White Jazz

King of Jazz (1930) is about Paul Whiteman, a man about as white as you can get. His music is also pretty white. It's not what we would call jazz - unless we are Guy Lombardo. But it was extremely popular, maybe number one in the US until Benny Goodman. This movie documents the peak of his power.

I won't talk about the plot - there isn't one. There is a cartoon, some numbers with his orchestra, some blackout skits, some small groups, Whiteman's rendition of Rhapsody in Blue, and so on. The musical numbers range from the sappy to - well, to Rhapsody, about as jazzy as it gets. There were also huge sets, camera tricks like double exposures, and the genial, avuncular and rotund band leader himself. 

One of the acts was the Rhythm Boys, with Bing Crosby, although only as one of the trio. That's about it for recognizable names, although Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang were in the band. I just didn't notice them (I think Lang got a solo - obviously didn't make a big impression.

The final number was about the American melting pot, and how it created jazz. He shows all the nationalities that came to America and influenced jazz: the English, Irish, Swedish, Scots, Danes,... Let's see, who are we leaving out? Hint: There is exactly one black person in the movie, a little black girl sitting on Whiteman's lap as a joke. 

But with all the racism, unjazzy jazz, and schmaltz, this was a fun watch. Whiteman is a charming presence, and his music isn't bad if you think of it as, say, operetta. And some of the production is boggling. One set has a giant piano that the whole orchestra fits on. Shades of 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T.