Kansas City

Bottom line, whether you love or hate "Kansas City" will depend on your reaction to Jennifer Jason Leigh's performance. Leigh's character Blondie anchors the story as a desperate wife trying to save her husband from the gangsters he tried to rob. Leigh looks great in this role, she is fit and trim which makes her face cuter and her character more fragile looking. The contrast between her almost angelic appearance and her tough persona is intentional because the toughness is an affectation, qualities she has adopted because she loves her husband and they are a turn-on for him.

Her's is the key performance of the film, the twist is her emulation of Kansas City native Jean Harlow ("The Public Enemy" and "Girl from Missoui"). Watch Harlow in "Red Headed Woman" and you will see the incredible physical resemblance between the two actresses. Personally I found it both touching and humorous; her character worthy of the brave heroine hall of fame. But it is almost a caricature and some viewer will be put off by this tiny woman talking so tough.

As in "Nashville", there are great songs (but jazz rather than country) throughout the film. It is important to realize that "Blondie's" behavior is intended to mirror the "cutting contests" between the jazz musicians on-stage at the club. Just as the musicians borrow from one another and weave each others stuff into what they are improvising, "Blondie" borrows from the movies and weaves Harlow's tough girl phrases and expressions into her conversation.

Leigh and Miranda Richardson spend most of the film in each other's company. Although Richardson's character is doped up on laudanum (tincture of opium) most of the time, you get the idea that she is taking in a lot more of the situation than she is letting on. There is almost a "Thelma and Louise" quality to their relationship, in part because Leigh doing Harlow ends up sounding a lot like Geena Davis doing Geena Davis. The two women are polar opposites in the way they react to the desperation in their lives; one has lost all restraint, the other has lost everything but restraint.

Richardson's character is unexpectedly touching. An emotional bond is subtly forged between the two women as the film proceeds, with Richarson gradually becoming totally protective of her kidnapper. The ending is shocking but you understand the motivation, then looking back you pick up on the various foreshadowing devices that Altman placed throughout the film. He goes out with a bass duet of Duke Ellington's "Solitude" performed by Ron Carter and Christian McBride.

Like many films with downbeat endings, "Kansas City" is destined to be more appreciated 25 years after its release.

Jennifer Jason Leigh plays a desperate woman who tries to rescue her boyfriend (Dermot Mulrooney) from the hands of local black mobsters led by Harry Belafonte, who have made him a prisoner after he robbed one of them. She kidnaps the laudnum addicted wife (Miranda Richardson) of a Roosevelt political adviser (Michael Murphy) in an effort to somehow get enough leverage to achieve her goal. The Kansas City of the Depression setting looks pretty real and wide open, not only for crime but also political fraud. Robert Altman made a great character for Steve Buscemi as a brutal political operative who's assigned to get out the vote by any and all means possible, including the use of baseball bats, but he failed to give him enough space. Nonetheless, he's just another part of this mosaic of the period, and does well enough with the meager scenes he has. Jennifer Jason Leigh is at the film's center while social, political, and economic forces swirl around her. She affects a Jean Harlow persona throughout the film, and in one scene is actually in a theater watching a Jean Harlow film. The tough girl act conceals her real life existence as yet another victim of the Great Depression of the 1930's. By the end of the film she appears on screen with her hair dyed platinum blond and in an all white evening gown, actually becoming the famous actress who died so young. While the film meanders around, going into and out of crooked politics, race, teen pregnancy, drugs, etc...and in and out of the Hey-Hey Club with the ongoing birth of blues and bebop, the ending that punctuates the kernel of a plot is quite an exclamation point and is well worth the wait.

Robert Altman, perhaps one of the most innovative directors, working in Hollywood pays homage to his home town: Kansas City. Mr. Altman recreates a long gone era that he probably didn't know that well, being only a child at the time the action takes place. It seems as though the allure of the period made a vivid mark in the director's mind, as he takes us, with this film, for a long over due visit. Make no mistake, this is not another "Nashville", quite the contrary. The only similarity is the title that reflects a city name. As written by the director and Frank Barhydt, the film succeeds in creating the atmosphere, but as far as the story line goes, it has the quality to disorient, even the most avid of Mr. Altman's fans.

