A rare chance to see a young Louis Armstrong -- in a leopard skin, no less -- sing and play "I'll Be Glad When You're Dead" and other songs during his Hot Five period. The 'story', such as it is is a trifle, but does not detract from the performance.
8 Reviews
A Rhapsody in Black and Blue showcases the great music of Louis Armstrong
tavm8 February 2008
Warning: Spoilers
A man is sitting down listening to Louis Armstrong on his Victrola when his wife keeps telling him to clean the floors. After she leaves, as he's listening to the record, he imagines he's the jazz king in heaven with bubbles flowing while Satchmo dons a leopard skin and performs "I'll Be Glad When You're Dead You Rascal You" and "Shine". After the performances, he wakes up and says the title of the first song just before the wife breaks the record on his head. Doesn't bother him, however...While once again the stereotypes are unflattering, the music provided by the jazz great from New Orleans becomes positively and incredibly rambunctious. What a find I've discovered on the Kino Video DVD "Hollywood Rhythm, Vol. 1: The Best of Jazz and Blues".
Perhaps a bit embarrassing to some of the politically correct types, but this is still one happenin' short!
planktonrules14 July 2012
I have a super-liberal and HIGHLY enlightened friend that I'd like to show "A Rhapsody in Black and White" to--just so I can watch her head explode! That's because Armstrong and the actors in this short are far from enlightened! The humor is the sort that Black America loved--a bit low and self-deprecating. And, most importantly, it's ALSO the sort of humor that didn't upset White Americans, as it showed Blacks in a very stereotypical comic fashion--with a lazy Black man (a bit like a Steppin Fetchit) and Armstrong and his orchestra in leopard skins! Now I am NOT justifying this sort of stuff, but as a retired history teacher I am worried that these old racist images so bother people that they want to throw away this past--and just pretend it never occurred. If this were to happen, you'd be losing the good as well--and although Louis is NOT as polished as he'd later become (in particular his singing), it IS Louis Armstrong singing such great songs as "(I'll Be Glad When You're Dead) You Rascal You"--one of the best songs of its type from this era. My advice is to see this one and enjoy it--and just understand that we have come a long way.
Great Music
Michael_Elliott1 May 2011
Rhapsody In Black And Blue, A (1932)
*** (out of 4)
A husband (Sidney Easton) gets in trouble because he's suppose to be mopping but instead he's listening to his jazz music. His wife eventually grows tired of it so she hits him over the head with a mop, which sends him off into a dream world where he meets Louis Armstrong who then performs (I'll Be Glad When You're Dead" You Rascal You and Shine. This early Paramount short will probably be attacked by many because the husband and wife team are certainly stereotypes of the entire "Mammy" profile but if you decide to only look at this then you're missing something special because the bit is actually pretty funny and it should go without saying that the music is excellent. Armstong is absolutely riveting here as he performs the two numbers with so much energy, passion and fire that you can't help but shake your leg as you watch. The performance is so good that it really makes one wonder why this short isn't better known even after being released by Kino. I also found the first few minutes of the film to be quite good as well because I found the comedy to be quite funny. I thought both actors did a very good job with their comic timing and while some might object to the type of humor there's no denying that both did a good job and delivered what they were suppose to.
*** (out of 4)
A husband (Sidney Easton) gets in trouble because he's suppose to be mopping but instead he's listening to his jazz music. His wife eventually grows tired of it so she hits him over the head with a mop, which sends him off into a dream world where he meets Louis Armstrong who then performs (I'll Be Glad When You're Dead" You Rascal You and Shine. This early Paramount short will probably be attacked by many because the husband and wife team are certainly stereotypes of the entire "Mammy" profile but if you decide to only look at this then you're missing something special because the bit is actually pretty funny and it should go without saying that the music is excellent. Armstong is absolutely riveting here as he performs the two numbers with so much energy, passion and fire that you can't help but shake your leg as you watch. The performance is so good that it really makes one wonder why this short isn't better known even after being released by Kino. I also found the first few minutes of the film to be quite good as well because I found the comedy to be quite funny. I thought both actors did a very good job with their comic timing and while some might object to the type of humor there's no denying that both did a good job and delivered what they were suppose to.
The King Of Jazz(mania)
bkoganbing21 June 2009
This inventive musical short obviously based on a play on words regarding Paul Whiteman's self proclaimed title and title of the all star revue he did two years earlier, spotlights the talent and unique charisma of Louis Armstrong.
Armstrong and his wife played by Fanny Belle DeKnight are just Mr.&Mrs. average black Americans with him just loving to listen to the hot jazz platters that one Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong is putting out. When he falls asleep listening to a record, Armstrong dreams he's himself and has been chosen the King of Jazzmania.
A lot of jazz purists to this day would more properly regard Louis Armstrong than Paul Whiteman as the correct person to have the title King of Jazz. Whiteman certainly did more than any other person to popularize jazz as an art form among white audiences, but Armstrong was certainly around in New Orleans where it was invented and refined. In this film we get to see Satchmo doing Shine and I'll Be Glad When You're Dead, You Rascal You.
Of course the short is marked by the unforgettable personality and joy of living that characterized Louis Armstrong. That's one style that cannot and will never be duplicated. If you're not a fan before watching A Rhapsody In Black And Blue before, you will be after you see this Paramount short subject.
Armstrong and his wife played by Fanny Belle DeKnight are just Mr.&Mrs. average black Americans with him just loving to listen to the hot jazz platters that one Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong is putting out. When he falls asleep listening to a record, Armstrong dreams he's himself and has been chosen the King of Jazzmania.
A lot of jazz purists to this day would more properly regard Louis Armstrong than Paul Whiteman as the correct person to have the title King of Jazz. Whiteman certainly did more than any other person to popularize jazz as an art form among white audiences, but Armstrong was certainly around in New Orleans where it was invented and refined. In this film we get to see Satchmo doing Shine and I'll Be Glad When You're Dead, You Rascal You.
Of course the short is marked by the unforgettable personality and joy of living that characterized Louis Armstrong. That's one style that cannot and will never be duplicated. If you're not a fan before watching A Rhapsody In Black And Blue before, you will be after you see this Paramount short subject.
Satchmo sells it, and I'm buying!
mark.waltz1 December 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Long before the great Louis Armstrong made a hit of a Broadway title song even before it opened, he was thrilling audiences of all backgrounds with his delivery of great jazzy tunes and his extraordinary ability with a trumpet. This lavish short might be short on political correctness (a ridiculous criticism I cringe using), but the magic is undeniable. The short focuses on the obviously unhappy (and stereotypically lazy) black man whose overly large and bossy wife seems to misinterpret the meaning of the song, "I'll be glad when you're dead", sending him into the fantasy heaven of Armstrong and his orchestra, much like Eddie "Rochester" Anderson would do in "Cabin in the Sky" (at least the heavenly part). Armstrong swings and sells this, and it is more than worth the price of admission.
Visit Another Planet
soilmanted10 June 2022
Sidney Easton gets transported to another planet. This happens 25 years before Startrek! Sidney Easton is THE KING on this planet. However I think ANYONE would feel like a a king. If they were on a planet inhabited by Louis Armstrong and his ensemble - and they took out their instruments. I know I did. You will too.
An enjoyable and inventive short film
robinsonf7 March 2000
This short is primarily a showcase for a young Louis Armstrong. The story line is very simple and has its witty moments and for its length is rather inventive. A prime example showing that you can tell a story with a beginning, middle and an end and don't need four hours of film to do so.
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