St. Louis Blues (1929)

Director:

Dudley Murphy

Writer:

Dudley Murphy (writer)

Release Date:

8 September 1929 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Musical | Short

Plot:

In this all-black cast short, legendary blues singer Bessie Smith finds her gambler lover Jimmy messin' with a pretty...

Plot Keywords:

All Black Cast | African American

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Bessie Smith	...	Herself
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hall Johnson Choir	...	Themselves

Runtime:

16 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Photophone System)

Filming Locations:

RCA Photophone, Gramercy Park, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

RCA

Trivia:

This short film starring Bessie Smith was built around the blues singer's song of the same title. It is the only footage of her in existence.

Movie Connections:

Featured in That's Black Entertainment (1990)

Soundtrack:

St. Louis Blues

Only film record of Bessie Smith

If you've ever wanted to see the great Bessie Smith perform, this is your one chance--her only film appearance is in this short.

For an early talkie, a lot of things were done right. The wrap-around plot involving the 'no-good boyfriend who done her wrong' is really quite effective, and unnerving, in it's violence. The camerawork in the big bar scene is generally well done, with people passing in front of the camera going about their business. It's obviously a one-take deal, with several cameras recording the action at the same time as three-camera sitcoms do.

But you're left wondering about the stupidity of the director who obviously hid Bessie's mic on the bar, but failed to set up a camera behind the bar! Yes she sings, but we're treated to her backside mostly, with only an occasional glimpse of her profile. You can't really blame that poor thinking on early sound technology.