Very disappointing...

To me, this movie is perfection.

Don't listen to the negative reviews

best movie i've ever seen.

I had not heard of this film prior to its being shown on Channel 81 Freeview recently. I was very much interested in seeing this as I love jazz as well as Classical Music especially Chamber and Leider and Opera so I was looking forward to seeing again on film many of the alumni I had seen in the Flamingo and Ronnie Scott's Old Place in the late 1950s and early 60s before I returned to Wales to do my first degree.I was delighted to see and hear Tubby Hayes - I remember him for playing tenor sax and not so much for playing the vibes as the main protagonist of that art was Bill le Sage who played mostly at the Flamingo.Dramatically, I found the film to be interesting and it moved very well - it was interesting to see the ubiquitous Richard Attenborough playing the millionaire in this film - his range was extremely extensive - it was pity he became a 'darling' in his old age.It did seem odd to see a flurry of jazz musicians flooding through the door of the auditorium - all dressed in the raincoats of the time - The film makes more sense to me now having noted your information that it was based on Othello - I played Brabantio in Othello some 10 or more years ago but I would not have connected this film with that drama.Dave Brubeck was able to give solo piece of a few minutes but Tubby Hayes had only a short time for playing the vibes - and many of the ensemble pieces were interrupted by the acting and the music instead of being in the forefront became only the background. It had not heard the trumpet player previously who was very good indeed - at the time I visited the modern clubs Kenny Baker was well known and also Joe Harriot whom I had the very good fortune to me for supper on evening at the invitation of a lady artist friend of mine - he was so humble and nice I am interested in who played the sax for Keith Michell - I know that he was a painter as well as an actor - and who sang the female vocals I shall do some more research.It was Glenn Miller's music especially the film that introduced me to jazz and my first love was Trad Jazz and I used to go to Club 51 and the 100 Club - after developing an interest in modern jazz I continued to go to the 100 club to dance the Trad Stomp.As I have recorded the film on my DVD player I will watch it again and try to evaluate more as a film rather than a piece of jazz history - it was great to see Tubby Hayes again even if only briefly.I am great fan of 30s music and I love Fred Astaire in Second Chorus the Artie Shaw band is featured and her again there was such a wasted opportunity - Fred could have been singing some wonderful songs with that great band but the opportunity was lost.The trouble in walking down memory lane is that it makes the present passage seem so dire and dirty - London in the late 50s and early 60s was a great place to be for young people - everyone was enthusiastic and polite and much more happy than today.Our politicians have created not so much a concrete but a plastic jungle - roll over McDonald's!

Continuing my reviews of people of color in films in chronological order for Black History Month, we're now at 1962 when in England, a jazz-flavored version of Othello in modern times is made with Paul Harris playing musician Aurelius Rex who's married to retired singer Delia Lane (Marti Stevens). Maria Velasco, as Benny, is another person of such race who's also in an interracial relationship with recovering drug musician/band manager Cass Michaels (Keith Michell). Others of the non-white variety include jazz players Charles Mingus on bass and Barry Morgan on bongos and Geoffrey Holder is somewhere there too. Anyway, Rod Hamilton (Richard Attenborough) has thrown a party to celebrate the marriage of Rex and Delia on their first anniversary. The party atmosphere is celebratory with the music playing throughout but a drummer named Johnny Cousin (Patrick McGoohan) who's in the audience is so hell bent on getting Delia for his new band that he does various forms of blackmail to get his way. It's not until his wife Emily (Betsy Blair) reveals something that Johnny gets caught. All I'll say now is All Night Long is highly recommended for both the drama and the music that dominates throughout. P.S. It was a treat to also see Dave Brubeck on the piano.

It's really unfortunate, but ultimately this is not a very good movie. The screenplay is downright awful, the lip synching is brutal, and although some of the actors try their best, they're obviously fighting a losing cause. Maybe if the director had maintained more control, he might have reigned in some of the the actor's ego (and perhaps the same could be said for his own ego), and then he might have allowed a whole lot more more screen time to the truly fabulous jazz musicians who were featured only intermittently throughout this movie. In fact, the only thing that saves this movie from being a complete clunker is the presence of the jazz musicians.

This is an interesting period piece, especially for jazz lovers and those who remember the early sixties. The plot is fairly silly, but entertaining enough to hold the attention. It tells the story of jealousy and scheming amongst a number of jazz musicians at a party held in a London warehouse.The acting is fairly good, but what makes it especially interesting is the fact that the action takes place against the back drop of a continuous jam session featuring solos by musicians such as Dave Brubeck and Tubby Hayes.