Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra

Glen Gray & the Casa Loma Orchestra (1942)

*** (out of 4)

Here's another Warner short from their New York office, which turned out countless one-reelers that were meant to show off musical talent. More times than not it was director Jean Negulesco turning these films out and while many would probably turn the other way from them today, fans of forgotten music will find these films to be highly entertaining. Glen Gray and dance band play four songs with each of them coming off extremely strong and worth watching. We kick things off with the 'Hep and Happy' which has the band leader doing a rather nice job at switching up the tempo from slow to fast and then back and forth. 'Purple Moonlight' is probably the best known out of the four songs and it too comes off extremely well. 'Broom Street' and 'The Darktown Strutters' Ball' are the final two numbers and the fast-paced tempo continues to grow throughout the four songs. This was the first time I had seen or heard Gray and for the most part I found his particular style to be pretty entertaining. I really enjoyed the way he kept changing the tempo where the song seems slow and drawn out but then the next second he kicks things into a feverish pace. There's some pretty good cinematography as well including the use of a trick mirror that has the director putting a couple band members in front of it but the mirror makes it seems as if there are dozens of people performing.

Here's the Casa Lima Orchestra playing dance music, while some youngsters dance.

It's a late music short from the Vitaphone branch of Warner Brothers. Popular bands had been a part of the Vitaphone program from the start, but they had evolved over the sixteen years since their first offerings. Originally the band would appear in the middle of the set, play their music and end. There was typically no camera movement. Now, however, under the direction f Jean Negules o, there were tracking shots, lighting offering dramatic shadows, and each song is introduced by a card.

In that second level of orchestras during the big band era was firmly located Glen Gray And His Casa Loma Orchestra. Hovering somewhere between sweet and swing, Glen had and still has his followers to this day.

The short is directed by Jean Negulesco whom I note before he went on to some fine feature films did a few short subjects involving musical acts.

Some fine playing, a bit of swing dancing, but I note the absence of Sunrise Serenade the most famous record the band made. Glen Gray's fans will be disappointed.

This is one of the later Vitaphone shorts--known as a "Melody Master". These later musical shorts generally were more straight forward and had simpler sets and no real story to tie it all together--just a famous band of the day doing their stuff.

For the most part, the music played by Glen Gray and the Casa Loma Orchestra was pretty ordinary--though I did like the zippy pace. However, everything came off much better because of the director's amazingly artistic touches. The use of shadows, mirrors, moving sets, camera angles and lighting really made this one looked great. Also, while it wasn't exactly politically correct (listen to the words and you'll know what I mean), "The Darktown Strutters' Ball" was a definite highlight--very peppy and well done.