Hi De Ho

As with all the reviews, there's no real storyline, but you MUST watch for all the great performances. One of the reviews mentions Dusty Fletcher's "blackface" performance "Open the Door Richard" is in this film - it's not on my copy. However, there seems to be earlier versions of Hi-De-Ho released with different plots (1934) and (1937) so I'm not certain if my copy is bad copy (although I have 2 copies of 1947) or if that particular act is in one of the earlier releases...whatever the case, if you are into Cab Calloway - the performances are phenomenal! The same goes for the Miller Bros. & Lois. I actually like the Peters Sisters - they had great voices and my favorite numbers were "Rainy Sunday" and "Old Lady From Baltimore"...hope this helps!

My jaw dropped shortly after the start of the movie, when Cab Calloway sang "Minnie's a Hepcat Now" solo a cappella. This was a big band leader who actually had all the music an audience needed right inside himself. An extraordinary performer; and though the rest of the movie is packed with an abundance of band numbers, he never allows a dull musical moment. Like some of the songs Cab Calloway sang, the 1947 HI-DE-HO movie mixes pathos and joie de vivre against the background of a gritty story. In a musical performance like the "Saint James Infirmary" seen here, the mixture is funny and powerful. In the plot line of the movie, it's less successful.

Unfortunately, in the European TV broadcast I caught, I didn't notice that "Dusty Fletcher does his famous 'Open the Door Richard' sketch" as in the version someone else saw. An odd thing I did notice was that in the nightclub scenes when the plot is in its long suspension near the end, the dancers seem sized wrongly for the perspective, as if they were dancing in front of a screen on which the band was projected.

Cab Calloway is the center of this short film -- and just about the only thing it has to offer. As mentioned elsewhere, "Hi-De-Ho" is a genre piece weak on plot, acting and production alike. Folks who love the "King of Hi-de-ho", however, will relish his dancing, mugging, swinging and singing, oh singing! Uncredited in the opening titles except as "and his Orchestra" is a great line-up of jazz notables: Milt Hinton on bass and Cozy Cole on drums to name but two. If for no other reason, see "Hi-De-Ho" for the great big band numbers played as cool and hot as you could ask.

At first, I wasn't too thrilled about this movie because of Cab's rough treatment of Minnie (Jeni Le Gon) and her insolent attitude in return. And the idea of Calloway going to an audition arranged by his manager Nettie (Ida James) when, at this point in his life, he had already entertained millions of people in several movies, on radio, and in concerts makes this very much a plot for the birds. Good thing then that not too much time is spent on the "story" though Minnie's tragic end was a little touching with Cab granting her last wish. From then on, it's just a variety show starring Cab with his orchestra along with The Peters Sisters (a talented group of full-figured women singers), and the tap-dancing Millers and Lois (their tap routines are some of the best I've seen). While just every number performed by the Hi-De-Ho man is great, he's especially compelling on the "St. James Infirmary" number. And seeing the wedding number with Cab, Ida without the glasses, and Augustus Smith as the preacher makes an excellent finale for the picture. So on that note, I highly recommend Hi-De-Ho (1947 version since Cab previously made a couple of shorts with this name, one of which I reviewed in February). P.S. David Betha who plays the Brass Hat Owner here was previously in The Green Pastures (another movie I reviewed in February) as Aaron, Ms. Le Gon was born in my birth town of Chicago, Ill., Mr. Smith was born in Jacksonville, Fl., a place I lived in from 1987-2003.

The plot is thin and the acting is mostly wooden, but the real point of the movie is Cab Calloway's wonderful band and some specialty numbers, especially the finale that is the last third of the film.

The best additional act is high powered tap dancing by Miller Bros. and Lois. Dusty Fletcher does his famous "Open the Door Richard" sketch in blackface. The Peters Sisters are curious but didn't do anything for me.