Pete Kelly's Blues (1955)

In 1927, a Kansas City, Missouri cornet player and his band perform nightly at a seedy speakeasy until a racketeer tries to extort them in exchange for protection.

Director:

Jack Webb

Writer:

Richard L. Breen

Stars:

Jack Webb, Janet Leigh, Edmond O'Brien

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jack Webb	...	Pete Kelly
Janet Leigh	...	Ivy Conrad
Edmond O'Brien	...	Fran McCarg
Peggy Lee	...	Rose Hopkins
Andy Devine	...	George Tenell
Lee Marvin	...	Al Gannaway
Ella Fitzgerald	...	Maggie Jackson
Martin Milner	...	Joey Firestone
Than Wyenn	...	Rudy Shulak
Herbert Ellis	...	Bedido (as Herb Ellis)
John Dennis	...	Guy Bettenhouser
Jayne Mansfield	...	Cigarette Girl
Mort Marshall	...	Cootie Jacobs
Moe Schneider	...	Trombonist (Big 7)
George Van Eps	...	Guitarist (Big 7)

Storyline

In 1927 Kansas City Pete Kelly and his jazz band play nightly at a speakeasy. A local gangster starts to move in on them and when their drummer is killed Kelly gives in, even though this also means taking the thug's alcoholic girl as a singer. Kelly soon realises he has made a big mistake selling out in this way and that rich girl Ivy is now the only decent thing in his life.

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Plot Keywords:

kansas city missouri | speakeasy | jazz band | gangster | cornet | 

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Taglines:

It was the jazz-mad wide open '20s-great music, bad booze-and a bullet if you didn't jump for the mob. This is the story of a man who wouldn't jump.

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Genres:

Crime | Drama | Music

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 July 1955 (USA)

Also Known As:

Es geschah in einer Nacht

Filming Locations:

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$5,000,000, 31 December 1955

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mark VII Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

4-Track Stereo (RCA Sound Recording) (magnetic prints) Mono (RCA Sound Recording) (optical prints)

Color:

Color (WarnerColor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.55 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Jack Webb actually knew how to play the cornet. He loved jazz music and, as a boy, was given a cornet by a musician who lived near his home. While he never truly mastered the instrument he knew it well enough that his handling and fingering of the cornet in this movie is accurate.

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Quotes

Ivy Conrad: What are you doing?
Pete Kelly: Making tea.
Ivy Conrad: Could I have some?
Pete Kelly: You won't like it. I'm using water.

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Connections

Referenced in The Colgate Comedy Hour: Episode #5.33 (1955)

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Soundtracks

He Needs Me
Written by Arthur Hamilton
Sung by Peggy Lee with "Big 7" (Matty Matlock's Dixielanders)

User Reviews

One of Peg's Greatest Moments

Great Singer, reknowned composer, Peggy lee had a chance to really act and act she did in Pete Kellys Blues earning her an Oscar nomination and many fans...She died today (1/22/02), and the world is a lot less brighter.. This is one of the few glimpses we get to see her in her heydey, beautiful, young and talented... This film should be treasured for that alone plus some fine singing by not only Peg, but the great Ella Fitzgerald... for these reasons alone this flick is worth seeing buying and reissuing/ contrived maybe, poorly directed possibly but to see Peggy Lee on film singing and emoting, and earning an Oscar nom., that alone is worth the price/ also look for an ingenue, Jayne mansfield in the chorus... thank you Jack Webb also