New Orleans (1947) User Reviews (29)

Love this movie for what it is, not for what it could have been

[mgconlan-1 · 7/10 · 27 February 2009]

"New Orleans" started out as an Orson Welles project at RKO -- a Louis Armstrong biopic with Armstrong playing himself -- and it morphed through several different incarnations (including a version by writer Valentine Davies that ultimately got filmed as "Syncopation" in 1942) before ending up with producer Jules Levey as the film we have. There's certainly a sense of might-have-been about this movie that was only accentuated in the early 1980's when an independent jazz reissue label called Legends released the surviving pre-recordings made by Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday in October 1946 for use in the film -- including a treasure trove of music that hadn't made it anywhere near the final cut -- and the idea of basing a film about the history of jazz around a set of boring white characters and reducing the African-Americans to extras in their own story is all too familiar in Hollywood's treatment of just about any story involving African-based politics or culture.

Now for the good news: within the horrible limits of the concept, the script is relatively well constructed, and Arthur Lubin's direction shows some visual imagination -- notably in the opening tracking shot through the streets of back-lot "New Orleans" before the camera enters Arturo de Cordova's cabaret/casino and discovers Louis Armstrong and his band playing "West End Blues" (inexplicably renamed "Name-Your-Poison Blues" in the film). In her autobiography "Lady Sings the Blues" Billie Holiday vividly registered her disgust at being cast as a maid, and in the scenes with Dorothy Patrick she's visibly stiff, barely able to get the servile dialogue out of her mouth -- but when she shows up at the cabaret set and gets to sing with Armstrong's band she visibly loosens up and becomes a relaxed and quite effective screen presence. My partner noted the similarities between "New Orleans" and the 1936 MGM film "San Francisco" -- both are about gamblers who own night clubs and opera singers who climb down from their pedestals to perform popular music, and the (real) closure of New Orleans' Storyville red-light district in 1917 fulfills the same climactic story function as the 1906 earthquake and fire did in "San Francisco."

The first time I saw any part of "New Orleans" was at a screening of jazz movies in 1970, at which the host presented three numbers from the film ("Do You Know What It Means to Miss New Orleans?," "Where the Blues Were Born in New Orleans" and "Farewell to Storyville") that had been blown up from 8 mm sound prints released for home sales in France. The host said that the rest of the film had been lost, so it was quite surprising to me when I got to see the complete version twice in 1973 on an independent local TV station in the San Francisco Bay Area. Then I didn't see the film again until Kino released it on DVD, and having got over my disappointment at what it could have been, this time I could appreciate it for what it is: a flawed movie with an almost unbearably pretentious ending but still a quite entertaining film as well as a chance to see Armstrong and Holiday at the peak of their powers. (Woody Herman is hardly showcased to good effect even though he was leading perhaps the best band of his career, the "First Herd," at the time.) And I'm surprised the other commentator mentioning the greatest jazz movies left out my all-time favorite, Clint Eastwood's "Bird."

The musicians alone make this a worthwhile movie...

[miffmole · 7/10 · 17 January 2002]

Just the musicians alone make this a worthwhile movie...jazz musicians like Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Kid Ory, Barney Bigard, Meade 'Lux' Lewis, Woody Herman, Zutty Singleton, and others have close-ups, and a number of them have speaking parts. There are nine musical numbers featured in the movie also.

Chock full of music

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 9 September 2020]

If you ar a jazz aficionado you won't need the services of a plot to enjoy New Orlrans. Either the city or the movie. A city known for fine dining and the creation of jazz. This film is a feast of jazz with some other music served on the side.

The plot such as it is has Arturo DeCordova as the owner of a gambling spot that features that new found music created in the city called jazz. DeCordova gets involved with society debutante Dorothy Patrick. But her mother Irene Rich wants a career for her with more highbrow music. Eventually DeCordova moves his operation to Chicago and the rest is history.

But when you get to hear music from Louis Armstrong, Billie Holidy, Woody Herman and so many more just forget the story and enjoy.

Music excellent, film corny but pleasant.

