King of Jazz

1930

1h 38m

IMDb RATING

6.2/10

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3 Videos

17 Images

Animation

Comedy

Music

Made during the early years of the movie musical, this exuberant revue was one of the most extravagant, eclectic, and technically ambitious Hollywood productions of its day. Starring the bandleader Paul Whiteman, then widely celebrated as the King of Jazz, the film drew from Broadway variety shows to present a spectacular array of sketches, performances by such acts as the Rhythm Boys (featuring a young Bing Crosby), and orchestral numbers—all lavishly staged by veteran theater director John Murray Anderson.

Directors

John Murray Anderson

Writers

Edward T. Lowe Jr.(scenario writer by)

Harry Ruskin(writer by)

Stars

Paul Whiteman

John Boles

Laura La Plante

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Videos3

Photos17

Top cast

Paul Whiteman

John Boles

Vocalist ('Song of the Dawn' …

Laura La Plante

Editor ('Ladies of the Press') …

Jeanette Loff

Vocalist ('It Happened in Monterey' …

Glenn Tryon

Executive ('In Conference') …

William Kent

General ('All Noisy on the Eastern Front') …

Slim Summerville

Automobile Owner ('Springtime') …

Kathryn Crawford

Fourth Reporter ('Ladies of the Press')

Carla Laemmle

Chorine (as Beth Laemmle)

Stanley Smith

Bridegroom ('Bridal Veil' …

Charles Irwin

Himself, Announcer …

George Chiles

Dancer ('It Happened in Monterey' …

Jack White

Frank Leslie

Quartet Lead Singer ('Nellie')

Walter Brennan

Desk Sergeant ('Springtime') …

Churchill Ross

Quartet Member ('Nellie')

John Arledge

First Pianist at Giant Piano ('Rhapsody in Blue') …

Al Norman

Rubber Legs Dancer ('Happy Feet')

Directors

John Murray Anderson

Writers

Edward T. Lowe Jr.(scenario writer by)

Harry Ruskin(writer by)

All cast & crew

Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

User reviews1

Review

Featured review

6/10

The title of this film is a touch misleading. I was expecting much more of a jazz-based musical revue but instead got pretty much a whole gamut of colourful and precisely staged repertoire. Paul Whiteman and his accomplished orchestra provide the conduit, as it were, as a variety of performers sing, dance and make us laugh (or cringe) for the next hundred minutes. There's a bit of Bing Crosby's first screen appearance with the "Rhythm Boys" doing a lively version of "Happy Feet" and probably my favourite staging of George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" - featuring an orchestra within the belly of the grandest of pianos. What this illustrates really effectively is the huge variety of musical skills that audiences in 1930 could expect to see, and at just how versatile the orchestra was when it came to playing themes from just about every genre. Whoever thought about playing some patriotic Souza on a bicycle pump? It looks great and it sounds good but for me, not being an American, too many of the acts - especially the comedy - didn't really travel. The production itself, though probably impractical to deliver, needed a live audience to breathe some life into it. The skills there are superb, but the whole thing is just a bit sterile and lifeless. As an history of what engaged the American people in the 1920s, this in still an interesting piece of entertainment nostalgia, though - and it is worth a watch.

Geronimo196712 Feb, 2024