‘BIRTH OF THE BLUES’

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Blues History with Bing, Mary and Brian

This film was directed by Victor Schertzinger, who previously helmed ‘Rhythm on the River’. It also has Bing Crosby with Mary Martin, who was also in ‘Rhythm on the River’, joined by Brain Donlevy. 🙂

‘Birth of the Blues’ was made in 1941. This is an intriguing film as its plot loosely follows the origins and the breakthrough success of the original Dixieland Jazz Band in New Orleans, which I enjoyed. 🙂

In the film, it starts off with a 12-year-old boy named Jeff Lambert who’s very good with the clarinet. Unfortunately, Jeff’s tastes for jazz music with black men are greatly disapproved by his ageing father.

Many years later, Jeff grows up to become Bing Crosby. 😀 He and his jazz boys have tried to secure a music job at the classy New Orleans cabarets. They’ve been unsuccessful, playing in street corners. 😦

It’s when Jeff and his band meet a young lady called Betty Lou, played by Mary Martin that they begin to find success with playing music. Will they be able to avoid injury in becoming big successes?

Incidentally, the film is mostly shown in black-and-white. But there’s a moment where Bing sings ‘By the Light of the Silvery Moon’ that a presentation slideshow is shown in colour. I was gobsmacked! 🙂

When released at cinemas/theatres, the film was well-received by critics and it was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Score. It’s intriguing that this rare musical film got very popular.

I also found it fascinating how ‘Birth of the Blues’ got a racially diverse cast in featuring both white and black actors/actresses. I guess the film industry in Hollywood was kind to blacks than Alabama. 🙂

Bing Crosby and Mary Miller once again deliver brilliant performances as their characters. It was fascinating to see how their characters met up; didn’t like each other and fell in love during the film.

The film’s other big star happens to be Brian Donlevy as Memphis, a trumpet player who agrees to become a member of Jeff’s band after being freed from prison. He also forms part of a love triangle.

Yeah, Memphis has a romantic interest in Betty Lou whilst she’s more interested in Jeff. It soon builds to a fight out when Memphis attempts to get Brian to share his feelings towards Betty Lou. 😐

The film also features little girl Carolyn Lee as Betty Lou’s Aunt Phoebe. Wait! The little girl is an older lady’s aunt?! How is that possible?! It doesn’t make sense!

It’s like me saying to Darth Vader… “Vader!”

Darth Vader: “Yes?”

“I am your father!”

Darth Vader: (yells) “NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

See? 😀

There’s ‘Rochester’…or is it Eddie ‘Rochester’ Anderson…as Louey, Jeff’s good friend who happens to be a black man. I’m not sure if Louey is a loose depiction of Louis Armstrong. It could be.

There’s also J. Carrol Naish as Blackie, who owns a club and gets a group of thugs to threaten Jeff’s band if they don’t continue to play at his club. Interesting how the gangster element comes into this.

Apparently Jeff and his band are so good and they impress Blackie that they can’t get away from him to perform at another classy club or something. Jeff’s band can’t even make a getaway to Chicago. 😐

It was amusing when Memphis distracted two thugs whilst Jeff and the band sneaked away quietly. It does result in a gun shoot-out where Blackie gets shot and Jeff and Memphis’ characters escaped.

As well as ‘By the Light of the Silvery Moon’, there’s also ‘St. Louis Blues’ sung by Bing Crosby, Ruby Elzy and a choir. I think that the ‘Birth of the Blues’ film was inspired to be made by ‘St. Louis Blues’.

Ruby Elzy plays Louie’s wife who sings ‘St. Louis Blues’ when mourning him after he got injured in a riot caused by Blackie’s men. Thankfully, Louie is still alive once he has regained consciousness here.

Bing Crosby also sings ‘The Birth of the Blues’ song during the opening credits, I believe. There’s also ‘Wait ‘Till the Sun Shines, Nellie’, sung by Bing Crosby and Mary Miller as a duet together in the film.

The film closes with shots of people like Louis Armstrong and Paul Whiteman (whose clip I think is taken from ‘Strike Up The Band’). This is to commemorate the jazz musicians people know and love.

Overall, ‘Birth of the Blues’ has been an enjoyable Bing Crosby movie. It was fascinating to see how the movie paid tribute to the original Dixieland Jazz Band in New Orlean by doing a loose story on it.

‘Birth of the Blues’ rating – 8/10

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