[hanson-8 · 24 September 2000]

A fellow-jazz-fan in the US recently sent me this on video. I enjoyed it immensely. I can't pretend it's a good film. The story and its treatment are reminiscent of the straight bits in Marx Brothers films (the ones that had straight bits, that is). But instead of Groucho and Harpo, Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday do their stuff, and bring the film to life.

Plus points for jazz fans are that several of the numbers are seen and heard complete, rather than faded out; both Billie and Louis were still near their best; the other musicians, including Kid Ory and Barney Bigard, get to solo, and you hear -- and see - an early version of the Armstrong All-Stars really swinging. There's also a rare sight of the great (and now disappeared) Lucky Thompson behind Louis in one sequence.

A personal note: one of my very first records (78 rpm, early 1950s) was Louis' "Where the Blues Was Born". I guess I had the studio, not the soundtrack version, but both are terrific. It was amazing to SEE that long-treasured performance.

"New Orleans" would not go down well with latter-day jazz musicians because Billie's shown as a maid, and Woody Herman (white) comes into the story for no earthly reason beyond the fact that he was a big name in 1947. But if you can see and hear past all that, the music makes it worthwhile.

OK, it's not a good film. But how many jazz films are? "Jammin' the Blues," "Pete Kelly's Blues," "Sven Klang's Combo," "Round Midnight," and that's it. Only three of those are feature-length, and two are European. For anyone who loves the music, "New Orleans" is well worth viewing.

The granddaddy of 50's rock and roll films

[artroraback · 6/10 · 4 November 2002]

New Orleans is an entertaining but dated little film. Set in 1917 jazz and ragtime music are frowned upon by decent society. When a young classically trained singer falls for Nick Duquesne the self proclaimed "King of Basin Street" her mother and polite society will stop at nothing to close Basin Street and chase Nick out of town. Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday appear and in particular this is a must for Louis Armstrong fans. This film is in the style of 1950's and 60's rock and roll movies. Corny but entertaining.

Bland little film, but music and likable characters recommend it

[WinterMaiden · 6/10 · 23 January 2005]

Anyone who loves blues and Dixieland would want to check out this film for the music alone. Seeing Billie Holliday and Louis Armstrong on the screen together must have made it worth the price of admission for audiences at the time. Reviewers are right that most of the acting is on the bland side, and there's a weird time warp with musicians playing their 30-years-younger selves. (It's like Paul McCartney in 1998 playing himself during his Beatles days.) But the film has a surprising amount of atmosphere, and some enjoyable surprises: There are no villains, for one thing-- All of the characters are surprisingly likable. For another, all of the women are strong-willed decisive characters who know what they want--even the cuddly blonde who plays the female lead. Considering the era, when Rosie the Riveter was relentlessly being herded back to hearth and home and told to be a good little housewife, and when almost the only strong female characters in American films were the evil seductresses of film noir, it's nice to see a nice girl who has a career, makes her own choices, and makes the first move when she's interested in a man. Also, while it may be sad to see Billie Holliday in a maid's uniform, it's good to be able to see her at all, and it's very good that those white characters attracted to Dixieland treat the black characters with respect. I also liked the scene where the heroine sang a Dixieland encore at a classical concert. Some of the audience walked out, and some stayed to enjoy and applaud--a realistic and unshowy way to stage the scene.

But it's the music, of course, that you'll remember from this film. There are some great numbers, and they are given their full (deserved( attention, without silly distractions.

The resistance , and eventual acceptance , by some whites, of early African America jazz and blues

[weezeralfalfa · 7/10 · 1 July 2020]

