User Reviews

As long as the great old films are not on home video, we have to search far and long for the elusive cable broadcasts. Well I was pleasantly surprised to see this one air yesterday on Turner Classic Movies. A film that completely reversed the procedure so well known at MGM: keeping actors of color out of the plot of a film so as not to offend the patrons (and sponsors)of Southern movie theaters. Paramount Pictures took such a gamble in 1958 with this biopic of turn-of-the-century blues composer W. C. Handy, son of a rather rigid preacher man, whose musical gifts are repeatedly deflated and discouraged by said father (who believes such progressive music is only the work of shiftless sinners). The big surprise in this film is the warm, sensitive, and totally subdued performances of the majority of the film's lead cast: Nat 'King' Cole as the quiet Handy, Ruby Dee as his patient, waiting-in-the wings fiancée', and Eartha Kitt as a sassy and ambitious nightclub singer. Even Kitt's character- which would normally be presented as a two-dimensional 'bad girl' caricature, shows some interesting depth as she quietly champions Handy's blues and jazz compositions to be seen by a larger, more commercial, audience. The Alan Reisner direction often leans towards the melodramatic, and veterans Cab Calloway and Pearl Bailey aren't given much to do, but the film soars very nicely as a complete movie. Two honorable mentions must be made however, in the names of Mahalia Jackson- whose gorgeous voice can be heard several times in the church scenes as a choir mistress, and Ella Fitzgerald (perhaps my favorite solo singer of all time) who is featured in a *true* cameo appearance singing a single torch song in a nightclub which Handy happens by one evening. It makes one yearn for more early chances like this one, and makes me especially happy that these performers are archived- even in this small capacity- on motion picture film.

I found the father-son estrangement contrived along conventional religion vs the devil lines, but moving nonetheless. I had forgotten what a good piano player Nat Cole was. Ertha Kitt is the heart of the film. She acts as she sings -- biting, precise, and all-knowing. I think the great Pearl Bailey is wasted here -- wonderful as the Aunt, but we only hear her singing a snippet of the title song. Cab Calloway was also much more talented than permitted to be here. I saw him as "Sportin' Live" in the post-WW II revival of "Porgy and Bess." We get a too brief taste of the great clarinet player, Barney Bigard, and an anachronistic appearance by Ella Fitzgerald singing "Beale St. Blues." The film provides a good definition of the blues as an authentic American musical and poetic form. This one, almost 50 years old now, has aged well. It makes one regret that more African-American based and performed films were not made when these great stars were available. Thanks again, TCM!

It's incredible to see all this talent in one place. It's too bad that afro-americans were not supported commercially in the 50's, this film then could have been easy to find. As it is, the big A doesn't carry (or even mention) it. The performances of eartha kitt and nat cole are pretty subdued, for the period of the piece. But ella fitzgerald swings nicely and pearl bailey has a good moment. As for over all film quality, it's a bit stiff ( e.g., nat cole dropping his cane and falling to his kness against the screen door mimics lou pinela tring to convince an umpire he touched home plate), probably a bit more from direction than lack of talent, and the plot , trite. Fortunately, it doesn't dwell very long on the angst between slices of musical venue. A collector's item and an historical document.

The film's story line has little in common with Handy's actual life, and some Hollywood writers were brought in to "improve" a few of Handy's lyrics. In other words: don't base your term paper on this picture, unless you're demonstrating how Hollywood can't leave history well enough alone. (Would you be surprised to learn that Handy's real story is more colorful than this -- literally -- black and white movie? Didn't think so).

On the other hand, the cast is sensational -- Kitt and Bailey, particularly, with a nice early sequence featuring Billy Preston as young Bill -- and the music is well played and sung.

Ella Fitzgerald and gospel great Mahalia Jackson are featured briefly, which is another plus.

If you ignore the weaknesses in the (at best) hackneyed script and try not to wince at the stereotyped characters, the film is nicely directed.

I enjoyed it a lot, almost in spite of itself.

