There's a certain willful ease to some instances of dialogue or scene writing, characteristic of films of the 30s or 40s, that cares more about simply letting their audience have a good time than best storytelling judiciousness. There's nothing inherently wrong with that, of course, and it's certainly okay in this instance since 'Boarding house blues' makes use of that carefree thrust to provide steady entertainment. Between an excellent cast, Josh Binney's capable direction, fine contributions from the crew behind the scenes, and above all the sharp writing of Hal Seeger, the movie is consistently, solidly enjoyable from start to finish. It may not be immediately grabbing and revelatory, but it definitely earns a very high, enthusiastic recommendation for one and all!
It's not totally perfect, perhaps. One notices instances in which extra curt editing chops up a scene, or is particularly rough in transitioning from scene to scene, Some bits don't come off nearly as well as others, like the excessive deliberate stammering John D. Lee Jr. Adopts; any stand-up comedy or approximation thereof just kind of falls flat. It's also worth observing that for as fun as the picture may be, actual plot is kind of light, and ultimately mostly just serves as framing for the centerpiece - a variety show that fills the preponderance of the runtime. Yet by all means, such matters are at length quite minor, in no way substantially detracting from the value and instead being well outshone by it. And I can't argue much with the framing, either, since for one thing that centerpiece is woven pretty well into the story (such as it is), and for another, it's really great!
'Boarding house blues' serves us a wonderful cornucopia of black performers from the era, a true delight and a glimpse at cultural history that (a) was, infuriatingly, actively stifled at one time, and (b) is ever at risk of being forgotten outright. Especially being so far removed from the 1940s I can't say I'm specifically familiar with anyone appearing here, but so vibrant and lovely are their skilled performances that I would quite like to learn more about them all. Among so many others, Henry Heard absolutely stands out, and Una Mae Carlisle, and the extended set with bandleader Lucky Millinder and his collaborators is an absolute pleasure. To highlight only a few is hardly to count out anyone else, however, for very honestly, one and all are terrific. I'll add further that Seeger's screenplay is filled with fantastic wit in the dialogue and characters, complemented with sight gags and situational humor. Indeed, the variety show may be the core, but the feature is rounded out with no less amusement at the front and back ends. Factor in swell performances from the cast, including not least Moms Mabley and Marie Cooke, and in every most meaningful way, there's really no going wrong here.
Speaking as someone who broadly looks for narrative first and foremost in just about any film, I admit I was taken aback a little by the tack taken here. It's a small step outside modern conventions of film-making, and even most contemporary fare that was orientated toward dance or music had a more story-driven focus. Set aside one's expectations, however, and this is fabulously enjoyable all the way through, with marvelous contributions from all involved. I can very much understand how this won't directly appeal to all comers, yet there is tremendous worth here well exceeding whatever presuppositions we carry with us as viewers - and after all, is not the root purpose of cinema to entertain? However one may come about it, 'Broadway house blues' is a superbly fun picture all on its own and even more so in light of the corner of culture it illuminates. If you have the chance to watch, don't miss it!