This film of special historical significance because it is one of the few, or, often, the only Hollywood film, that showcases some of the early African American luminaries of jazz and blues, including noted singer Billie Holiday. As such, some reviewers complain about the major intrusion of whites into the story, and the placement of the major African American players near the end of the list of credits, rather than where they should be: near or at the top. I agree with the latter complaint; however, not the former one...........To me, it's clear that the intent of the film is 4 fold:1) To acknowledge the importance of the New Orleans Storyland, in the development of American jazz and blues. 2)To document the importance of the transfer of the center of jazz and blues development from N.O. to Chicago, with the enforced disbanding of the Storyland district 3)The difficulty in convincing polite white society and the music establishment that African American jazz and blues was an art form worthy of being taken seriously and enjoyed. 4) The symbolic acceptance of jazz and blues by many of the white establishment, and the intrusion of all or mostly white bands as jazz bands. I believe the screen play largely succeeds in these goals by incorporation of whites as well as African Americans as major players in the story.........In the film, the N.O. city council and white establishment is blamed for legislatingA the dismemberment of Storyland, due to the attraction of the jazz emporiums to a certain debutant, as foreshadowing similar attractions of other gentile young whites, to their detriment. The film doesn't make it crystal clear that Storyland was primarily legally established to concentrate prostitution there, to better regulate it. However, historically, actually, it was the federal government that demanded that the district be disbanded, due to the deaths of a number of army trainees who visited the area. Clearly, it was regarded as a high crime area. Presumably, jazz establishments concentrated there because they too were only marginally accepted by the power elite, and because patrons of the brothels were also probably more likely patrons of the jazz emporiums..........Dorothy Patrick plays one of the major characters: Miralee Smith, a singer of classical music, who arrives by steamboat from Baltimore, to visit her mother and sing some classical music in an auditorium. However, she clearly is attracted to Nick(Anturo de Cordova): the owner of the best jazz and blues emporium in the city. He hosts Louis Armstrong's band, and singer Billie Holiday. Also, he is white. Billie, who serves as the maid at the Smith's home, offers to chaperone Miralee to Nick's establishment, where she becomes more familiar with Nick, which eventually leads to them discussing possible marriage. However, Nick declines to take Miralee with him when he moves his business to Chicago. The disappointed Miralee then moves to Europe, where she performs classical music. But, before she leaves, she gives a concert, in which she tacks on a song she learned at Nick's: "Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans", which serves as the de facto theme song of the film. The patrons are horrified, and boo her off the stage. The only trouble, to my mind, is that this song was not played as jazz or blues, but rather as a perfectly normal ballad!..........Well, eventually, Armstrong takes his band on a tour of Europe, and eventually meets up with Miralee. He tells her that Nick is doing well in Chicago, and that he pines for her. She decides to go to Chicago and meet Nick(surprise!). There, she gives a classical music concert, and again sneaks the film theme song in at the end. This time, she is relieved that the audience generally expresses their acceptance, rather than booing. Symbolically, this denotes the growing acceptance of jazz and blues by whites. However, as I previously noted, this song again wasn't played in a jazzy or bluesy manner, thus I fail to see the intended symbolic significance! It's certainly not classic dixieland or swing jazz..........Woody Herman and his white band play a couple of jazz numbers ,thus symbolically demonstrating that some white bands were doing at least some jazzy or bluesy numbers, helping to further acceptance of these music forms among whites. All in all, it's not a bad film, and, at least, we get to see and hear some of the big names in the early jazz scene.

Fascinating Movie

[dikelmm-655-877942 · 10/10 · 7 April 2016]

Without Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday and their musical supporting cast, this would be a forgettable melodrama. To me the most interesting aspect of this movie is the contrast of cultures - the stuffy white world symbolized by classical/operatic music (some very excellent), the blues/jazz world of the downtrodden but resilient black population and the white "early adopters" of their music. The music is tremendous. Although this movie would never win an Academy Award except for music, the cast is overall excellent given their material. Anyone who loves Armstrong or Holiday should own this. I saw this on Turner classic movies and I'm going to buy it.

The Social and Cultural Equity of the movie New Orleans.

[razatimes · 7/10 · 19 September 2018]

Five of my seven stars are for "all that Jazz"....the sixth star is for the underlying story of how music crosspolinates ...the 7th star goes to Arturo de Cordoba, One of the most active Mexican actors during their Epoca de Oro cinematic age (1945-1956). His participatiin in this film accentuates the commitment by the film makers to create this most wonderful window into the worst and best of our National culture...during an era of great prejudice and Nativist activity.

