Starring Patrick McGoohan, Paul Harris, Marti Stevens, and Keith Mitchell
Directed by Basil Dearden
Music and Lyrics by various
This week, we head across the Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea for two vintage movies exploring the black experience in England and Jamaica. We begin with this low-budget English take on the Shakespearean drama Othello. Dearden had been specializing in tight little dramas and comedies like this one for over a decade. He had no fear in delving into tough topics like racism, juvenile delinquency, and homophobia, or realistically depicting violence and sexuality onscreen. How well do his sensibilities work with the story of an ambitious drummer who almost comes between a black bandleader and his white singer wife? Let's begin with wealthy jazz lover Rod Hamilton (Richard Attenborough) as he heads to the warehouse-turned-performance space where the anniversary party for Aurelius Rex (Harris) and his wife Delia Lane (Stevens) is taking place and find out...
The Story: Johnny Cousin (McGoohan) is Rex's ambitious drummer who hopes to start his own band. Rod and booking agent Lou Berger (Bernard Braden) will back his new venture, but only if he can get Delia to be his singer. Delia is perfectly content the way she is and fears joining a band will cause strain in her marriage.
Johnny desperately tries to break up her and Rex by reediting a tape of her conversation with Rex's saxophone player and Delia's friend Cass (Mitchell) to make it sound like they're in love. The truth is, they were discussing his relationship with Rex's current singer Benny (Maria Velasco). Johnny's manipulation leads to a web of lies, deceit, and betrayal, until his faithful wife Emily (Betsy Blair) reveals the truth.
The Song and Dance: This is worth checking out for some terrific performances, both from the cast and the jazz men making rare film appearances. David Brubeck and Charles Mingus were at the height of their popularity when this movie was released. We even get an improvised number from them, "Non-Sectarian Blues." Though Stevens and Mitchell also do well as the close friends who look like more, McGoohan walks off with the movie as the talented drummer who is so determined to have his own band, he's willing to turn his boss and his wife on each other. We also get not one, but two happy interracial couples who manage to stay together even after all the trouble Johnny caused. That would be rare in the US nowadays, let alone in a low-budget melodrama from 1962.
The Numbers: Most of the numbers are jazz instrumentals, including the afore-mentioned Mingus and Bruebeck jam "Non-Sectarian Blues." Bruebeck plays his own "Blue Shadows On the Street," and we also get "It's a Raggy Waltz" from him. There's also "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" and Mingus' "Peggy's Blue Skylight." Rex plays "Mood Indigo" and "In a Sentimental Mood," two pieces usually associated with another bandleader, Duke Ellington. Stevens is finally coerced into singing the title song and "I Never Knew I Could Love Anybody Like I'm Loving You" for her husband near the end of the movie.
Trivia: Patrick McGoohan did learn to play the drums for the film, though he was ultimately dubbed. He kept the drum set he used after filming.
What I Don't Like: First of all, this isn't for Shakespeare purists. There's a lot of changes to the original Othello, including a happier ending where all three couples survive. Second, this is a black and white melodrama performed largely in one set, with no huge dance numbers or lavish costumes or chorus. It's not for those who prefer their musicals on the happier, fluffier, more extravagant side. Third, those who aren't jazz aficionados like me may find the hepcat lingo and slightly arrogant attitudes on many of the musicians to be rather grating after a while.
The Big Finale: Worth a night on the town to check out if you're a fan of vintage jazz, are looking for a unique Shakespeare adaptation, or love anyone in the cast or smaller black-and-white dramas from the 60's.
Home Media: Alas, the Criterion Collection set featuring this and three other well-regarded Dearden dramas from this time period is out of print and incredibly expensive at this writing. Streaming is far and away your best bet. It can currently be found for free with ads on Tubi.
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