Grimerlana Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Lucybespro It is a performances centric movie

ChanBot i must have seen a different film!!

Lucia Ayala It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

amron-3 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.

mrselami 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.

hcoursen 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!

jotix100 This is a rare movie in which black performers were given the recognition that Hollywood denied them. Alan Reisner directed a film about the fictionalized life of one American original, W.C. Handy, a composer whose legacy in our popular culture was never acknowledged. It would take years before black actors would be seen in mainstream films.Will Handy was a multi talented man whose humble origins we see as the film opens. His father, Rev. Charles Handy, is a preacher in a black church in Memphis. It's clear from the start the boy is destined for greatness, but his father clashes with him when he finds a job working at the local club that is frequented by characters, that in the Reverend's estimation, are loafers and sinners.With the help of a singer, Gogo Germaine, Handy's music becomes popular. His long time girlfriend, the sweet Elizabeth, sees in Gogo a rival who will take him away. It is through the love of his mother and when Elizabeth realizes the talent of Will Handy, that everything seems to come together.Nat "King" Cole plays the title role. Mr. Cole was one of our best interpreters of the standard repertoire of his time. He had such a clear and elegant diction that no one came close to him in delivering a song. His acting is rustic, but that is expected from a singer turned actor. Eartha Kitt is one of the best things in the film. She is Gogo Germaine, full of passion and sex appeal. The sweet and young Ruby Dee appears as Elizabeth, the woman who loved Will Handy. Juano Hernandez, another talent who never got a big break in the movies, is Rev. Handy, the upright minister who wanted his son to follow him in the church. Pearl Bailey, Mahalia Jackson, Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Preston, and the rest of the cast are fine in their roles.Some of the great music of W.C. Handy is heard in the soundtrack of the film performed with great style and elegance.