Pete Kelly's Blues

"Pete Kelly's Blues" is, in my humble opinion, like a lot of Jack Webb's work, an underrated movie. Even as a teenager, I realized in 1955 that the movie had a dark plot but at the same time was highlighted by great musical performances. Jack got an academy award performance from Peggy Lee and outstanding performances from Ella Fitzgerald, Edmund O'Brien and Martin Milner, to say nothing of Janet Leigh, whose performance was good. Jack was not liked by a lot of people in Hollywood who panned his work. With the exception of "Dragnet", the TV show and the movies, "Pete Kelly's Blues" was Jack's most important work, if not the most appreciated. It's a shame when personalities interfere with an appraisal of someone's work.

This film is musically great with a couple of numbers by Ella Fitzgerald. However, this is not anything close to a musical. Rather it is a 20's gangster tale that involves Pete Kelly (Jack Webb) and his band. For those of you who remember Dragnet, Webb's narration might have you thinking of Dragnet just a little too much. Webb also directed this film, and he did a great job of giving it a real 20's feel. You don't feel like you're looking at a bunch of people from the 50's dressed up for a 20's costume party.

The only thing bad I can say about it is I had a hard time figuring out Pete Kelly's motivation. A person close to him is killed, and he is ready to give in to the gangster responsible and forget the whole thing ever happened. He finds out another person he barely knows has been killed by the same gangster and he's ready for war. He tosses an eager and beautiful Janet Leigh out of his room in one scene, and in the next scene he's overjoyed to see her to the point of wanting to marry her. The clinical acting style that worked so well for Webb in Dragnet just left me a little confused here. Still, overall, I would recommend it.

This was Jack Webb's labor of love and his big shot at big screen stardom. Humphrey Bogart was aging, (and soon to die), and perhaps Webb saw himself as an heir to his thrown. He certainly was a lover of everything about the 1920's into which he was born and of the jazz of the time in particular. He was a competent actor, (quite good in 1950's "The Men", opposite Marlon Brando) but ultimately lacked the presence and ability necessary for stardom. he we see him completely outacted by two who did, Edmund O'Brien and Lee Marvin, (who would have been a fabulous choice to play Pete Kelly). Webb seems trapped in his Joe Friday characterization. Particularly poor his the scene where he first confronts O'Brien, as gangster McClarg, in anger. Kelly, (Webb), knocks out McClarg's henchmen. McClarg then breaks a bottle on the bar and offers Kelly a chance to beat him to it. Kelly then shrinks into intimidation and sulks out. The scene is preposterous to begin with: why would Kelly be intimidated by McClarg when he's just kayoed hi body guard? But Webb clearly has no idea how to play it. He just stars blankly at O'Brien, then turns around and, hunched over and with his arms dangling lifelessly at his side, he marches out stage left while the music swells up to convey Kelly's humiliation to us much more effectively than Webb does.

Where Webb really excelled was as a director. He opens this with a shot of a New Orleans jazz funeral. Period detail is exquisite throughout. The dialog is snappy and authentic. The music, of course is great if jazz is to your taste. Any film with both Peggy Lee and Ella Fitzgerald singing in it is work a listen. This one is worth a look, as well. There are great camera shots, particularly when one of Kelly's associates gets gunned down in an alley. The final confrontation is exciting and well-staged. As noted below, it was clearly influential to modern directors. The cast of the film is uniformly excellent except for Webb himself. Peggy Lee is great and one wonders why a significant acting career didn't follow. O'Brien, in a rare villain role, is forceful without the overacting he's often guilty of. Marvin dominates every scene he's in and Martin Milner, a much underrated actor, is excellent in an early role as well. Andy Devine is a revelation as a tough cop. You've got to see it to believe it. Janet Leigh appears as Kelly's girlfriend. She's essentially window dressing but very attractive window dressing. But it's hard to tell what attracted her to Kelly. Webb is so stiff an uncomfortable in their romantic scenes that their relationship is hardly credible.

This film would probably be regarded as a classic today if Webb had not insisted on playing the lead, but who can blame him? It was his big chance on the big screen. He created an exquisite donut to star in. But this donut had a hole in it and he was that hole.

"Pete Kelly's Blues" gave Jack Webb a chance to direct and star in this film that compliments his close, tight, factual emphasis on the characters and the story. It's a no-nonsense film that combines some good musical moments with the times of the roaring 20's, when the gangs were determined to make money in every venture, or cause the venture to cease to exist. Such is the situation for Pete Kelly and his jazz band.

Kelly, played by Webb, enjoys the fact that his band can pretty much come and go as they see fit, perform, collect their fees, and move on to other clubs, other towns. They are good at what they do, and a local gangster, played to the hilt by Edmond O'Brien, sees a chance to move in. He tells Kelly that the band must allow his new girl a chance to perform, plus give him a sizable cut of their appearance money. The singer, played by Peggy Lee, just wants to get a start in show business, and O'Brien wants to control her start on a career. The film moves to an eventual expected climax, but the ending for Peggy Lee is not a happy one.

The cast included Janet Leigh, Andy Devine, Lee Marvin (a good guy role), and Ella Fitzgerald, who contributed some moving tunes in her own special style. Peggy Lee did garner an Oscar for best supporting actress, and it was deserved.

A film piece that deserves more than one chance viewing.

By 1927, jazzy cornet player Jack Webb (as Pete Kelly) and his seven-piece combo are the house band at a speakeasy in Kansas City, Missouri. All seems well until gangster Edmond O'Brien (as Fran McCarg) demands Mr. Webb hand over 25 percent of the band's earnings in return for his marginal managerial skills. Webb is also required to make Mr. McCarg's attractive girlfriend Peggy Lee (as Rose Hopkins) his instrumental group's lead singer. Webb must pay up or see his band members roughed up and/or gunned down. After some debate, the band is persuaded to play it safe. Then, Webb changes his tune and decides to fight...

"Dragnet" radio and TV star Webb directs his cast and crew very well. He does not waste an inch of the "CinemaScope" screen. When space is used, it's for dramatic effect. What this story needed was better exposition and some more time given Mr. O'Brien's character. Strangely, Webb gets fine performances from all except his leading man. He varies his stiff stance by repositioning his hands, but Webb seems to have his mind on directing and his character never really forms. Trying to romance Webb in her scenes, beautiful Janet Leigh (as Ivy Conrad) is fighting a lost cause. There are no sparks flying between the two...

Given the juiciest part, as an alcoholic singer, Ms. Lee is excellent; she won Film Daily's annual "Supporting Actress" award. Andy Devine, Lee Marvin and Martin Milner are impressive, in featured roles. Webb used Mr. Milner when he produced "Adam-12" as a younger, hipper "Dragnet" for the 1960s (and 1970s). It's amusing to watch Webb punch any male member of the cast who gets in his way. He repeatedly knocks out Mr. Marvin, a much bigger man, with surprising ease. And, you can't go wrong when Ella Fitzgerald appears as a lounge singer. The music, cast and wide screen visuals made this one worth watching.

******* Pete Kelly's Blues (7/27/55) Jack Webb ~ Jack Webb ~ Jack Webb, Janet Leigh, Peggy Lee, Edmond O'Brien