Fortunately, the history of jazz was little troubled by this farcical musical travesty. The one black person... (did you know that it was people of color who created Jazz, innovated and sustained it decade after decade only to be constantly supplanted by less talented and creative whites who popularized their music and made millions off it?)... who appears is a cute little girl sitting on the lap of Paul White-Man, the purported king of jazz in a brief segment. The only jazzy number in the film is 'Happy Shoes' with the entire remainder of the film devoted to middle of the road popular schmaltz music and pseudo-classical Gershwin. That said, the film, however distasteful, dated and unfunny, is in some ways an important historical predecessor of the Hollywood musicals to come.I had read that the production numbers were something to see, but by the end I no longer cared. Not so hot. Comedy, very poor. Female vocals, very poor. White-man and his vaudevillians, crap. Bing Crosby, as usual, quite good.

They called Paul Whiteman the "King of Jazz" - only real enthusiasts knew he wasn't. He was big in every way and by 1922 was making a million a year and it was only natural that when movies found their voice Hollywood would beckon. That was Universal in 1929, Carl Laemmle was seeking a headliner band for a big budget musical. The "Whiteman Special" train bringing the band (including Bix Biederbecke who unfortunately didn't make it on film) from New York to Hollywood was highly publicized with public appearances at every stop but the story writers couldn't come up with a story so the band, who had sat around idle for months, temporarily went back to New York.Whiteman then suggested hiring John Murray Anderson, whose spectacular New York revues had made him Ziegfeld's closest rival and his futuristic and inventive influence made him the real star of the movie. There are so many tantalizing stories - Bing Crosby was all set to be the lead singer with the songs "It Happened in Monterey" and "Song of the Dawn" (a dazzler sang with a cowboy chorus) handed to him but he was involved in a drink driving incident in which he was sentenced to 60 days which was converted to a 40 day furlough but still saw the songs handed to John Boles who vocally was much better suited with his fruity tones. Years later in a documentary Crosby felt Boles carried the songs far better than he could have. Another story involved Jeannie Lang whose Helen Kane rendition of "Ragamuffin Romeo" and "I Like to Do Things For You" had preview critics raving but she had already been cut out of the soon to be released movie so editors had to quickly splice her back.The film begins with Bing Crosby singing "Music Has Charms" over the credits (one song that Crosby retained) and after an animated cartoon (the first in colour) showing how Whiteman became "King of Jazz" he steps out to introduce "his boys" - there's Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang playing a marvellous duet and a startling shadow looming down on banjoist Mike Pingitore as he strums "Linger Awhile". Then it's "the girls" turn and the marvellous Rockettes dressed in spangley peach and silver go into a precision formation dance and show why they became legends.Colour lends such a beauty to the "Bridal Veil" number with gorgeous displays of bridal gowns through the ages. Jeanette Loff (with the longest bridal train ever) looks as pretty as peaches and cream and sings very prettily too. Next are the fabulous Rhythm Boys who come out of the shadows of "Mississippi Mud" to sing a "super, super, special kind of production" (Harry Barris's words) of "When the Blue Birds and the Black Birds Get Together". Bing's sense of humour and comic timing is so spot on even though he was still only one of the Rhythm Boys. "A Bench in the Park" features Stanley Smith and Loff as a pair of lovers, joined in harmony by the Brox Sisters accompanied by the Rhythm Boys then "the girls" get together for a dance that was obviously the inspiration for "Pettin' in the Park". "Rhapsody in Blue" is just awesome, initially showing Jacques Cartier in a futuristic setting beating out rhythms on a huge drum. This sequence was supposed to have cost $500,000 with a huge centrepiece of a gigantic blue grand piano, the Paul Whiteman Orchestra inside, dancing girls on top of the keys, a kaleidoscopic effect of dazzling blue feathers and flowers. WOW!!Where do you start with "Happy Feet" - from a pair of dancing shoes, the Rhythm Boys giving it their unique interpretation (with plenty of piano banging) the Sisters G are shown singing with their heads reflected against a shiny silver surface below - very psychedelic, they then give an all too brief but spirited dance, then the Rockettes dance out of a New York skyline to do another precision tap, then Al "Rubberlegs" Norman takes centre stage to do another of his dazzling eccentric rubberlegs routine!! and lastly Paul Whiteman (or his double) has a go at a vigorous Charleston. "Ragamuffin Romeo" is another "eccentric" dance with Marion Stattler whose gymnastics have her being thrown around like a rag doll."The Melting Pot of Music" is almost too much with a succession of sounds and images, dances and countries (strangely no mention of the African American) which then blended into the finale. Interspersed throughout the film were comedy hot spots but unlike other reviews of the time, they were short, snappy and not labored and with the clear print you were able to recognise the stars (Laura La Plante etc). Another reviewer mentioned a preference to "Hollywood Revue of 1929" but I'm sorry for me there is no comparison. This was a true spectacle enhanced greatly by colour and showcasing legends of the music world, to say nothing of Paul Whiteman's ease in front of the camera, the other just relied on movie stars out of their comfort zones being able to bring in a curious public.Highly Recommended.

What true film buff would not love "King of Jazz"? This film was really quite advanced for an early talkie. The photographic effects are marvelous, from Paul Whiteman's band coming out of a small suitcase to the shadow effect in the "Voodoo Drum Dance" to the Melting Pot montage, there was some real imagination at work here. It is so pleasant to see one of the few remaining two-color Technicolor features. It is fun to see Bing Crosby in his first feature film appearance. The "Rhapsody in Blue" sequence is also impressive. It is a shame that Universal has not seen fit to give this film a proper release on DVD, but I managed to locate a very good quality DVD at a decent price. A beautiful film revue from the early days of sound film with Oscar-winning sets and wonderful music. The tagline for this film reads: "Once in a lifetime...a show like this!"

When I first saw this film, I was amazed at some parts and extremely disappointed at others. To be sure, the comedy acts are absolutely abysmal. (Audiences in 1930 didn't find them any funnier than audiences today, so don't feel too bad about hating them.) Also, a lot of the vocalists are grating and painful to listen to. Of course, the parts where the film really shines are the parts that feature the magnificent Paul Whiteman orchestra. This band has been unfairly maligned because although Paul Whiteman was titled "The King of Jazz", his orchestra was not a jazz band per se. But man, were they ever good musicians! Just get a load of the "Meet the Boys" segment towards the beginning...Harry Goldfield doing his best Henry Busse impersonation, Joe Venuti and Eddie Lang playing "Wildcat" in one of their few film appearances, the entire violin section playing a lovely rendition of Caprice Viennois, Chester Hazlett and Roy Bargy doing a pretty rendition of Nola, followed by Wilbur Hall's trombone virtuosity display on the same number. (And let's not forget little Mike Pingitore on "Linger Awhile"!)Oh yes, and did I mention it has Bing Crosby's first appearance in a feature film? He's with the Rhythm Boys, and man, those guys are HOT! Just get a load of them on "Happy Feet". And check out eccentric dancer Al Norman if you want to see something really crazy.Last but not least, I would like to mention Wilbur Hall's wonderful trick violin act, and, might I add, the most unique rendition of a Sousa march you'll ever hear in your lifetime. (You haven't heard "The Stars and Stripes Forever" until you've heard it on a bicycle pump!)Go get yourself a copy and have fun!