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IMDbPro

St. Louis Blues

  • 1958
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 45m
IMDb RATING
7.1/10
704
YOUR RATING
St. Louis Blues (1958)
Official Trailer
Play trailer1:56
1 Video
6 Photos
BiographyDramaMusic

The story of W. C. Handy, the undisputed father of the blues.The story of W. C. Handy, the undisputed father of the blues.The story of W. C. Handy, the undisputed father of the blues.

  • Director
    • Allen Reisner
  • Writers
    • Ted Sherdeman
    • Robert Smith
  • Stars
    • Nat 'King' Cole
    • Eartha Kitt
    • Cab Calloway
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.1/10
    704
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Allen Reisner
    • Writers
      • Ted Sherdeman
      • Robert Smith
    • Stars
      • Nat 'King' Cole
      • Eartha Kitt
      • Cab Calloway
    • 20User reviews
    • 11Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

    St. Louis Blues
    Trailer 1:56
    Watch St. Louis Blues

    Photos6

    "Birth of the Blues" Eartha Kitt 1941 Paramount
    Publicity still portrait of American singer and musician Nat King Cole and actress Ruby Dee in the WC Handy musical biographical film 'St. Louis Blues' (Paramount Pictures), Memphis, Tennessee, 1958.
    St. Louis Blues (1958)
    St. Louis Blues (1958)
    Nat 'King' Cole in St. Louis Blues (1958)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Nat 'King' Cole
    Nat 'King' Cole
    • W.C. Handy
    Eartha Kitt
    Eartha Kitt
    • Gogo Germaine
    Cab Calloway
    Cab Calloway
    • Blade
    Ella Fitzgerald
    Ella Fitzgerald
    • Singer
    Mahalia Jackson
    Mahalia Jackson
    • Bessie May
    Ruby Dee
    Ruby Dee
    • Elizabeth
    Juano Hernandez
    Juano Hernandez
    • Rev. Charles Handy
    Teddy Buckner
    Teddy Buckner
    • Musician
    Barney Bigard
    • Musician
    George 'Red' Callender
    George 'Red' Callender
    • Musician
    Lee Young
    • Musician
    George Washington
    George Washington
    • Musician
    Billy Preston
    Billy Preston
    • Will Handy as a boy
    Pearl Bailey
    Pearl Bailey
    • Aunt Hagar
    C. Bakaleinikoff
    C. Bakaleinikoff
    • New York Symphony Conductor
    • (uncredited)
    Bill Baldwin
    Bill Baldwin
    • Attorney Mawson
    • (uncredited)
    Milas G. Clark Jr.
    • Boy
    • (uncredited)
    Walt Davis
    • Usher
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Allen Reisner
    • Writers
      • Ted Sherdeman
      • Robert Smith
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      W.C. Handy's first successful composition was "Memphis Blues" but, because the producers couldn't obtain the rights to the song, his first successful song was presented in the film as being "Yellow Dog Blues", actually written several years later, after Handy had established himself.
    • Goofs
      Early in film, a man tells Handy to meet him "at the corner of Beale and Jackson at 4:00" to give him a job. Beale Street and Jackson Avenue do not intersect. Jackson is not straight, but it's more than a mile between them at their closest point.
    • Quotes

      Gogo Germaine: That's right, Reverend. Stick to your guns. You stick to them because, after all, prejudice is a time saver.

      Rev. Charles Handy: I... I beg your pardon?

      Gogo Germaine: Well, a busy man like you: You can form an opinion without wasting time bothering about facts.

    • Connections
      Edited into Afro Promo (1997)
    • Soundtracks
      Morning Star
      Music by W.C. Handy

      New lyrics by Mack David

      Sung by Nat 'King' Cole

    User reviews20

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    Such talent in one place!
    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.
    helpful•3
    0
    • mrselami
    • Mar 30, 2007

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 7, 1958 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Siyah İnciler
    • Filming locations
      • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA(Studio)
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 45 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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