****

[edwagreen · 10/10 · 16 April 2016]

This film is a perfect example of how music may carry out the plot. That scene where the black actors leave Basin St. via the blues was memorable.

This is a film basically about the accommodation of the blues and classical music.

The cast is wonderful. Billie Holliday sings her heart out and Louis Armstrong is fine as usual on the trumpet. Satchmo was even given one scene to act and he does real fine. Also, there is some fine acting by Marjorie Lord, as a rich alcoholic who is hopefully in love with the main character Duquesne, played by Arturo de Cordova. Coming from different worlds from Dorothy Patrick, her mother, Irene Rich, destroys Basin St. and forces the exodus.

Both make it big in Chicago and Europe, respectively and their joining together and the acceptance of jazz among high society highlights the film. Wasn't that Shelley Winters sitting in the seat at film's end?

I base this summary on a film I saw in 1947. I haven't seen it since, but I well remember it.

[tom-362 · 6/10 · 4 July 1999]

I was just a kid when I saw this at a midnight movie in Columbia, Missouri. Being a jazz fan I couldn't wait to see my jazz heroes. I'd like to say it was a good movie, but it was a bomb. . The story was corny. What little music there was I found to be excellent. Not only Satchmo, but there was Billie Holiday who played a maid (them's were the times). I have never seen this film on TV. Hollywood could have done a better job on this one. Still - it's worth the few moments of good New Orleans jazz.

UNDERRATED ANOMOLIE...FORESHADOWING THE ROCK N' ROLL CULTURE-CLASH 1950'S MOVIES

[LeonLouisRicci · 9/10 · 19 August 2021]

This was a Rare Event in Hollywood in 1947.

An Honest Presentation of "Race" Music, in this case "Jazz" Taking the Country by Storm and Causing a Caustic Culture-Clash Post WWI.

The White Musical "Establishment" Fought Hard to Keep this "Low-Brow" and Unwanted Form of Mostly Black Music from "Tainting" and Corrupting the Upstanding Youth and "Respectable" White People.

The Same Thing Happened in the Mid 1950's when the Blues and Country had a Baby and They Called it Rock n' Roll.

This Film Features the Only Film Appearance of Billie Holiday, Louis "Satchmo" Armstrong, Woody Herman, and a Number of Real-Life Black Musicians.

There's Plenty of Music.

Opera is Interspersed for Contrast with Dorthy Patrick Playing a Singer Seduced by the "Flip-Side".

The Story Surrounding the Music is Typical. Confrontations Between Powerful Mainstream Organizations and Street-Level Jive-Joints.

Some of it Involves the "Environment" where Crime and Decadence Flourishes and the Movie has a Scene that is "Norish" in its Stark Presentation of the "Streets"

The Film was Thought Lost, but has been Discovered and what a Treat it is.

Deserves More Respect for its Place in Hollywood History for Taking a Chance with a Straight-Forward Display of the Music and Culture.

A Hidden Gem.

Priceless Musical Treasure

[DKosty123 · 7/10 · 16 July 2020]

Having recently visited New Orleans, the title of this one interested me and some parts of it appear to have been filmed there including the famous Cafe Du Monde French Market which is in a brief sequence and looks like it has not changed since the 1940's. It's nice that they at least put some of this great city into a film about jazz. The cast is a whose who of music for the time period. Music is first and foremost here and I only wish there were even more in the movie.

Arthur Lubin (who later directed Mr. Ed tvees talking horse) does a fine job behind the camera and with the pacing of this film. At about an hour and a half when I found it on You Tube, the film is really quite enjoyable. The story is just enough to not get in the way of the music which is the star. Still for an obvious B feature, this movie has a pretty solid cast.

