Sepia Cinderella

A sad part of history is that in much of the United States, movie theaters used to be segregated. In some, non-white patrons were forced to sit in the balcony. In others, non-whites weren't allowed at all and needed to go to special theaters where mostly black audiences would go. But instead of watching the latest Hollywood product, many of these theaters would instead show films starring all-black casts. Unfortunately, the tiny studios that made them couldn't afford great productions.

One of these black films is "Sepia Cinderella". While I've seen a few dozen films made for black theaters, I sought this one out specifically because Sidney Poitier is an extra...and it's his first film appearance. The problem is...you have to spot him in the audience of the night club scenes. Perhaps you could watch it with friends and you all could search for him....as well as Freddie Bartholomew!

The story is a familiar sort of movie. A bandleader/composer strikes it big with one song. But instead of keeping his head, he allows this success to make his head swell...and he forgets those he's left behind. Can he manage to do the right thing and live happily ever after?

Like most such movies, the acting is very uneven. Some actors had trouble delivering their lines...a few, such as the comedians and a few of the singers, came off better. Overall, the movie is pretty much what you'd expect from such a low budgeted B-movie. It's okay...but nothing more. In fact, it's more of a curiosity than a great film.

It's a typical show-biz success story. A vocalist and his band move up the ladder despite professional and personal complications.

I tuned in hoping to catch some hot Harlem jazz. It wasn't to be. Instead the music was right out of a Bing Crosby crooning session. Not that there's anything wrong with mellow sounds; it's just that I expected something else from an African-American production. In fact, it may be telling that the film features none of the buffoonish humor identified with so many black movie characters of the time. On the whole, the movie was conventional enough that it could have played as easily in white theaters as in black.

Outside the smooth sounds of Billy Daniels', the movie has two notable features. Oh my gosh, Sheila Guyse (Barbara) is a stunner with a voice to match. So why didn't she have a Lena Horne or Dorothy Dandridge-type career. It's too bad she apparently wound up a well-kept show-biz secret; her talent certainly merited more. On the other hand, what's with the clumsy Freddie Bartholomew interview. It's like a ten-minute audition for something or other, maybe a stand-up comic routine. But whatever, it's an almost surreal appearance for fans of the former kid star.

Other than these points, the movie's a harmless little time passer.

Two stars as a movie, four stars for the music and musical performers. Billy Daniels fans should find this interesting, showing him before he found his style. This film was released in 1947; Daniels teamed permanently in 1948 with pianist-backup singer Benny Payne, eventually dropping "Diane" as his trademark song for "That Old Black Magic", dropping his tenor voice to a deep baritone and adding plenty of body english, winning instant fans in 1950 in "When You're Smiling". Sheila Guyse's voice matches her beautiful looks, Deek Watson, formerly of the Ink Spots, is dynamic and sings well, as does, surprisingly, every member of his quartet. Two other male singers have solo spots, and again are quite good. Plus for jazz fans, there's the John Kirby group, which is prominently featured, with the great Sid Catlett on drums. Plus, on the acting side (and Sheila Guyse also has a great moment or two), Freddie Bartholomew shows considerable talent in an interlude with Daniels. Additionally, all the songs, unknowns, are good.

Encouraged by sweet and shapely Sheila Guyse (as Barbara), orchestra leader Billy Daniels (as Bob Jordan) has great success when his song "Cinderella" becomes a hit. Happiness for the couple is threatened when sexy socialite and nightclub owner Tondaleyo (as Vivian Marston) takes an interest in Mr. Daniels, although she is engaged to businessman Jack Carter (as Ralph Williams). The central plot is extremely old hat and given little new life by those involved, but everything proceeds well enough. The music is good and the film features, considering its proximity, one of the strangest and most unexpected cameo appearances in movie history...

Near the end, Daniels (as Bobby) notices a familiar face at a table - it's his old friend Freddie Bartholomew (as Freddie Bartholomew)!

The former child star seems to be reintroducing himself to the public, after service in World War II. This may have been done to provide Mr. Bartholomew with a screen "test reel" as he sought to re-enter the acting business as an adult. Bartholomew obviously still has an engaging screen presence and did go on to some film and television roles, but the effort wasn't sustained. After some fine dramatic roles in episodic television and lending good comic support to the otherwise lackluster "St. Benny the Dip" (1951), Bartholomew retired; with most of his fortune swiped by adults, there simply wasn't enough acting work to make a living.

***** Sepia Cinderella (7/25/47) Arthur Leonard ~ Billy Daniels, Sheila Guyse, Tondaleyo, Freddie Bartholomew

Sepia Cinderella (1947)

** (out of 4)

Barbara (Sheila Guyse) is secretly in love with band member Bob (Billy Daniels) but after he makes a hit record she fears that he might be lured away by the vamp Vivian (Tondaleyo).

Here's another low-budget race movie that was produced to be shown in black theaters across America. If you're looking for something ground-breaking then you're obviously not going to find it here but if you're a fan of these race movies then there's plenty to enjoy here. Obviously, the main reason to watch this is for the music of Daniels who was still a bit before his prime.

Even though Daniels hadn't quite found his mark yet, it's still fun seeing him before he was extremely famous and for the most part the musical numbers here are good enough. You won't be looking the songs up afterwards to add to your MP3 players but while the movie is going on they kept me entertained. The strangest thing about this movie is a quick cameo by former child star Freddie Bartholomew.

I'm really not sure how Bartholomew got in the picture but it was clearly meant as a way for him to be introduced back to cinema after the war. It's a little confusing as how being in a race picture would have helped but the cameo is quite bizarre but interesting if you're a fan of his. Apparently Sidney Poitier is also somewhere in the cast as an extra but I was unable to see him.

SEPIA Cinderella isn't a masterpiece or even a good movie but it's a mildly entertaining picture.