I really enjoyed this movie. And it was really nice seeing my all-time favorite singer, Mahalia Jackson, use her acting skills. Also, Pearl Bailey was very funny in this film- the protective aunt, as I would call her. Eartha Kitt was great and very believable- she really played the part! Nat "King" Cole, to me, still seemed a little shy on camera, but I was told that he was a shy individual. Young Billy Preston did very well with his acting and he "tore up" that organ- as he is already known for doing. There just aren't any words that I can use to describe my feelings for this video, except for it's awesome, great, and fantastic!

I give it an A+++

Thanks to TCM for showing this extraordinary and constantly surprising film, one this film-lover was completely unaware of. It has everything to delight: the incredible line-up of musical super-stars in the first place, and the subtle but strong acting performances from each member of such a glittering cast (whether in a major or supporting role, as if part of a repertory company) did so much to delineate the fine story values that had social impact and tugged at the heart. The shining glimpses of greatness never ceased to entertain and astonish all the senses (ear, mind, eye . . .) in this gem of a film that has rarely been equaled from this musician's perspective.

Although Nat King Cole made many guest appearances in various films the only leading role he ever took on was that of W.C. Handy the composer and father of the Blues as he's generally accorded that title. In terms of facts this film is just like Night And Day, Deep In My Heart, and Till The Clouds Roll By just as much factual truth about Cole Porter, Sigmund Romberg, and Jerome Kern as their biographical films have. We don't expect much in the way of truth.

For instance Handy did go blind, but that was not until 1943 after a fall off a New York City subway platform, not as is shown here. There was also no cure for it either as Handy spent his last years in the dark.

He was in fact the son of a preacher who did not hold with the kind of music is son wanted to make. Juano Hernandez plays Handy's stern father and the motherless child played William Preston has Pearl Bailey as the aunt and maternal influence in his life. The conflict between father and son drives the film as Handy just cannot get his father to accept the Blues as art form.

There are two women in Handy's life, his churchgoing sweetheart played by Ruby Dee and the nightclub performer Eartha Kitt who I believe is playing a character based on Bessie Smith. Such other performers as Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald, and Mahalia Jackson have parts in the film that suit their talents.

But it's the music performed for which we watch these films and Cole and the cast perform it well. With the names I've mentioned you would expect nothing else. As for Cole in his one and only time as a lead he did a superb job as the talented and troubled W.C. Handy.

A really fine film that has not been available on DVD, VHS, whatever. We should remedy that.

A terrific cast, which depicted Southern Black religious traditions and values versus changing times for true opportunity (in the early days). It's a heartfelt movie suitable for the entire family, and should be a suggested viewing in school (if not already).

ST. LOUIS BLUES (1958) starts out fine but markedly tires. The direction is all on one level: restrained. Perhaps it was meant to show that blacks were religious, cultured, "civilized," as opposed to the raucous, carousing, loose-living floozies and crapshooters that Hollywood usually portrayed.

The movie cries out for color. But someone probably figured that with a cast that's all black anyway, why waste the more expensive film stock!

There are other contradictory elements as well. The film wants to be "progressive" and promote jazz. But it also does not want to alienate its religious audience. In that respect, the best thing it does is insert Mahalia Jackson periodically to pick up the spirit. But to have it both ways, when W.C. Handy goes blind and returns to the church, the filmmakers restore his sight (as if God approves of his giving up jazz) before turning him loose again to find fame and acceptance with a symphony orchestra playing the title tune (as if God, in the end, has come down on the side of jazz, as long as it's played as classical music). In real life, of course, W.C. Handy died blind.

Nat Cole is admirable, but I suspect that his too low-keyed performance is the fault of the director holding everyone in check. Toward the end of his life, W.C. Handy frequently made guest appearances on TV variety shows. He was polite and mild mannered, almost to the point that you wondered how he could have written such a wide range of songs. In contrast, Eubie Blake at age 100 displayed a far more open and lively personality.