If I had been born earlier, I would have liked to have had a private concert from Billie Holiday and then much more. Satchmo (Louis Armstrong) is star caliber here with music that is just great. Louis is one of the few musicians whose music has been used in more movie sound tracks since he died (1971) than when he was with us. I have always been a big fan of his since I was a kid, and this is a rare look at him at the top of his game. When he sings in this one, his voice is not a graveled as it was later, but I could listen to him sing all kinds of songs. I recently found a live recording by Armstrong of "Bare Necessities" that he introduces as done for Walt Disney (Animated Robin Hood as I recall but Phil Harris in the movie) and I like his version even better than the movie one. (Disney put together Harris and Roger Miller on one of the better animated film soundtracks in Robin Hood).

There is enough script here to give this one more than just the music. There is the usual love angle, and the explanation of what the name "Satchmo" actually means which is in the movie. There's the clash of races and differences in music, but there is some diversity as well here. Basin Street swings with Jazz and so does Chicago and most of the world by the time the film is over. That's the way it should be. Jazz is really the first music to integrate the races and it is truly an American music. There is some classical here too though it's the jazz that is the showstoppers.

Woody Herman and his orchestra get a few minutes, but it's Satchmo and Billie Holiday who are the headliners. I love the music and these performers. Marjorie Lord (Make Room For Daddy) heads up a decent supporting cast. What is great is the idea of music bringing diverse people together. Once considered a lost film, I hope it's never lost again.

Old time Jazz greats on film

[leforte · 5/10 · 15 January 2006]

Wonderful entertainment. If you love Louis Armstrong and Billie Holiday you will enjoy this film. Satchmo on the horn with Billie Holiday singing with it. Two greats that we will never see again. This movie may be a bit outdated but that is part of it's charm. I just love even hearing Sathmo's voice when he is just talking let alone his magic horn. I recommend this movie for all old time jazz fans who want to see some of the greats on film even if they appear for only for a few minutes. Movies like this really make me think of our mortality. Everyone is gone but their spirit still lives on. That is my own personal feeling. After watching this movie I just want to listen to all the old jazz tunes played by the old timers. I would really not call this a great movie. It's just lots of fun.

"Do You Know What It Means, To Miss New Orleans?" (song)

[TxMike · 23 January 2005]

In most ways this 1947 movie, "New Orleans", is a tribute to old New Orleans and Louis Armstrong for popularizing Dixieland Jazz. However, Nick Larocca and "The original Dixieland Jazz Band" actually preceded Armstrong's band, but the great popularity of Dixieland music can arguably be credited to Armstrong and the musicians around him. Armstrong (46) is featured prominently here, as both an actor and as a musician. The musical part of the story highlights the conflict between the old music and this new form, Jazz, that some many felt threatened by.

The movie is set in 1917, right about the time that the 20-year experiment of Storyville, with its casinos and houses of prostitution, came to an end as directed by the government. In this movie they even have a funeral-type Jazz parade as the Storyville residents move out. Just after that, 1919 through 1922, is when the young Louis Armstrong began making his own mark in New Orleans and later in Chicago.

All this history is the setting for a love story. Dorothy Patrick (25) plays Miralee Smith, a soprano who moves with her mother to New Orleans from Maryland. She meets and falls for Nick Duquesne (Arturo de Córdova, 38) who was known as the "King of Basin Street." Mother does not approve, has "other plans" for her daughter. Nick leaves New Orleans, goes to Chicago, and eventually makes a name for himself running a coast to coast entertainment enterprise. Meanwhile Miralee is successfully touring the USA and Europe as a singer. And the Armstrong band is touring all over the world also.

The movie has a happy ending, as Miralee and Nick find each other again, and musicians like Louis Armstrong and Woody Herman are winning over the crowds with this music.

Do you know what it means to miss New Orleans?

[mark.waltz · 6/10 · 13 October 2010]

The Storyville section of New Orleans is notorious in history, and here is a valiant attempt to document its tale. It appears that young wealthy members of New Orleans society are determined to enjoy the influence of ragtime and that oncoming scandalous music called jazz. The elders of society are opposed and it ends up with Storyville being closed down. But that doesn't stop the rage of ragtime and the joy of jazz from spreading nationwide, and after taking Chicago by storm, it does just that.

