
If I had been born earlier, I would have liked to have had a private concert from Billie Holiday and then much more. Satchmo (Louis Armstrong) is star caliber here with music that is just great. Louis is one of the few musicians whose music has been used in more movie sound tracks since he died (1971) than when he was with us. I have always been a big fan of his since I was a kid, and this is a rare look at him at the top of his game. When he sings in this one, his voice is not a graveled as it was later, but I could listen to him sing all kinds of songs. I recently found a live recording by Armstrong of "Bare Necessities" that he introduces as done for Walt Disney (Animated Robin Hood as I recall but Phil Harris in the movie) and I like his version even better than the movie one. (Disney put together Harris and Roger Miller on one of the better animated film soundtracks in Robin Hood).
There is enough script here to give this one more than just the music. There is the usual love angle, and the explanation of what the name "Satchmo" actually means which is in the movie. There's the clash of races and differences in music, but there is some diversity as well here. Basin Street swings with Jazz and so does Chicago and most of the world by the time the film is over. That's the way it should be. Jazz is really the first music to integrate the races and it is truly an American music. There is some classical here too though it's the jazz that is the showstoppers.
Woody Herman and his orchestra get a few minutes, but it's Satchmo and Billie Holiday who are the headliners. I love the music and these performers. Marjorie Lord (Make Room For Daddy) heads up a decent supporting cast. What is great is the idea of music bringing diverse people together. Once considered a lost film, I hope it's never lost again.
Arthur Lubin (who later directed Mr. Ed tvees talking horse) does a fine job behind the camera and with the pacing of this film. At about an hour and a half when I found it on You Tube, the film is really quite enjoyable. The story is just enough to not get in the way of the music which is the star. Still for an obvious B feature, this movie has a pretty solid cast.
If I had been born earlier, I would have liked to have had a private concert from Billie Holiday and then much more. Satchmo (Louis Armstrong) is star caliber here with music that is just great. Louis is one of the few musicians whose music has been used in more movie sound tracks since he died (1971) than when he was with us. I have always been a big fan of his since I was a kid, and this is a rare look at him at the top of his game. When he sings in this one, his voice is not a graveled as it was later, but I could listen to him sing all kinds of songs. I recently found a live recording by Armstrong of "Bare Necessities" that he introduces as done for Walt Disney (Animated Robin Hood as I recall but Phil Harris in the movie) and I like his version even better than the movie one. (Disney put together Harris and Roger Miller on one of the better animated film soundtracks in Robin Hood).
There is enough script here to give this one more than just the music. There is the usual love angle, and the explanation of what the name "Satchmo" actually means which is in the movie. There's the clash of races and differences in music, but there is some diversity as well here. Basin Street swings with Jazz and so does Chicago and most of the world by the time the film is over. That's the way it should be. Jazz is really the first music to integrate the races and it is truly an American music. There is some classical here too though it's the jazz that is the showstoppers.
Woody Herman and his orchestra get a few minutes, but it's Satchmo and Billie Holiday who are the headliners. I love the music and these performers. Marjorie Lord (Make Room For Daddy) heads up a decent supporting cast. What is great is the idea of music bringing diverse people together. Once considered a lost film, I hope it's never lost again.