Classic movie site with rare images, original ads, and behind-the-scenes photos, with informative and insightful commentary. We like to have fun with movies!
Archive and Links
grbrpix@aol.com
Search Index Here




Thursday, February 16, 2017

Crosby Plays To The South


Dixie (1943) Is Bing's First Feature In Technicolor


Was there nothing of interest in Dan Emmett's life other than minstrelsy and fact he wrote "Dixie"? Judging by total fictionalization here, I'd guess not. Emmett was obscure to a 40's public beyond cleffing of immortal title song, a 19th century one-hit wonder. Other of Dixie music came of modern tunesmiths, done to Crosby measure and never mind fidelity to the period or unique format that was minstrelsy. That last gets in Bing's way for his having to cork up for most numbers and thus lost in crowd of similarly disguised ensemble. Recreation of minstrel shows is true to basics, but not detail. We get little sense of how hugely popular this format was back in heyday, peak of which predated even oldsters who went to see Dixie in 1943. Still, most at least knew what minstrels were, even as race sensitivity had begun process of discrediting them. WWII was spur to this --- I'd venture there would not have been a Dixie made even three-four years later. Advantage pic had in 1943 was nary mention of the current war, audiences having got exhausted with the topic, and eager for full escape from it. Still, the trailer lauded "Dixie" as "The Greatest War Song Of All Time," so there's at least a nod.



Six "New Songs" were on tap --- Crosby faithfuls Johnny Burke and Jimmy Van Heusen got a workout here. Beating of formula rug needed six writers, an always trouble with highest profile product where each party second-guessed the other. This was surprisingly Bing Crosby's first starring feature in Technicolor, a fact made well-known in ads, but he'd otherwise be poorly served, for Dixie wavers where he's not singing, the gags lame and a love triangle hardly to liking of viewers then or now. There's a running joke of Bing's mislaid pipe starting fires, as in to-the-ground, which is not only unfunny, but outright disturbing when one of blazes takes place in a crowded theatre. Was it wise to make light of disasters still in memory of many during that nitrate era when cataclysms often resulted in loss of lives? Theatre fires were simply not something to kid about, and I'm surprised Para brass didn't scotch the over-emphasized routine. Directing Dixie was A. Edward Sutherland, a comedy whiz from silents, but defeated by faulty makings here; he and Crosby had done much better by similar content in 1935's Mississippi. Dixie can be had on Region Two DVD, another of Universal's bearded transfers, a pity because this one could look great in HD with reclaimed Technicolor.

10 Comments:

Blogger stinky fitzwizzle said...

Stinky is curious, mostly for the Burke/Van Heusen songs. Considering the blackface, how likely is this to be restored? Or even released in the States?

Personally, Stinky would rather wait til next Friday to see Hope and Hutton in 'Let's Face It'. But he would arrive late so as to miss Ted Lewis.

12:27 PM  
Blogger Randy said...

Any idea who the woman is with Edgar and Charlie in the current top photo?

5:14 PM  
Blogger lmshah said...


Answer to Randy, it's Myrna Loy.

RICHARD M ROBERTS

6:16 PM  
Blogger DBenson said...

Maybe something to team with "Birth of the Blues", which put forth the quasi-true tale of the white musicians who made jazz respectable. Crosby starred, and Eddie Anderson was his faithful sidekick assuring us that black Americans were thrilled by this validation of their music. It's a light comedy most of the way; just sort of nonsensical to modern audiences. There was a single color sequence, where a song was accompanied by magic lantern slides.

2:20 AM  
Blogger Dave K said...

Okay, topic for conversation: how many golden age movie stars appeared in blackface. There's a semi-complete list on Wikipedia... Bing was practically in Jolson/Cantor category corking up in at least half a dozen films!

9:28 AM  
Blogger Beowulf said...

When I showed one long musical sequence (with everyone in blackface) to the students in my Popular Arts class, there were audible gasps as the minstrel recreation began. People asked, "And they released this in 1940?" Yesm they did, Mr. Tambo. Even twenty years ago few students remembered Bing Crosby, but those who did gasped at him in blackface (well, even Bugs Bunny did it).

I'd say the chance of this being re-released in the U.S. in any form is slim to none.

12:35 PM  
Blogger Kevin K. said...

At least one if the "Road" pictures used a circus fire as a gag, so "Dixie" is in good(?)company.

12:38 PM  
Blogger Lionel Braithwaite said...

As a black male, I'd say the chances of this being put on DVD by anybody is indeed 'slim to none'. People would have a fit about it, and social media would be abuzz with condemnation of the movie and of the company involved in putting this movie on DVD, as well as cried for said company to put black movies on DVD, as well as a repeat of the #OscarsSoWhite/#HollywoodSoWhite controversy.