Arturo de Cordova is the proprietor of a New Orleans establishment and that distracts socialites Marjorie Lord and Dorothy Patrick. Looking very much like Ava Gardner in "Show Boat", Patrick plays a socialite whose obsession with de Cordova turns her to a daily fixture at these establishments, makes her a lush, and ultimately destroys her life. Lord's mother (Irene Rich) doesn't want her daughter to waste her time on de Cordova, and tries to bribe him into leaving Lord alone. Lord makes it big in symphonies around the world, while de Cordova continues to spread the joy of the music until he makes it to New York where Lord happens to be appearing. Among those performing the music are Louis Armstrong and Billie Holliday who lead a rousing number, "Goodbye Storyville" and appear in the lavish finale.

While there are obviously some missing or false details, "New Orleans" is a fascinating look back at a den of iniquity usually confined on the screen to the waterfronts of New York, San Francisco and Chicago. This isn't a great film by any means, but simply a pleasant look at a piece of history worth dramatizing in further detail.

Watch it for the singing...not the story.

[planktonrules · 7/10 · 22 September 2018]

The story is about a guy named Nick Duquesne (Arturo de Córdova)....a white guy who loves New Orleans-style blues and operates a club in the poor part of the city, Storyville (the redlight district). Things are going just fine for Nick until a rich debutante falls in love with the music and the man...and her rich and conniving mother insists on putting a stop to all this 'nonsense' (i.e., hanging with black people as well as Duquesne...but mostly the black people). What's to become of Nick and his business?

While the story of white people slumming it in New Orleans is mildly entertaining (and somewhat reminscent of "Hairspray"), the reason to see the movie is NOT the story but for Louis Armstrong (playing himself) and Billie Holiday (playing a maid). Both perform and are marvelous...and the film is a great historical document...and some of the lesser-known musicians are fabulous as well.

Forgettable Story but a Treat for Jazz Lovers

[LeonardKniffel · 7/10 · 11 April 2020]

The simple plot involves a gambling hall owner from New Orleans who relocates to Chicago and entertains his customers with hot jazz. The not-so-simple cast features music legends Louis Armstrong, Woody Herman, and the incomparable Billie Holiday in a rare film role, and they make an otherwise rather forgettable story a real treat for jazz aficionados.

Billie Holiday is adorable as the maid and jazz singer

[kateann1027 · 8/10 · 9 September 2020]

Billie Holiday loves young Louis Armstrong in this great musical moment in time with Billie singing while Louis plays and the affluent family's daughter Who sings opera breaks the rules by attending with Billie to hear and listen at the basement jazz club next to the gambling establishment . Billie is a treasure ! Perfect vintage early jazz Free On youtube

terrible acting; great music

[imp-6 · 6/10 · 23 January 2005]

I just saw this in January, 2005 so this is a different view. It's difficult to know how professional movie people wouldn't know this is a terribly acted movie. DeCordova reprises his previously cardboard acting although he has something, but it doesn't come out. But the music of Armstrong, Holliday, and Herman etc. is magnificent. It surely is worth the time just to revel in the 1947 jazz. Bad acting doesn't destroy the movie. Wonder what happened to all those actors. It must have been the directing for all to be so bland. I think the attempt is to make this an epic picture showing the intrusion of jazz into classical music. The voice sync with the singer is also poor enough to be disturbing to the viewer. Dorothy Patrick is lovely but apparently not a singer. It's fun to see many old character actors that I knew by looks but couldn't remember their names. I'm sorry DeCordova didn't work out because I liked him in "Frenchman's Creek."

A Definite Feel Good Movie

[ramblingvagabond · 8/10 · 27 March 2021]

Very uplifting. No need to worry about bad stuff happening, it's just an escape into the early days of blues and jazz. Great songs by Satchmo and Billie Holiday and a bunch more.

