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.

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.

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."

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.