St. Louis Blues

A terrific cast, which depicted Southern Black religious traditions and values versus changing times for true opportunity (in the early days). It's a heartfelt movie suitable for the entire family, and should be a suggested viewing in school (if not already).

Black casted movies are a rarity in and of themselves, but one with such mega stars of old was so very uplifting! The movie was made by blacks for blacks and had a plot, story-line and theme that blacks can indeed relate to with pride dignity and a sense of self-esteem. The movie is one that you can watch over and over again and get something more out of it each and every time. It deals with human weaknesses and pitfalls such as are common to man; but finishes on a high note of strength and victory because of faith in and love for God and perseverance.

I found the father-son estrangement contrived along conventional religion vs the devil lines, but moving nonetheless. I had forgotten what a good piano player Nat Cole was. Ertha Kitt is the heart of the film. She acts as she sings -- biting, precise, and all-knowing. I think the great Pearl Bailey is wasted here -- wonderful as the Aunt, but we only hear her singing a snippet of the title song. Cab Calloway was also much more talented than permitted to be here. I saw him as "Sportin' Live" in the post-WW II revival of "Porgy and Bess." We get a too brief taste of the great clarinet player, Barney Bigard, and an anachronistic appearance by Ella Fitzgerald singing "Beale St. Blues." The film provides a good definition of the blues as an authentic American musical and poetic form. This one, almost 50 years old now, has aged well. It makes one regret that more African-American based and performed films were not made when these great stars were available. Thanks again, TCM!

It's incredible to see all this talent in one place. It's too bad that afro-americans were not supported commercially in the 50's, this film then could have been easy to find. As it is, the big A doesn't carry (or even mention) it. The performances of eartha kitt and nat cole are pretty subdued, for the period of the piece. But ella fitzgerald swings nicely and pearl bailey has a good moment. As for over all film quality, it's a bit stiff ( e.g., nat cole dropping his cane and falling to his kness against the screen door mimics lou pinela tring to convince an umpire he touched home plate), probably a bit more from direction than lack of talent, and the plot , trite. Fortunately, it doesn't dwell very long on the angst between slices of musical venue. A collector's item and an historical document.

This traditional composer biopic boasts a truly amazing cast, literally the top Black performers around for each role. It's not a big-budget or even famous movie from Paramount in 1958 (for that, think "Vertigo") but does boast VistaVision in glorious black & white, and costuming by Edith Head -especially effective in presenting star Nat 'King' Cole always looking nattily dressed.

The script's presentation of the psychology of the composer W. C. Handy seems hokey but that is the approach of such a Hollywood biopic, a format that reached its greatest expression in the TV and movie biopics by Ken Russell later on. Not only the music but the inspiration is psychoanalyzed, for better or worse.

But that cast! The opening reel has prescient casting with the 12-year old Willaim Handy played by Billy Preston, who a decade or so later would memorably play with the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, as well as his impressive own career. Here he's shown at the organ playing in his father's church and earning the wrath of his dad (Juano Hernandez) for playing the devil's music.

He morphs into Nat 'King' Cole at the piano as an adult, and I found Nat's performance quite moving. But a secret of the film's success is that the music and singing is recorded live, not the pre-syinc or post-sync method of Hollywood musicals, which gives it bite. Especially in the performances here of leading lady Eartha Kitt. And who better as a romantic interest (platonic) than Ruby Dee; Mahalia Jackson leading the gospel choir; Ella Fitzgerald performing a song after Handy's success, and even Cab Calloway just right as a villain, hammering home a main theme of the film depicting how musical artists are exploited. And instrumental in giving the movie heart, Pearl Bailey as his amazing aunt.