Although the movie is 105 minutes long, a studio power must have misguidedly cut out some musical numbers. Why would Paramount hire Cab Calloway and give him featured billing but no song to sing? His character flimflams Handy out of the rights to "Yellow Dog Blues," so he must have done a lively musical performance of it in his club. And why invent the character of Aunt Hagar for Pearl Bailey if no one is going to play and sing "Aunt Hagar's Blues"?

Meanwhile, where was the greatest proponent of Handy's music (as well as its best interpreter), Louis Armstrong? He does have a role in THE FIVE PENNIES, the Technicolor biopic of "Red" Nichols (Danny Kaye) that Paramount released the following year.

In October 1954 Columbia Records released one of its biggest selling jazz LPs, "Louis Armstrong Plays W. C. Handy."

According to George Avakian's jacket essay, in the Times Square editing studio "a handsome old gentleman (of 75 years) sat listening to the tapes of this record, tears streaming from his sightless eyes.

"'I never thought I'd hear my blues like this,' W. C. Handy said.... 'Nobody could have done it but my boy Louis!'"

At some point, it seems, Paramount decided to studiously avoid truly lively interpretations of the songs. At least they could not completely repress the vivaciousness of Pearl Bailey and Eartha Kitt. Besides Technicolor what this movie needs most is a rousing finale with costumed Katherine Dunham dancers.

Nowadays Hollywood should forget about remaking great movies. Instead it should concentrate on movies that could have been great.

I saw a portion of this the other day when TCM aired it. Unfortunately, it was on while I was working out at the local health club, so I only got to see what was on while I was there. What I saw was wonderful and I regret that I could not view it in its entirety. The scenes I did see showcased velvet-voiced Nat King Cole; the following young and lovely actresses/songstresses--Ruby Dee, Pearl Bailey, Eartha Kitt (tiny waist!); the one and only Mahalia Jackson; and the truly incomparable Ella Fitzgerald. Every time I hear Ella Fitzgerald sing, I am struck by what an incredible gift she had; her voice was so sweet, so clear, so melodic and just plain lovely.

I was delighted to see this film and the talent showcased there. This is like an Ocean's 11--whether the original Rat Pack or the remake with Clooney et al--in that it's a veritable concentration of celebrity talent all in one film! It's a shame that our history created such divisions between Blacks and Whites that this show had to be produced for Black audiences; it's a fifty year old treasure, period. I'm grateful that TCM aired it.

It was interesting to see the struggle within Handy between "church" and "the world." There is a point where he is remembering his father's declaration that, "There are two kinds of music: the Lord's and the Devil's!" and it makes me think how often we decide what God does or does not want us humans to do with our talents and passions. I could see the beauty that Handy gave the church (in the songs he wrote) and the beauty that Handy gave "the world" with his jazz. It was such a burden to put on Handy that if he wasn't in the church, he was therefore not honoring God, vis-a-vis his talent. It didn't give him much of an option to have any concept of grace, but rather, created an either/or, all or nothing scenario, which is unbalanced at best.

As for the color/b&w argument, I personally think that B&W films allow the viewer to focus on the story itself. Sometimes color can be distracting to a film b/c it's just visual "noise."

Thank God they didn't ruin it with showy musical numbers (choreography and choruses--ugh) but left it to shine with tinkling and stellar jazz.

I would encourage you to watch this film; noteworthy storyline aside, the faces and voices alone are worth it.

Black casted movies are a rarity in and of themselves, but one with such mega stars of old was so very uplifting! The movie was made by blacks for blacks and had a plot, story-line and theme that blacks can indeed relate to with pride dignity and a sense of self-esteem. The movie is one that you can watch over and over again and get something more out of it each and every time. It deals with human weaknesses and pitfalls such as are common to man; but finishes on a high note of strength and victory because of faith in and love for God and perseverance.

