A beguiling, even bizarre. musical short reminiscent of a Victor Herbert operetta or early musical dramas. Consumed by lost love, Ethel Merman wanders in a foggy forest near the tree when she and her lover carved their names years before. Here she encounters a strange old man cloaked in an dark cape. He is Old Man Blues, and he's there to lead Merman deeper and deeper into self-pity.
Totally in musical verse, she and Mr. Blues spar for her soul. Blues wins and almost convinces Merman to commit suicide because "there is nothing left to live for." Only the sudden return of her lover stops Merman from drowning herself.
Embracing and singing their renewed love for each other, the reunited couple turns away from Old Man Blues, leaving him alone in the dark forest. Filled with lonely atmosphere and engaging lyricism, this little film is a human metaphor for the ages.
