Benny's an actor as well as outstanding clarinetist.
Who knew that Goodman would be the headliner in a full-length movie? The plot was far-fetched, but what does it matter when the Goodman orchestra was in full view throughout the movie. Benny's clarinet soared, and the beautiful trombone passages were all dubbed by Bill Harris, who had made a name for himself in earlier days as a member of the Woody Herman band. The black-and-white movie has been meticulously restored to mint condition.
Cornier than a field in need of Scarecrows, SWEET AND LOW-DOWN completely ignores WW2--still raging at the time of its release--in favor of antiseptic escapism. Featuring plenty of top notch music from Benny Goodman and company and a game cast, including the lovely Linda Darnell, this sweet slice of 1944 cinema provides the perfect antidote to today's Trumpian madness.