Customer Reviews

Kansas City

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Robert Altman, one of the foremost filmakers of the last thirty years followed up what many consider to be his magnum, "Short Cuts", with this quietly more ambitious project. "Short Cuts" finished 'place' at the Oscars to "Shindler's List" and helped spawn the career of Juliana Moore (sort of like Sissy Spacek in "Welcome To L.A.") although I personally liked virtually all the other performances better (and there are some great ones in it).
The release of "Kansas City" followed hard upon the heals of the Oscar 'second best', and met with 'mediocre' to 'ok' critical reviews. Thus, the film didn't have much of a run in the theatres, playing to sparsely filled houses, who basically came to see the novelty of Harry Belafonte playing a rip-snorting gangster in an Altman film. Nor was the DVD release much of a hit.
What kept the movie alive basically was the magnificent soundtrack - a group of the best of the new generation of jazz musicians playing Kansas City jazz - well - as well as Count Basie and that guy who invented the jazz saxophone (what was his name?) - oh yeah, Coleman Hawkins, themselves. The CD became a classic, and a few people discovered that Altman had fostered this long time love for Kansas City jazz, and now that he was a bigshot and could finally raise lots of money to make any film he wanted, he decided to act on his long time dream to recreate the Kansas City Jazz scene in the early thirties in a movie.
And what an incredible recreation it is! There is even a separate one + hour film which Altman made of simply the bands (as recreated by the contemporary musicians playing all the tracks in the film and on the CD and more, and nothing else!) This film evokes an amazing, dreamlike experience and ranks with any performance of twentieth century music currently on DVD, and I wish they would release it when they release the director's cut, which I predict they will (my 30 year track record is pretty good).
Simply put, "Kansas City" is a noir masterpiece. Jennifer Jason Leigh gives an incredibly complex, brilliant performance and which is only to be matched by her foil, Miranda Richardson. One of the great "two chick" flicks of all time, one wonders why Altman seems to be the only director who sees Leigh for what she is: the best American actress of her generation. Belafonte and the rest of the cast are up to the searing standards demanded by these lead performances, and the script and the almost superhuman attention to detail evidenced in the sets, editing, and every frame, make one wonder what exactly the critics had in mind when they watched this film for the first time.
But the music . . . the bands themselves take on a certain personification and become characters participating in the action of the story.
I believe "Kansas City" is due for a re-evaluation and may go down as the greatest venture of both Leigh and Altman, and that's saying a lot.

The reason I adore this movie is because of the accuracy of the recreation. Everything matches with what a jazz lover knows about Kansas City at that time: the characters named in the movie - up to Bennie Moten's (died in 1935, leader of the orchestra Count Basie took over) surgeon, Charlie Parker's mother, Lester Young, Hawkins (somewhat less); the characters seen and mentioned, such as Tom Prendergast (the ganster who got Truman a start), John Lazzia etc; and characters just seen but not mentioned, such as the lady playing piano - Geri Allen, who looks like Mary Lou Williams -, the singing bartender patterned after Big Joe Turner.

Then there is the music which is just great, a successful recreation of ancient jazz, which can be heard in "Robert Altman's Jazz '34" and purchased separately in two CD's, "Kansas City" (the original soundtrack) and "Kansas City After Dark", all three available ar Amazon and reviewed.

On the positive side for the movie I'll mention the great interpretation by Harry Belafonte and Miranda Richardson (Mrs. Stilton), less so of Jennifer Jason Leigh.

I think the weak side is the plot: Blondie (Leigh) abducts Mrs. Stilton to get back his man, who is in custody of the black gangasters (Belafonte) for a hold-up. Then Blondie goes on talking and talking with a somewhat annoying and exaggerated pitch.

I conjecture Altman wanted to make a movie on his home town in the moment of maximum musical blossing and jazz development and he gave less importance to plot and characters, more to the music. I think we can be happy with that, but as a jazz lover I prefer the above-mentioned "Jazz '34".

This movie got mediocre reviews (and some major dissing), but it is one of my favorites. I've watched it about ten times (you almost have to, the story line is so involved--classic Altman). I bought the video, because I will probably never tire of the awesome soundrack, the cool sets and wardrobe, and the great characters and storyline. Very, very dark--loved it!

Bottom line, whether you love or hate "Kansas City" will depend on your reaction to Jennifer Jason Leigh's performance. Leigh's character Blondie anchors the story as a desperate wife trying to save her husband from the gangsters he tried to rob. Leigh looks great in this role, she is fit and trim which makes her face that much cuter. The contrast between her almost angelic appearance and her tough persona is intentional because the toughness is an affectation, qualities she has adopted because she loves her husband and they are a turn-on for him.

Her's is the key performance of the film, the twist is her emulation of Kansas City native Jean Harlow ("The Public Enemy" and "Girl from Missoui"). Watch Harlow in "Red Headed Woman" to see the incredible physical resemblance between these two short actresses. Personally I found it touching, humorous, and inspirational. But it is almost a caricature and many are put off by this tiny woman talking so tough.

As in "Nashville", there are great songs (but jazz rather than country) throughout the film. It is important to realize that "Blondie's" behavior is intended to mirror the "cutting contests" between the jazz musicians on-stage at the club. Just as the musicians borrow from one another and weave each others stuff into what they are improvising, "Blondie" borrows from the movies and weaves Harlow's tough girl phrases and expressions into her conversation.

