Saint-Louis Blues

What Banjo on My Knee lacks in original story or compelling themes, it makes up for with warm, funny characters brought to life by delightful actors. Barbara Stanwyck shines as the uneducated "land girl", who marries Joel McCrea's "river boy" despite significant differences in their background and world view. Walter Brennan assays one of his best roles as McCrea's good-natured, contraption-playing father. ("When I'm low, it's music I need " he says, before launching into a song with his one-man band.) Buddy Ebsen, singing and dancing to the title tune, Walter Catlett, as a would-be lothario in hapless pursuit of Stanwyck, and Katherine DeMille, as a voluptuous harpy after McCrea, all turn in fine performances. One of the best elements in the film, however, is the music. We not only have Brennan 's rousing renditions of "Dixie" and "St. Louis Blues", but the latter tune rendered to perfection by the marvelous Hall Johnson Choir. The film doesn 't maintain the same level of charm found in its opening scenes throughout its length, but there is enough comedy and music to make Banjo on My Knee a film worth seeing.

I have not only seen the movie but also had the privilege of reading the book. The book was well written and as in most cases was better then the movie. I am a bit partial seen as how I also knew the writer. He was my great uncle on my Mothers side. I would spend the summers with him & would read his other works. Sadly Uncle Harry passed away Thanksgiving 1975. It's a shame no other movies were made from his works as they to would have been very good as well. My mother still has a set of Harry Hamiltons complete works But won't let anyone touch them for fear of being destroyed. If you haven't seen the movie then you're missing out and if you have then you no what I'm talking about.

Rather ill-conceived and condescending Fox musical study of "river folk," meaning mindless Southerners who overreact to perceived slights and say "dad-blamed" a lot. River lad Joel McCrea, always appealing but playing a really unlikable leading man, marries "land girl" Barbara Stanwyck, none too bright herself, then high-tails it to Europe on his wedding night when he mistakenly thinks he's killed Victor Kilian, who got fresh with his bride. Walter Brennan's his superannuated dad; if you like Brennan's style of corn pone and shtick you'll like him here, but I don't. Stanwyck, surprisingly believing the lies of citified Walter Catlett, follows him to New Orleans, then has second thoughts, and ends up washing dishes in Minna Gombell's cafe, where she also harmonizes with Tony Martin and soft-shoes a bit with Buddy Ebsen. I love Stanwyck, but singing and dancing really aren't her fortes, and one is constantly aware that she's more intelligent than the woman she's playing. More interesting is a scowling, Joan-Crawford-looking Katherine de Mille, as her nasty rival. There are some nice musical interludes, notably an elaborate "St. Louis Blues" with the Hall Johnson Choir, but the plot meanderings are arbitrary and the ending's never in doubt. Nicely photographed, with an impressive river storm near the end.

"Banjo on my Knee" is a 1936 film that will keep you guessing as to which direction it's headed nearly every time there's a scene change. McCrea plays a shantytown boy who marries a land girl (Stanwyck). The patriarch of McCrea's family, played by Walter Brennan, is desperate for a grandchild. Unfortunately, Stanwyck and McCrea can't seem to get their marriage consummated. On their wedding night, they think McCrea has murdered someone (he hasn't), so McCrea takes off for six months and sees the world while his wife waits none too patiently. The day he comes home, he talks about moving the family to Aruba and says he'll go down first for a month and then send for her. The couple get into a terrible fight because Stanwyck doesn't want to be left again. The two of them then split up again - that instant. She goes to New Orleans to work for a slimy photographer, but no sooner does she get to his apartment that she bolts and takes a job as a dishwasher in a bar.

Soon, the entire population of Shantytown is in New Orleans looking for her and for McCrea. At the bar, Tony Martin is a saloon singer who falls for Stanwyck, and soon, Buddy Ebsen, another Shantytown resident, and Walter Brennan are big hits performing there, and Stanwyck is doing duets with Martin. It goes on from there.

Some of the music is great, the highlight being "St. Louis Woman" with Brennan and the Hall Johnson Choir. Martin looks and sounds like an angel - his voice is just stunning in "There's Something in the Air" and "Where the Lazy River Goes By." Stanwyck sings just like she talks - her voice is low, pleasant, and natural. The cast is uniformly good, and Katharine DeMille has a showy role as Leota, who's in love with McCrea. McCrea, of course, is tall, handsome, and boyishly gorgeous.

I wasn't expecting a musical, and in the beginning, "Banjo on My Knee" seemed like a drama, so I never was sure what I was watching. Odd though the film may be, it was loads of fun.

This film is a rarity seldom seen on cable. It came as a total surprise, but the casting looked intriguing. John Cromwell directed this 1936 film with sure hand. He takes us to meet the river people that populate the banks of the Mississippi, eking a living out of their fishing. The cinematography of Ernest Palmer does wonders to give us a realistic view of the majestic river and New Orleans.

Barbara Stanwyck proves to be the biggest surprise of all, singing and dancing with great verve in a few of her scenes. She plays Pearl, the city girl that comes to marry Ernie Holley, an uneducated man, but who clearly loves her. Joel McCrea is the stubborn man who doesn't realize he has a gem in Pearl.

The best thing though is Walter Brennan, who is Ernie's father and a man that looks forward to a grandchild to dote on. He is a river musician who plays a strange contraption. Mr. Brennan gave a great performance as Newt, who warms our hearts with his simple melodies.

Buddy Ebsen is Buddy, a river boy who loves to dance to the tunes that Newt produces. Tony Martin is perfect as the star of the cafe in New Orleans where he is heard singing some beautiful songs. Katherine DeMille is Leota, the girl in love with Ernie who will do everything to get Pearl to leave her man.

The movie will warm the viewer's heart because its simplicity and the great direction Mr. Cromwell got from this cast.