After several years of only seeing the last hour of this movie, I finally watched the whole thing on Netflix Streaming. Nat King Cole plays the famous composer W.C. Handy and he's not bad. I especially was touched when his character's blindness caused him to bump into things. And non-musicians Juano Hernandez as his father Reverend Charles Handy and Ruby Dee as girlfriend Elizabeth, respectively, certainly hold their own when sharing scenes with singers Pearl Bailey and Eartha Kitt. Cab Calloway also effectively conveys his role as a hustling businessman though unlike the others, he doesn't do any singing which is too bad. The actual story is probably more colorful than what was presented here but it wasn't bad for what it was. And how enjoyable to see not only Ms. Bailey and Kitt do their thing but also Ella Fitzgerald and Mahalia Jackson, too! And of course, Nat King Cole looks cool every time he's at the piano warbling Handy's tunes. It was also interesting to see Billy Preston as a young boy at the beginning as the child Handy and such musicians like Barney Bigard, Teddy Buckner, George "Red" Callender, Lee Young, and George Washington sitting in the band. Really, all I'll say now is St. Louis Blues is worth seeing for the number of musical icons in one film that are presented here.

Central to the story is the antagonism between W.C Handy and his disapproving father, Reverend Charles Handy. The usual plot turns ensue while W.C. wrestles with his conscience, on the one hand as an obedient and under-empowered son, and on the other as a first-class and inspired musician. The story's a bit of a clunker, and some of the acting a bit two-dimensional. The good Reverend hams it up for us, looking much younger than his apparent signs of extreme age - the limp and gray hair more theatrical than filmic - while Nat King Cole's W.C. Handy suffers from soap opera indigestion. However, Eartha Kitt delivers the films best lines (and attitude) in a beautifully understated performance. It doesn't hurt, either, that she looks like a million dollars while doing it. The movie has the look and feel of having had a decent budget, and the sound in the television screening I saw was flawless, which made the real point of the movie outstanding: the music. To see so much of black America's musical talent of the time, performing in a medium atypical for them, is pure joy. The arrangements and delivery are breathtaking, especially for Eartha Kitt and Nat King Cole, while other numbers from the cast of luminaries are shining examples of their work. It's extraordinary that there is, to date, no DVD available for this film and a shame that more people will not get a chance to see - and hear - this historic gem.

... played as an adult by Nat "King" Cole. From childhood, Will Handy's biggest problem is his father, a fire and brimstone preacher with a - pardon the expression - black and white view of life. Music is either of God - hymns - or it is of the devil, which is everything else including the music of the streets, of workers, of African Americans. Young Will is drawn to jazz and buys a trumpet. When his dad discovers it he throws it underneath a team of horses so that it is destroyed, to "save his soul".

When Will grows up and graduates college his dad and his girlfriend/fiancee expect him to become a teacher. But Will is still drawn to jazz and the blues. A simple song he composes and performs for a political candidate he doesn't even know gets him the attention of local blues singer Gogo Germaine (Eartha Kitt) . He starts spending his days working on songs with Gogo, and nights performing them at her club. When he is found out by his dad, he is told to either stop this music and become a teacher or get out. Will chooses the latter option.

The obvious conflict in Will is not that of right and wrong, but between the fact that he does not feel like he is doing evil when he writes and performs jazz, but that his dad constantly tells him he is doing evil. How will this work out? I'd say watch and find out, because the biography of the actual W. C. Handy is fascinating, but it's nothing like this film.

I don't think Nat King Cole had any training as an actor, and yet he gives a great performance here. Eartha Kitt plays the glamorous singer who needs Will professionally but has the integrity to not seduce and keep the initially fascinated Will around with her feminine charms. The portrayal of Handy's girlfriend, Elizabeth (Ruby Dee), is just a little too passive considering that Will is constantly dropping in and out of her life. It's OK to be supportive, but the character is in doormat territory.

The supporting musical talent is tremendous and includes Pearl Bailey, Cab Calloway, Mahalia Jackson, Ella Fitzgerald, and Billy Preston.