I think that this could be released, but only to educational and scholarly institutions, and then only used under certain conditions.

3:55 AM  
Blogger Lou Lumenick said...

This was announced by Universal for one of their Crosby sets, then pulled, so it probably has been restored.

4:22 PM  
Blogger John McElwee said...

I had forgotten about that until you mentioned it, Lou. Pity that Universal didn't make the new transfer available to their Region Two licensee. Have been much enjoying your Facebook articles on early New York broadcast of movies, much of that info being all new to me, like for instance "Foreign Correspondent" being the first Hitchcock feature to show up on NY television.

6:57 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home

grbrpix@aol.com
  • December 2005
  • January 2006
  • February 2006
  • March 2006
  • April 2006
  • May 2006
  • June 2006
  • July 2006
  • August 2006
  • September 2006
  • October 2006
  • November 2006
  • December 2006
  • January 2007
  • February 2007
  • March 2007
  • April 2007
  • May 2007
  • June 2007
  • July 2007
  • August 2007
  • September 2007
  • October 2007
  • November 2007
  • December 2007
  • January 2008
  • February 2008
  • March 2008
  • April 2008
  • May 2008
  • June 2008
  • July 2008
  • August 2008
  • September 2008
  • October 2008
  • November 2008
  • December 2008
  • January 2009
  • February 2009
  • March 2009
  • April 2009
  • May 2009
  • June 2009
  • July 2009
  • August 2009
  • September 2009
  • October 2009
  • November 2009
  • December 2009
  • January 2010
  • February 2010
  • March 2010
  • April 2010
  • May 2010
  • June 2010
  • July 2010
  • August 2010
  • September 2010
  • October 2010
  • November 2010
  • December 2010
  • January 2011
  • February 2011
  • March 2011
  • April 2011
  • May 2011
  • June 2011
  • July 2011
  • August 2011
  • September 2011
  • October 2011
  • November 2011
  • December 2011
  • January 2012
  • February 2012
  • March 2012
  • April 2012
  • May 2012
  • June 2012
  • July 2012
  • August 2012
  • September 2012
  • October 2012
  • November 2012
  • December 2012
  • January 2013
  • February 2013
  • March 2013
  • April 2013
  • May 2013
  • June 2013
  • July 2013
  • August 2013
  • September 2013
  • October 2013
  • November 2013
  • December 2013
  • January 2014
  • February 2014
  • March 2014
  • April 2014
  • May 2014
  • June 2014
  • July 2014
  • August 2014
  • September 2014
  • October 2014
  • November 2014
  • December 2014
  • January 2015
  • February 2015
  • March 2015
  • April 2015
  • May 2015
  • June 2015
  • July 2015
  • August 2015
  • September 2015
  • October 2015
  • November 2015
  • December 2015
  • January 2016
  • February 2016
  • March 2016
  • April 2016
  • May 2016
  • June 2016
  • July 2016
  • August 2016
  • September 2016
  • October 2016
  • November 2016
  • December 2016
  • January 2017
  • February 2017
  • March 2017
  • April 2017
  • May 2017
  • June 2017
  • July 2017
  • August 2017
  • September 2017
  • October 2017
  • November 2017
  • December 2017
  • January 2018
  • February 2018
  • March 2018
  • April 2018
  • May 2018
  • June 2018
  • July 2018
  • August 2018
  • September 2018
  • October 2018
  • November 2018
  • December 2018
  • January 2019
  • February 2019
  • March 2019
  • April 2019
  • May 2019
  • June 2019
  • July 2019
  • August 2019
  • September 2019
  • October 2019
  • November 2019
  • December 2019
  • January 2020
  • February 2020
  • March 2020
  • April 2020
  • May 2020
  • June 2020
  • July 2020
  • August 2020
  • September 2020
  • October 2020
  • November 2020
  • December 2020
  • January 2021
  • February 2021
  • March 2021
  • April 2021
  • May 2021
  • June 2021
  • July 2021
  • August 2021
  • September 2021
  • October 2021
  • November 2021
  • December 2021
  • January 2022
  • February 2022
  • March 2022
  • April 2022
  • May 2022
  • June 2022
  • July 2022
  • August 2022
  • September 2022
  • October 2022
  • November 2022
  • December 2022
  • January 2023
  • February 2023
  • March 2023
  • April 2023
  • May 2023
  • June 2023
  • July 2023
  • August 2023
  • September 2023
  • October 2023
  • November 2023
  • December 2023
  • January 2024
  • February 2024
  • March 2024