King of Jazz (1930)

Director:

John Murray Anderson

Writers:

Charles MacArthur (writer)
Harry Ruskin (writer)

Release Date:

20 April 1930 (USA)

Genre:

Animation | Music

Plot:

This revue presents its numbers around the orchestra leader Paul Whiteman, besides that it shows in...

Plot Keywords:

Revue | Hit With Coconut | Cartoon Elephant | Two Strip Technicolor | Cartoon Lion

Awards:

Won Oscar.

Cast

Paul Whiteman	...	Himself (as Paul Whiteman and His Band)
John Boles	...	Himself - Vocalist ("Song of the Dawn" / "It Happened in Monterey")
Laura La Plante	...	Editor ("Ladies of the Press") / Stenographer ("In Conference")
Glenn Tryon	...	Executive ("In Conference") / Unmarried Husband
Jeanette Loff	...	Herself - Vocalist ("It Happened in Monterey" / "Bridal Veil" / "A Bench in the Park")
Merna Kennedy	...	Second Reporter ("Ladies of the Press") / Wife ("In Conference") / Unmarried Wife
Stanley Smith	...	Bridegroom ("Bridal Veil" / "A Bench in the Park")
Slim Summerville	...	Automobile Owner ("Springtime") / Rear End of Horse / Charles
Otis Harlan	...	Charles's Intended Father-in-Law
William Kent	...	General ("All Noisy on the Eastern Front") / Goldfish Owner ("Oh! Forevermore!") / Unmarried Couple's Offspring / Vocal ("Do Things For You")
Bing Crosby	...	Himself (as The Rhythm Boys)
Al Rinker	...	Himself (as The Rhythm Boys)
Harry Barris	...	Himself (as The Rhythm Boys)
Eleanor Gutchrlein	...	Herself, Dance Specialty (as Sisters G)
Karla Gutchrlein	...	Herself Dance Specialty (as Sisters G)

Runtime:

USA:98 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.20 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The animation sequence, created by Walter Lantz, was the first Technicolor animation ever produced.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Universal Story (1995) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Song Of The Dawn

Mankind's Memory would Be all the Poorer without this Film

This film is in two-tone Technicolor. It is rather like a vaudeville brought onto the stage with music, short sketches, and variety turns.

From the perspective of today, the glaring omission is that the American Negro influence is not given any acknowledgement whatever. In the melting pot scene at the end the American Negro influence is glaring conspicuous by its absence. Although there is certainly a European influence in American jazz music, it is less of an influence than African music or - don't forget - Mexican music. But the film was of its time, and at that time, the Amrican Negro playing jazz was not officially referred to, and it would be some time before black artists could be spoken of as musical heroes. Funnily enough Paul Whiteman's star singer Bing Crosby, who appears in this film with the Rhythmn Boys, would have a huge role to play here by his collaborations with black artists like the Mills Brothers.

In spite of all this, we must regard this film in the context of the period it was made, regret the Negro omissions and enjoy the film for its own sake.

Other impressive acts are the trick violinist playing "Pop Goes the Weasel", bel canto singer John Boles and that amazing rubber-legged dancer Al Norman. (Eat your heart out, John Travolta)

Although I was not born till a quarter of a century after the release of this film, I cannot but help a feeling of nostalgia. We will certainly never see the like of these acts again. But for this film, the magic of Boles and Norman and the Whiteman orchestra would be gone for good.