Michael Crone

This movie has an all-star cast and the music is all W C Handy. Not a bad start. It is supposedly set in Memphis, but is so obviously shot on a cheap 50s TV soundstage. Some of the plot turns pretty melodramatic, too. But if you can suspend disbelief on some things, this movie is very enjoyable, not to mention informative. Much of Handy's fame comes from the fact that he was one of the first black musicians and writers to realize that the big money was in publishing, not in performance of the material. So relax and enjoy the performances of a galaxy of musical stars. And learn how the blues music took a leap forward into the 20th century conscientiousness.