THE BIRTH OF THE BLUES

US, 1941, 91 minutes, Black and white.
Bing Crosby Mary Martin Jack Teagarden, Brian Donlevy, J Carroll Naish, Rochester, Cecil Kellaway.
Directed by Victor Scherzinger.

The Birth of the Blues is a Hollywood tribute to the origins of the music which came from Memphis and New Orleans at the end of the 19th century. It is also a star vehicle for Bing Crosby and Mary Martin, Bing about to win an Oscar three years later for Going my Way. And Mary Martin was about to star on Broadway in South Pacific, followed by other musicals and The Sound of Music. It is also featured role for black comedian Rochester, who often appeared with Jack Benny.

The film provides opportunity for Bing Crosby to sing a number of popular songs of the period as well as the blues and a blues version of Wait Till the Sun Shines, Nellie.

The plot is predictable enough, though the prologue is interesting with the young white boy playing with the black musicians and dancers in Basin Street, New Orleans, and being spanked by his father. When he grows up, he continues this connection, having his own band, playing the new music which is not always appreciated by the audiences. Mary Martin arrives on the scene, looking like a musical star rather than someone impoverished – and she brings a little girl with her, who seems to be aping Shirley Temple’s style. Eventually the band gets its opportunity, thanks to Mary Martin, and they are a success. They had dreams of going to Chicago. But, before they go, there are entanglements with a local boss played by J.Carol Naish.

The film looks old-fashioned but is an interesting look at the perspective of the 1940s about popular music and its origins, tributes to the band leaders of the time and the musicians like Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington – and a reminder of the prejudice against the music, the inherent racism in comments like that it was the music of the ‘darkies’.

1. An entertaining musical of the early 1940s? The spirit of the previous decades in its style, themes, music?

2. A star vehicle for Bing Crosby, Mary Martin, Jack Teagarden, Rochester?

3. The title, audience interest in the history of the blues, the African American traditions, rhythms, beat, the instruments, the singers and dancers? The title song at beginning and end?

4. A tribute to the blues players, origins in the black community? The white musicians taking it on, learning from the blacks? The unpopularity at the time, people unable to understand and appreciate the rhythms, ‘just tuning up’? The disdainful comments about the darkies? Racism, in the south?

5. The range of songs, the blues, By the Light of the Silvery Moon, Melancholy Baby, the songs performed in the clubs, the variations on Wait Till the Shines, Nellie?

6. The opening in New Orleans, the father and his son, the son playing with the blacks, enjoying the company, riffing with them, Louis and his help, the father and his spankings? Jeff and his love for the music?

7. The transition to the expected story? Jeff and his friends, playing together, Louis at home? Hearing that there was a cornet player in jail, rounding up his friends, the truck, talking with Memphis, planning to get the money?

8. The arrival of Betty Lou, the horse rearing at the music, the driver wanting money, Jeff intervening, delivering Betty Lou to her grandfather, her return, with a little girl, Aunt Phoebe? Jeff trying to get the money to send her away? Deciding to stay, the room, Jeff sharing the room with Memphis? The other members of the band?

9. The attempts at playing, the theatre, the audience not understanding the music and walking out? Being sacked? Other attempts? Betty Lou and her idea, going to Blackie, the audition, Jeff hearing Memphis talk to her about her success and being employed?

10. Their going to the restaurant, Blackie employing them, success? Their going to the rival restaurant, Wait till the Sun Shines, Nellie, the thugs the fight? The possibility of going to Chicago, Louis and the telegram?

11. Memphis, attraction to Betty Lou, their talks, his approaches? Jeff and his moods? Betty Lou in love with him?

12. The little girl, her comedy lines, the dancing, the Shirley Temple style?

13. The attempt to get to Chicago, the thugs coming, Memphis and his distracting the thugs with drink, playing the record, everybody getting away? Blackie’s arrival, the shooting and the thugs killing their boss by mistake?

14. And that, according to Paramount Studios, was the birth of the blues. The final tribute to the players and band leaders, especially led by Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong, and the other big band conductors of the 30s and 40s?