Nouvelle-Orléans

Just the musicians alone make this a worthwhile movie...jazz musicians like Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Kid Ory, Barney Bigard, Meade 'Lux' Lewis, Woody Herman, Zutty Singleton, and others have close-ups, and a number of them have speaking parts. There are nine musical numbers featured in the movie also.

This was a Rare Event in Hollywood in 1947.

An Honest Presentation of "Race" Music, in this case "Jazz" Taking the Country by Storm and Causing a Caustic Culture-Clash Post WWI.

The White Musical "Establishment" Fought Hard to Keep this "Low-Brow" and Unwanted Form of Mostly Black Music from "Tainting" and Corrupting the Upstanding Youth and "Respectable" White People.

The Same Thing Happened in the Mid 1950's when the Blues and Country had a Baby and They Called it Rock n' Roll.

This Film Features the Only Film Appearance of Billie Holiday, Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong, Woody Herman, and a Number of Real-Life Black Musicians.

There's Plenty of Music.

Opera is Interspersed for Contrast with Dorthy Patrick Playing a Singer Seduced by the "Flip-Side".

The Story Surrounding the Music is Typical. Confrontations Between Powerful Mainstream Organizations and Street-Level Jive-Joints.

Some of it Involves the "Environment" where Crime and Decadence Flourishes and the Movie has a Scene that is "Norish" in its Stark Presentation of the "Streets"

The Film was Thought Lost, but has been Discovered and what a Treat it is.

Deserves More Respect for its Place in Hollywood History for Taking a Chance with a Straight-Forward Display of the Music and Culture.

A Hidden Gem.

If you ar a jazz aficionado you won't need the services of a plot to enjoy New Orlrans. Either the city or the movie. A city known for fine dining and the creation of jazz. This film is a feast of jazz with some other music served on the side.

The plot such as it is has Arturo DeCordova as the owner of a gambling spot that features that new found music created in the city called jazz. DeCordova gets involved with society debutante Dorothy Patrick. But her mother Irene Rich wants a career for her with more highbrow music. Eventually DeCordova moves his operation to Chicago and the rest is history.

But when you get to hear music from Louis Armstrong, Billie Holidy, Woody Herman and so many more just forget the story and enjoy.

New Orleans is an entertaining but dated little film. Set in 1917 jazz and ragtime music are frowned upon by decent society. When a young classically trained singer falls for Nick Duquesne the self proclaimed "King of Basin Street" her mother and polite society will stop at nothing to close Basin Street and chase Nick out of town. Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday appear and in particular this is a must for Louis Armstrong fans. This film is in the style of 1950's and 60's rock and roll movies. Corny but entertaining.

Without Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday and their musical supporting cast, this would be a forgettable melodrama. To me the most interesting aspect of this movie is the contrast of cultures - the stuffy white world symbolized by classical/operatic music (some very excellent), the blues/jazz world of the downtrodden but resilient black population and the white "early adopters" of their music. The music is tremendous. Although this movie would never win an Academy Award except for music, the cast is overall excellent given their material. Anyone who loves Armstrong or Holiday should own this. I saw this on Turner classic movies and I'm going to buy it.