Carolina Blues

A big band goes through shenanigans trying to raise money for WWII bonds.

Typical wartime musical on a B-budget. There's lots of bounce with engaging performers, but I could have used a better distribution of musical numbers. Mainly they're bunched into one segment, while the rest is taken up with storyline. The nimble-footed Step Bros., however, have to be seen to be believed. Plus, Ann Miller sings and dancers her way into our collective heart, along with a gorgeous Georgia Carroll.

Kyser may have been a big band conductor, but he's quite a good actor, even comedic one. Then there's Victor Moore in multiple curmudgeonly parts, and Ish Kabibble looking like a handsomer version of the Three Stooges. Put them all together, and the 'gang' comes up with enough war- bonds to finance a new navy cruiser. I guess those were the days when we actually paid up front for our wars. Anyhow, it's nothing special, just a light-hearted look at America pulling together during the Big One, with a few lively tunes thrown in.

The best part of "Carolina Blues" is the title music, a very swinging instrumental of "There Goes That Song Again", ending with a close-up of Kay conducting his band. Story line is not all that compelling, and Victor Moore's comedic contributions are many and mostly ineffective(however, he WAS pushing 70 at the time, so the physical bit he tries to do, I'm sure, was quite difficult). A plus is the several accurate references to Kay's hometown of Rocky Mount and surrounding areas, along with playing a show in a local tobacco warehouse. In eastern North Carolina, on the too-rare occasion that a big band did come to town, tobacco warehouses were just about the only facilities big enough to host their dances. According to Steven Beasley's new book on Kay, Kyser himself did play a date at a tobacco warehouse in Rocky Mount, 4 years earlier, as part of that town hosting the world premiere of his first movie, "That's Right, You're Wrong". So, there is a bit of a thrill for this eastern Nawth Cahlinian in hearing places and things from our neck of the woods mentioned in a movie.

Kay Kyser had many top-selling recordings, but his Kollege of Musical Knowledge show, both live and on the radio, was more of a floor show than the performances of other swing bands and orchestras. His show is, of course, incorporated into this film. So in that respect, the film bears resemblance to other films in which Kyser appeared.

The extra bonus is the addition of sweet and lovely Ann Miller to the cast. Unfortunately, her one and only dance performance is butchered by cutaway shots and editing, so that about half is gone. You can only faintly hear the singing and tapping in the background.

What's left, however, is still pure Miller magic. Nobody else was such a machine-gun on feet.

Just like Swing Fever--released in the same year--Carolina Blues features the corny persona of Kay Kyser. The guy has as much charisma as Bing Crosby, which is to say not much.

Here again, Ann Miller does not get enough time on the dance floor. She is so fresh faced in these early films; if only they had featured her talents more.

I still have not figured out which band member sports bangs and again plagues this movie with his senseless, humorless bits.

Some of the music by Styne and Cahn is really disappointing. The lyrics are silly--and not in a good way.

Band Leader Kay Kyser and his big band return to America after a long stint playing for the troupes. He wants to take a break but his publicist convinces him to do another show for plant workers. His regular singer needs time to get married. He reluctantly accepts Julie Carver (Ann Miller), the plant owner's daughter, as her replacement.

It's a bit of song and dance during the war years. The writing isn't much. The acting is fine. There isn't much of anything other than the musical breaks. It may as well be a concert show. It's a waste of an hour although that was needed back then. People just needed a break and that's what this is.