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IMDbPro

Mystery in Swing

  • 19401940
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 8m
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
109
YOUR RATING
Jess Lee Brooks, Monte Hawley, CeePee Johnson, Tommie Moore, and Marguerite Whitten in Mystery in Swing (1940)
ActionAdventureMusic
In and around some great blues, swing and jazz music, a very unpopular band-leader. Prince Ellis, is killed in a Harlem nightclub, and, in and around some more great music, a detective finds... Read allIn and around some great blues, swing and jazz music, a very unpopular band-leader. Prince Ellis, is killed in a Harlem nightclub, and, in and around some more great music, a detective finds the lists of suspects is very long, as Prince Ellis was indeed very unpopular with many c... Read allIn and around some great blues, swing and jazz music, a very unpopular band-leader. Prince Ellis, is killed in a Harlem nightclub, and, in and around some more great music, a detective finds the lists of suspects is very long, as Prince Ellis was indeed very unpopular with many citizens.
IMDb RATING
5.4/10
109
YOUR RATING
    • Arthur Dreifuss
    • Arthur Hoerl(original story)
    • William Werckenthien(additional dialogue)
    • F.E. Miller(additional dialogue)
  • Stars
    • Monte Hawley
    • Marguerite Whitten
    • Tommie Moore
    • Arthur Dreifuss
    • Arthur Hoerl(original story)
    • William Werckenthien(additional dialogue)
    • F.E. Miller(additional dialogue)
  • Stars
    • Monte Hawley
    • Marguerite Whitten
    • Tommie Moore
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 9User reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Josephine Edwards, Sybil Lewis, Tommie Moore, and Marguerite Whitten in Mystery in Swing (1940)
    Add photo

    Top cast

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    Monte Hawley
    • Biff Boyd
    Marguerite Whitten
    • Linda Carroll
    Tommie Moore
    • Mae Carroll
    Edward Thompson
    • Capt. Hall
    Buck Woods
    • Buck Bedford
    Jess Lee Brooks
    • John Carroll
    Josephine Edwards
    • Maxine Rae
    Sybil Lewis
    • Cleo Ellis
    Robert Webb
    • Prince Ellis
    Alfred Grant
    • Chet Wallace
    Tom Southern
    • Sgt. Phipps
    • (as Thomas Southern)
    Halley Harding
    • Editor Bailey
    Leonard Christmas
    • Lawyer Jones
    Earle Morris
    • Reporter Wayburn
    John Lester Johnson
    • 'Champ', Nightclub Owner
    F.E. Miller
    • Sgt. Slim
    The Four Toppers
    • Singers
    CeePee Johnson and his Orchestra
    • Orchestra
      • Arthur Dreifuss
      • Arthur Hoerl(original story) (screenplay)
      • William Werckenthien(additional dialogue)
      • F.E. Miller(additional dialogue)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    Storyline

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    Did you know

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    • Trivia
      In production the last week of January 1940, this film received its earliest documented telecast in New York City Friday 10 May 1940 on pioneer, and still experimental W2XBS, which would not receive its full time commercial status until 29 June 1941 when it was officially launched as WNBT (Channel 1).
    • Soundtracks
      Jump, the Water's Fine
      Written by The Four Toppers

      Sung by The Four Toppers

    User reviews9

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    5/10
    I guess they didn't like his trumpet playing!
    Race film' very light skin performers in band as well as the major players

    "Mystery in Swing" is a so-called 'Race Film'...a movie consisting of black actors and designed to be shown in movie theaters catering to black audiences. For the most part, these films are cheap and poorly made...mostly because these tiny studios simply didn't have the resources to make better films.

    What is interesting about this film and many other race films is that most of the major acting roles (as well as most of the band members) are played by very light-skinned black people. It tended to reinforce the 'lighter is better' notions of the day that not only white audiences but black audiences internalized as well. Sad...but a sign of the times.

    The story is about a scumbag band leader, Prince Ellis. Ellis is a jerk and there are many, many people who would love to see him dead. Perhaps more want him dead than want him alive! The mystery is who did it...and how many times they did it! And, in addition to the mystery, there's plenty of big band music as the film is often set at a black nightclub.

    So is it any good? Well, the music certainly is. And, the acting and professional look to the film is far better than usual for a race film. I'd probably stack this up to a typical Monogram or PRC release in regard to quality and enjoyability. And, like the Monogram or PRC films, some of the policemen in this mystery are incredibly dim and their 3rd degree sequence is unintentionally funny.
    helpful•1
    0
    • planktonrules
    • Feb 10, 2021

    Details

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    • Release date
      • May 10, 1940 (United States)
      • United States
      • English
    • Production company
      • Aetna Film Corp.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • 1 hour 8 minutes
      • Black and White
      • Mono

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    Jess Lee Brooks, Monte Hawley, CeePee Johnson, Tommie Moore, and Marguerite Whitten in Mystery in Swing (1940)
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    By what name was Mystery in Swing (1940) officially released in Canada in English?
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