By 1927, jazzy cornet player Jack Webb (as Pete Kelly) and his seven-piece combo are the house band at a speakeasy in Kansas City, Missouri. All seems well until gangster Edmond O'Brien (as Fran McCarg) demands Mr. Webb hand over 25 percent of the band's earnings in return for his marginal managerial skills. Webb is also required to make Mr. McCarg's attractive girlfriend Peggy Lee (as Rose Hopkins) his instrumental group's lead singer. Webb must pay up or see his band members roughed up and/or gunned down. After some debate, the band is persuaded to play it safe. Then, Webb changes his tune and decides to fight..."Dragnet" radio and TV star Webb directs his cast and crew very well. He does not waste an inch of the "CinemaScope" screen. When space is used, it's for dramatic effect. What this story needed was better exposition and some more time given Mr. O'Brien's character. Strangely, Webb gets fine performances from all except his leading man. He varies his stiff stance by repositioning his hands, but Webb seems to have his mind on directing and his character never really forms. Trying to romance Webb in her scenes, beautiful Janet Leigh (as Ivy Conrad) is fighting a lost cause. There are no sparks flying between the two...Given the juiciest part, as an alcoholic singer, Ms. Lee is excellent; she won Film Daily's annual "Supporting Actress" award. Andy Devine, Lee Marvin and Martin Milner are impressive, in featured roles. Webb used Mr. Milner when he produced "Adam-12" as a younger, hipper "Dragnet" for the 1960s (and 1970s). It's amusing to watch Webb punch any male member of the cast who gets in his way. He repeatedly knocks out Mr. Marvin, a much bigger man, with surprising ease. And, you can't go wrong when Ella Fitzgerald appears as a lounge singer. The music, cast and wide screen visuals made this one worth watching.******* Pete Kelly's Blues (7/27/55) Jack Webb ~ Jack Webb ~ Jack Webb, Janet Leigh, Peggy Lee, Edmond O'Brien

If for no other reason,PETE KELLY'S BLUES must be seen for it terrific score. Not just the songs, but the incidental music as well. Should have gotten awards galore for that alone. Story of small time jazz band is good with wonderful supporting roles be everyone, including a wonderful Peggy Lee. Who knew she was such a good actress, at least in roles like this. A shame she didn't do more films to see if she could really act in different types of roles. This one as Rose, a drunken, haggered unhappy woman fit her to a tee. Andy Devine was also great, but such a small role. He should have been given more to do. Lee Marvin also well cast as the "good guy" for a change. Janet Leigh does what she could do as "decoration" and does it well. But what does she see in a downbeat like the Jack Webb character? Actually, he's the worst thing about the film. Another actor would have made this movie a sensation, but he ruined it. A one-note actor who was just playing Joe Friday from his DRAGNET days. A pity. Now as a director, he was fine, but as an actor...PLEASE. Also good is Ella Fitzgerald in a next to nothing role, but she excels in her two jazz numbers, one being the main theme. Wonderful Cinemascope shots with expert cinematography. The ending scene in the vacant ballroom is a classic. Aside from Jack Webb, see this movie now that it's out on DVD. Do NOT, I repeat, do NOT see a pan and scan on TV or other small screen. This one deserves the big home theatre screen.

This was Jack Webb's labor of love and his big shot at big screen stardom. Humphrey Bogart was aging, (and soon to die), and perhaps Webb saw himself as an heir to his thrown. He certainly was a lover of everything about the 1920's into which he was born and of the jazz of the time in particular. He was a competent actor, (quite good in 1950's "The Men", opposite Marlon Brando) but ultimately lacked the presence and ability necessary for stardom. he we see him completely outacted by two who did, Edmund O'Brien and Lee Marvin, (who would have been a fabulous choice to play Pete Kelly). Webb seems trapped in his Joe Friday characterization. Particularly poor his the scene where he first confronts O'Brien, as gangster McClarg, in anger. Kelly, (Webb), knocks out McClarg's henchmen. McClarg then breaks a bottle on the bar and offers Kelly a chance to beat him to it. Kelly then shrinks into intimidation and sulks out. The scene is preposterous to begin with: why would Kelly be intimidated by McClarg when he's just kayoed hi body guard? But Webb clearly has no idea how to play it. He just stars blankly at O'Brien, then turns around and, hunched over and with his arms dangling lifelessly at his side, he marches out stage left while the music swells up to convey Kelly's humiliation to us much more effectively than Webb does. Where Webb really excelled was as a director. He opens this with a shot of a New Orleans jazz funeral. Period detail is exquisite throughout. The dialog is snappy and authentic. The music, of course is great if jazz is to your taste. Any film with both Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald singing in it is work a listen. This one is worth a look, as well. There are great camera shots, particularly when one of Kelly's associates gets gunned down in an alley. The final confrontation is exciting and well-staged. As noted below, it was clearly influential to modern directors. The cast of the film is uniformly excellent except for Webb himself. Peggy Lee is great and one wonders why a significant acting career didn't follow. O'Brien, in a rare villain role, is forceful without the overacting he's often guilty of. Marvin dominates every scene he's in and Martin Milner, a much underrated actor, is excellent in an early role as well. Andy Devine is a revelation as a tough cop. You've got to see it to believe it. Janet Leigh appears as Kelly's girlfriend. She's essentially window dressing but very attractive window dressing. But it's hard to tell what attracted her to Kelly. Webb is so stiff an uncomfortable in their romantic scenes that their relationship is hardly credible. This film would probably be regarded as a classic today if Webb had not insisted on playing the lead, but who can blame him? It was his big chance on the big screen. He created an exquisite donut to star in. But this donut had a hole in it and he was that hole.

Very little to say that this movie doesn't say oh so very well. Jack Webb is definitely the Man. Disregard what others say about him being too stiff--how the hell else is someone supposed to get by in this cutthroat business of gangsters and con-men? Webb's stoicism is very much in the tradition of Joe Friday, no doubt about it. But as Pete Kelly, we get to see the tender side that had already been killed off by the daily drudgery of police work in Dragnet. Dig: the sincerity on his face while watching Ella perform. Dig: the do-or-die determination that gets him out of (and into) so many dangerous situations. Webb's performance gives us a hero worth rooting for: sincere, tough, unsentimental, and totally honest: no fakery here, no razzle-dazzle. He just does what he has to do. Enough words. Go see the movie!