Historical Musical by Arthur Lubin

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 6 November 2022]

In 1917, Nick Duquesne (Arturo De Cordova) is the King of Basin Street, owning a casino and night-club. One night, he meets the wealthy Mrs. Rutledge Smith (Irene Rich) and her daughter Miralee Smith (Dorothy Patrick), who is a wannabe opera singer to satisfy her mother but loves the blues and jazz from the black people. She flees from her mother to see Louis Armstrong and His Band playing and her maid and Louis' girlfriend Endie (Billie Holiday) singing in the club with Nick and her music teacher Henry Ferber (Richard Hageman) in Storyville. Soon, Nick and she fall in love with each other. But when sailors hit Nick's former mistress Grace Voiselle (Marjorie Lord) on the street, the city government decide to shutdown Storyville and Nick needs to move to Chicago. Worried with Miralee's promising career as opera singer, Nick takes a bracelet from Mrs. Smith as a price to leave Miralee, but he asks Ferber to return to her. Nick moves to Chicago, where he is forced to work with a legitimate business of jazz and blues, since gambling machines are illegal, while Miralee travels to Europe with Professor Ferber to begin her singing career. Years later, they are forced to stumble with each other. What will happen with them?

"New Orleans" (1947) is a historical musical by Arthur Lubin with Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday and Woody Hermann and their orchestras. The plot is a study for sociologists how the racist American society behaves in the beginning of the Twentieth Century, and the importance to be wealthy to be someone or achieve something in the society. For fans of Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday and Woody Hermann, the movie is a delight to the ears and eyes. The wonderful New Orleans is shown only in the marginal neighborhood, but this city is much more than that. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "New Orleans"

Fabulous music--mirrors social history

[tennen-asso · 9/10 · 15 January 2006]

Louis Armstrong and his band (African American), along with Billie Holiday (African American and she plays a maid who just happens to also be a singer!) originate "jass" (later in the plot renamed jazz) in this film. The (white) club owner sponsors them--until he becomes a music manager and lo and behold--his big jazz act becomes Woody Herman and his band (all white). By the end, Billie Holiday, Satchmo, and the rest are replaced as crusaders for this new music by the blonde heroine of the movie (white), a full symphony orchestra (all white), and the Woody Herman band as symbols of the acceptance of jazz into proper American music circles. The movie ends with the latter crew triumphantly and oh-so-blandly performing a song they learned from Satch and the gang, although we never do find out what happened to them! That said, the movie is an important jazz history artifact--Satchmo and Lady Day and their fellow musicians are incredible.

Only The Music Is Worthwhile In This Overbaked "Drama"

[atlasmb · 5/10 · 6 April 2016]

Some inconsequential dialogue and an overly dramatic story sandwiched between some entertaining jazz performances. Actually, the story is manufactured only to bring jazz to the big screen.

And the music is the real reason to watch this film. It includes some really nice arrangements and solos, especially by Louis Armstrong. Billie Holliday also appears.

There are also some interesting cameos, e.g. Shelly Winters. But the music is the real star. It feels quaint now to consider that this film practically apologizes for bringing jazz to society's elites. It uses classical music as a bridge to suggest that jazz might be worth appreciating.

Now You Has Jazz

[writers_reign · 21 November 2011]

Anyone unborn at the time High Society was released has had much more chance of catching it in regular airings on TV and Revival houses than they have of checking out New Orleans, released nine years earlier (1947) after which it more or less dropped off the radar. Late-blooming fans of High Society could therefore be forgiven for thinking that when Bing Crosby name-checked the jazz sextet - rhythm section, Barrett deems, Billy kyle, Arvell shaw; front line, Trummy Young, Ed Hall, Louis Armstrong - in the number Now You Has Jazz, he was being innovative. Not so, Satchmo himself name-checked his own combo here, nine years earlier, though he lacked Cole Porter's ability to interlard it with such lines as 'well, you take some skins, jazz begins ... take a bass, man, now we're getting' some place ...' etc. If you dismiss out of hand the peurile 'plot' you're left with some pretty good examples of 'early' jazz performed by Armstrong himself, Zutty Singleton, Barney Bigard and - moving up a decade - Meade Lux Lewis and Woody Herman and although she'd already appeared in 13 previous films Shelley Winters rated only an uncredited scene as a member of the audience. Music: Yes, Other: No