“KING OF JAZZ.”

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 911, 4 November 1933, Page 24 (Supplement)

“KING OF JAZZ.”

Lavish Musical Film at Theatre Royal. “ King of Jazz,” the most pretentious and lavishly presented musical film yet made, is offered at the Theatre Royal to-day. Produced on a scale that could not l>e attempted today, the greatly-revised and re-edited picture has lost none of its original freshness and sparkle. Inspiring spectacle and pageantry, splendid singing and dancing and hilarious comedy interludes all combine to make a film of almost bewildering magnificence. ” King of Jazz ” consists of seven big, spectacular revue numbers, in addition to several comedy sketches, blackouts, and individual song, dance and novelty specialties. The music is supplied by Paul Whiteman and his world-renowned orchestra, and they have a prominent part in all of the musical numbers. The production is filmed* entirely in technil colour and all the dam e ensembles are interpreted by the Russell Markert Dancers. Among the big revues are the following: “It Happened in Monterey,” featuring John Boles with Jeanette Loff and chorus in a colourful, romantic episode of Old Mexico: “Rhapsody in Blue,” a lavish pictorial and musical interpretation of the amazing jazz symphony by George Gershwin, played as only Paul Whiteman’s orchestra can play it. with a setting of a huge forty-foot piano, on which the entire orchestra is seated, with a colour motif of blue in varying shades: " The Song of the Dawn," with the golden-voiced John Boles and a male chorus rendering this beautiful song in an atmospheric setting of dawn breaking in tlie sky: “ Ragamuffin Romeo.” an eccentric novelty revue which brings Jeanie Rang into prominence and also reveals exceptionally clever dance steps by Marion Statler and Don Rose; and “ Happy Feet,” another swift-paced, melodic episode in which the talent of Bing Crosby, as one of the three Rhythm Boys, is brought into play.