Review of King of Jazz

I liked some of the segments and didn't like some of the other segments, but as an ambitious jazz revue conducted by Paul Whiteman and his talented group of musicians and vaudeville comedians, this is a fascinating cinematic landmark. Your viewing experience will vary depending on how much you're into these kinds of concert feature formats, so take it with a grain of salt of course. Considering this film was once considered nearly incomplete to the years onward and is now seen in near full technicolor form thanks in part to Criterion, there's enough to admire from the music, staging and tributes to Broadway magic. By far the highlight is Whiteman's rendition of George Gershwin's acclaimed harmonious jazz composition Rhapsody in Blue, which has arguably been brought to life in better ways than this, but is still soaring through bold conduction and lively choreography. So all in all, take this movie for what it ultimately is: a charming time capsule to an era that was just starting to embrace sound and music together in the world of film.