Nat King Cole stars in "St. Louis Blues," a short yet loving tribute to W. C. Handy. Like most Hollywood biopics, I'm sure this film barely scratches the surface of Handy's life and career, but it captures the essence of W.C. Handy, the expression of one's self and heart through music, through song. Despite the pressure to follow his minister father's footsteps, he had to go his own way, even if he was disowned. Juano Hernandez plays his narrow-minded father, who dismisses any music other than plain piano church music. This is a continual theme and plot of the movie. Will W.C. ever get or feel his father's approval? But what makes the film so great in an otherwise straightforward script is the cast and performances involved. Eartha Kitt, as a nightclub singer and a contact Will uses for advancement in his career, gets most of the screen time when Nat is not singing, and they both sing quite differently in their ways, but stop the show equally. Also outstanding is the presence of the great gospel vocalist Mahalia Jackson, who can stir one up with her prayer-like style. And, then there's Ella Fitzgerald who makes a brief appearance as herself who apparently influenced W.C. Handy. And, then there's Cab Calloway, who doesn't get to sing, but adds much as an opportunist who uses W.C. Handy for his own devices. And Ruby Dee is on hand as W.C.'s girlfriend. And, Ruby is really jealous of Eartha. And, lastly, one of my favorites of all time, the inimitable Pearl Bailey, with her sassy self, as W.C.'s aunt. Both Mahalia and Pearl did not sing enough to suit me, but this was about W.C. Handy. For all these people and the sheer talent in one place, you can't get much better. Granted the film is too short, but maybe you can just watch it over and over. "St. Louis Blues" and its stars are worth the trouble to find it. Do it today.

Some of the previous reviewers say kind things about the acting and script here. I can't see it.

Eartha Kitt not only sings well - VERY well - but does a great job acting her role as well. Juano Hernandez is good as Handy's very strict father, but it's a two-dimensional role. Nat King Cole isn't much of an actor here, in my opinion. But then, his singing is spectacular, so I'll deal with his acting as the price for enjoying, very much, his singing.

The script is strictly from hunger. As others have remarked, it's a reworking of the cliched plot in *The Jazz Singer*. And, as almost all the reviewers have pointed out, it bears little resemblance to the historical truth. The Aeolian Hall concert is pure fiction, for example, and seems to have been inspired by the real concert Paul Whiteman gave there in 1924 that introduced Gershwin's immortal *Rhapsody in Blue* - and a lot of now forgotten efforts by other composers. It was also evidently inspired by the scene in the 1945 movie *Rhapsody in Blue*, which, like *The Jazz Singer*, also deals with a conflict between popular and "serious" music.

It's also very pious, which I found strange in a movie about the birth of the blues. Whom did the producers imagine their audience to be? The reviewers seem to think this was aimed at Black audiences, but I doubt that. When we see Handy and Gogo singing in the nightclub, they play to a strictly white audience, one interested in jazz and the blues. I can only assume that the producers imagined a similar audience for this movie.

But enough of the negatives. The positives here - and they are VERY positive - are the musical performances. In how many movies can you dream of finding first-rate performances by:

Nate King Cole Eartha Kitt Mahalia Jackson Ella Fitzgerald and Pearl Bailey?

With the exception of Fitzgerald's number, these are not one-off isolated performances that are only incidental to the plot. The first three singers get several numbers each, all wonderful.

They alone make it worth your while to watch this movie. Ignore the pious plot.

"St Louis Blues", the 1958 biopic of the great W.C Handy, is, though not perfect, very enjoyable to watch and-- more importantly-- listen to.

Portraying Handy is Nat King Cole, in his only leading role in a feature-length Hollywood film. He sings a few tunes (all fantastically performed, of course) and his acting is even relatively convincing. Also in the cast is Eartha Kitt (whose role I believe would have been better filled by someone like Lena Horne), Cab Calloway, Pearl Bailey and even Billy Preston as Handy as a child. Ella Fitzgerald joins the cast, too, but it is only a cameo. Nevertheless, her part is very important; she gives a stellar rendition of "Beale Street Blues", one of the many great W.C Handy tunes featured.

I would definitely recommend this movie, mostly because of the talent in it-- Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald and the rest of the cast's talent and, of course, W.C Handy's talent.

This perfect blend of lightheartedness, drama and music is a great biopic of one of America's-- and the world's-- most talented songwriters is a must-see for any lover of Handy or Cole, or, such as myself, both.