What Kansas City lacks in story line, it makes up with the glorious music that serves as compensation with the thinness of the material one sees on the screen. The music is the best excuse to watch the movie that showcases an excellent group of musicians playing heavenly in between the action.

Mr. Altman's choice of Jennifer Jason Leigh as Blondie, is probably what's wrong with the film. This actress mumbles her lines, plays Blondie as strident woman and manages to derail the film. On the other hand, Miranda Richardson's Carolyn Stilton gives her one of the best roles in her career. Ms. Richardson appears to be on a cloud most of the time because of her opium addiction. She makes us care for her portrayal of this society woman that needs all the help she can get. Having it all, she can't cope with being married to a cold man that couldn't care less about her. Where other lonely wives resort to drinking, Mrs. Stilton gets away from it all with drugs.

Harry Belafonte plays the local gangster in charge of illegal gambling that evidently was prevalent in the city. His Seldom Seen character is at times inaudible by the way he throws his lines. Sometimes we have to strain our ears in order to hear what he is saying. Mr. Belafonte is a fine actor. As far as Dermot Mulroney and Steve Buscemi are concerned, they have not much to play in the movie to make us care for them. The supporting roles are good.

In spite of this movie not being one of Robert Altman's best, it presents a fine opportunity to absorb the atmosphere and the music of the era, oh, and all that jazz!

Robert Altman's Jazz-Infused Homage to His Hometown is Like Most, but Not All, of the Maverick Directors Filmography, it's a Love it or Leave it Affair.

His Most Successful, Financial and Critical, Movies don't Fit in that Box with Altman's Others that Part the Majority of Fans and Critics like the "Red Sea".

"Nashville" (1975) and "The Player" (1992) are Exceptions.

With "Kansas City" the Writer-Director is in Familiar Territory Again as there are Folks and Critics on Both Sides of Altman's Vision.

His Modus-Operandi has Always been to Never Compromise and Play the Maverick to the End,

You Need Talent to Survive for so Long in His World of Making Movies Apart from the Maddening Crowd of Hollywood.

His Film-Making Talent is Rarely Criticized. But His Movies are Frequently.

This is a Luscious Looking Film and the Free Form/Improv Jazz Soundtrack is its Reason for Being.

The Period Detail Drips from the Screen.

The Music is a Delight.

Harry Belafonte Steals the Acting Honors and Rants Endlessly about the Human Condition while Whiffing Cocaine and Murdering Anyone who Dares Double-Cross.

Jennifer Jason Leigh's Lead Performance is a Sticking-Point for Sticklers Wanting Perhaps a more Nuanced Take.

Nope, Not Going to Happen.

It's an Over-the-Top Cartoony, Stereotypical Gangster-Moll Cliche and it Comes Off Thick and In-Your-Face and Seems Silly.

Even if You Consider it a Disastrous Dramatic Overkill, the Film is so Good Otherwise that it can be Sloughed Off as an Altman/Leigh Indulgence.

The Film's Saving Grace is the Eye and Ear Candy...it's a Treat.

I happen to like this film... apparently quite a bit more than most people. I even still have a copy of it on VHS somewhere. First and foremost is the music. Absolutely INCREDIBLE old time jazz. The best scene to me is clearly the 'battle' between the sax players at the club. The music in the club throughout the movie and the background score during the non-club scenes is about as good as it gets. And I'm not really a huge jazz guy though I have always liked the Miles Davis - John Coltrane type stuff. This is my favorite non - Angelo Badalamente (sp?)film score. Seriously, see this flick just for the music alone.

And, see it for Miranda Richardson who is AWESOME in this movie. I think she really steals the show in this one. J. Jason Leigh is solid and plays the part of a not too bright, not very successful midwest girl decently. Also, Harry Belafonte is great as Seldom Seen and he just looks and sounds the part so well. Steve Buscemi, Dermot Mulroney and the woman who plays J. Jason Leigh's sister are all quite good in supporting roles, and Michael Murphy is perfect for the part of the slightly confused, yet somewhat powerful husband to the kidnapped Richardson character.

The clothes, cars, and look of the film is nicely done (cmon it IS an Altman picture!!!) and really does make you feel as if you are in Missouri circa 1935-1940. Add to that a slightly twisted ending and you have a really good and def. underrated film that I really want to see again... on DVD this time to REALLY crank up the music scenes. I give Kansas City 7.5/10