Syncopation (1942)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

William Dieterle

Writers:

Valentine Davies (story)
Philip Yordan (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

22 May 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | History | Music | Romance

Tagline:

Presenting THE ALL-AMERICAN DANCE BAND...Selected from among Readers in the SATURDAY EVENING POST POLL (original poster)

Plot:

Covering a quarter-century of American 'syncopated" music (Ragtime, Jazz, Swing, Blues, Boogie Woogie)from prior to WWI through prohibition...

Plot Keywords:

Singer | WWI | Jazz | Ragtime | WWII

US TV Schedule:

Wed. July 15

11:15 AM

TCM

Cast

Adolphe Menjou	...	George Latimer
Jackie Cooper	...	Johnny Schumacher
Bonita Granville	...	Kit Latimer
George Bancroft	...	Steve Porter
Robert Benchley	...	Doakes (scenes deleted)
Walter Catlett	...	Spelvin (scenes deleted)
Ted North	...	Paul Porter
Todd Duncan	...	Rex Tearbone
Connee Boswell	...	Herself, Connee Boswell
Frank Jenks	...	Smiley Jackson
Jessica Grayson	...	Ella Tearbone (as Jessie Grayson)
Mona Barrie	...	Lillian
Lindy Wade	...	Paul Porter - as a Child
Peggy McIntyre	...	Kit Latimer - as a Child
Charlie Barnet	...	Himself, Charlie Barnet

Runtime:

USA:88 min | USA:76 min (re-release)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

USA:Approved | USA:Passed (National Board of Review) | Finland:S | Sweden:15

Company:

RKO Radio Pictures

Soundtrack:

You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want to Do It)

Down in New Orleans

George Latimer (Adolphe Menjou) and his daughter Kit (Bonita Granville) live in New Orleans, the city of jazz. Unfortunately, the family business is not doing well and has to relocate to Chicago. Kit is heartbroken, but she agrees to the move with the promise that they will return someday. As she gets older, she never loses her love of jazz and plays it whenever she gets a chance. One night, she goes for a walk and comes across Johnny Schumacher (Jackie Cooper), a down and out musician. He takes her to a party where they play a new variation on New Orleans jazz and she brings down the house with her piano-playing. Her confidence gives Johnny a new outlook on his love for music, although money is always a temptation.

Syncopation could have been much better, but it constantly strays from the fact that jazz music came from the black community. It begins with black people, one of the rare opportunities in classic films for black actors to shine, but that quickly disappears in favor of the white stars. Noteworthy players are Todd Duncan as trumpet-player Rex Tearbone and Jessica Grayson as his mother. The movie becomes a bit of a cliché with the actors struggling against all odds only to inspire the greats like Benny Goodman and Harry James. Unfortunately black musicians like Louis Armstrong, Fats Waller, and Duke Ellington are left out of the grand finale.

As it stands, Syncopation is an entertaining movie with lots of great music, but it is simply average overall. It never sticks to a time period, but what it lacks in accuracy, it makes up for with catchy tunes and praise-worthy leading actors. Granville is dazzlingly beautiful throughout the movie and she and real-life boyfriend Cooper work well together on-screen.