This was a Rare Event in Hollywood in 1947.
An Honest Presentation of "Race" Music, in this case "Jazz" Taking the Country by Storm and Causing a Caustic Culture-Clash Post WWI.
The White Musical "Establishment" Fought Hard to Keep this "Low-Brow" and Unwanted Form of Mostly Black Music from "Tainting" and Corrupting the Upstanding Youth and "Respectable" White People.
The Same Thing Happened in the Mid 1950's when the Blues and Country had a Baby and They Called it Rock n' Roll.
This Film Features the Only Film Appearance of Billie Holiday, Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong, Woody Herman, and a Number of Real-Life Black Musicians.
There's Plenty of Music.
Opera is Interspersed for Contrast with Dorthy Patrick Playing a Singer Seduced by the "Flip-Side".
The Story Surrounding the Music is Typical. Confrontations Between Powerful Mainstream Organizations and Street-Level Jive-Joints.
Some of it Involves the "Environment" where Crime and Decadence Flourishes and the Movie has a Scene that is "Norish" in its Stark Presentation of the "Streets"
The Film was Thought Lost, but has been Discovered and what a Treat it is.
Deserves More Respect for its Place in Hollywood History for Taking a Chance with a Straight-Forward Display of the Music and Culture.
A Hidden Gem.
An Honest Presentation of "Race" Music, in this case "Jazz" Taking the Country by Storm and Causing a Caustic Culture-Clash Post WWI.
The White Musical "Establishment" Fought Hard to Keep this "Low-Brow" and Unwanted Form of Mostly Black Music from "Tainting" and Corrupting the Upstanding Youth and "Respectable" White People.
The Same Thing Happened in the Mid 1950's when the Blues and Country had a Baby and They Called it Rock n' Roll.
This Film Features the Only Film Appearance of Billie Holiday, Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong, Woody Herman, and a Number of Real-Life Black Musicians.
There's Plenty of Music.
Opera is Interspersed for Contrast with Dorthy Patrick Playing a Singer Seduced by the "Flip-Side".
The Story Surrounding the Music is Typical. Confrontations Between Powerful Mainstream Organizations and Street-Level Jive-Joints.
Some of it Involves the "Environment" where Crime and Decadence Flourishes and the Movie has a Scene that is "Norish" in its Stark Presentation of the "Streets"
The Film was Thought Lost, but has been Discovered and what a Treat it is.
Deserves More Respect for its Place in Hollywood History for Taking a Chance with a Straight-Forward Display of the Music and Culture.
A Hidden Gem.