Leigh and Miranda Richardson spend most of the film in each other's company. Although Richardson's character is doped up on laudanum (tincture of opium) most of the time, you get the idea that she is taking in a lot more of the situation than she is letting on. It is a fascinating pairing. One of them has lost all restraint, the other has lost everything but her restraint. There is almost a "Thelma and Louise" quality to their relationship, in part because Leigh doing Harlow ends up sounding a lot like Geena Davis doing Geena Davis.

Richardson's character is unexpectedly touching. An emotional bond is subtly forged between the two women as the film proceeds, with Richarson actually becoming protective of her kidnapper. The ending is shocking but you understand the motivation (or you will if you watch it again), then looking back you pick up on the various foreshadowing devices that Altman placed throughout the film. He goes out with a bass duet of Duke Ellington's "Solitude" performed by Ron Carter and Christian McBride.

Like many films with downbeat endings, "Kansas City" is destined to be more appreciated 25 years after its release.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Robert Altman, one of the foremost filmakers of the last thirty years followed up what many consider to be his magnum, "Short Cuts", with this quietly more ambitious project. "Short Cuts" finished 'place' at the Oscars to "Shindler's List" and helped spawn the career of Juliana Moore (sort of like Sissy Spacek in Welcome To L.A.) although I personally liked virtually all the other performances better (and there are some great ones in it).
The release of "Kansas City" followed hard upon the heals of the Oscar 'second best', and met with 'mediocre' to 'ok' critical reviews. Thus, the film didn't have much of a run in the theatres, playing to sparsely filled houses, who basically came to see the novelty of Harry Belafonte playing a rip-snorting gangster in an Altman film. Nor was the DVD release much of a hit.
What kept the movie alive basically was the magnificent soundtrack - a group of the best of the new generation of jazz musicians playing Kansas City jazz - well - as well as Count Basie and that guy who invented the jazz saxophone (what was his name?) - oh yeah, Coleman Hawkins, themselves. The CD became a classic, and a few people discovered that Altman had fostered this long time love for Kansas City jazz, and now that he was a bigshot and could finally raise lots of money to make any film he wanted, he decided to act on his long time dream to recreate the Kansas City Jazz scene in the early thirties in a movie.
And what an incredible recreation it is! There is even a separate one + hour film which Altman made of simply the bands (as recreated by the contemporary musicians playing all the tracks in the film and on the CD and more, and nothing else!) This film evokes an amazing, dreamlike experience and ranks with any performance of twentieth century music currently on DVD, and I wish they would release it when they release the director's cut, which I predict they will (my 30 year track record is pretty good).
Simply put, "Kansas City" is a noir masterpiece. Jennifer Jason Leigh gives an incredibly complex, brilliant performance and which is only to be matched by her foil . One of the great "two chick" flicks of all time, one wonders why Altman seems to be the only director who sees Leigh for what she is: the best American actress of her generation. Belafonte and the rest of the cast are up to the searing standards demanded by these lead performances, and the script and the almost superhuman attention to detail evidenced in the sets, editing, and every frame, make one wonder what exactly the critics had in mind when they watched this film for the first time.
But the music . . . the bands themselves take on a certain personification and become characters participating in the action of the story.
I believe "Kansas City" is due for a re-evaluation and may go down as the greatest venture of both Leigh and Altman, and that's saying a lot.

This movie proceeds at a pace similar to that of a sultry summer day in Kansas City, slow and meandering. A woman's husband falls in with oganized crime and to get him back she kidnaps the wife of a politician. The problem is she can't seem to plan beyond the next five minutes. She really should have thanked the gangsters for taking her husband then used the opportunity to get a real life, but she fashions herself and him as Bonnie and Clyde wannabes.

The movie uses Kansas City blues music to transition from scene to scene, which is very well played, but adds little but annoyance to the progress of the film. The characters meander through scenes without much emotion leading the viewer to wish the whole film could be fast forwarded to the next scene.

The setting is the Great Depression, but other than the motly crew of voters brought in to rig a local election, no one seems to be suffering from economic distress. All of the cars appear to be brand new and the buildings are neat and tidy. No signs of poverty are anywhere to be seen. In the end the husband and wife get their just rewards and the film comes to a merciful close. The viewer is left asking what was the point of this whole thing?

The music in this movie is great! Joshua Redman tears it up with his great old/new style of playing the saxophone!!

Doug Earley

When one listens to the gorgeous music of Lester Young, Charlie Parker(I think he was "shown" in a scene as well) and Coleman Hawkins and William Count Basie,a jazz fan is left with a sense of wonder what must have gone down at KC in those days...Now we have a great depiction of the music and what life might have been like with great music revisited and performed by these "new giants of jazz" recreating the high swinging good time sense of euphoria sweeping those magical tunes..
Yet, at the same time, music lovers see the battle going on between the somewhat bluesier, aggressive playing of the giant Coleman Hawkins contrasted clearly with his major rival Lester Young, the more sweeter melancholy player..These 2 contrasting visions play-out throughout the entire movie not only as a backdrop as a soundtrack but a portrayal of the contradictory lives played by it's characters.
There is no difference between the Downtown KC of crime, brothels and booze(opium and cocaine as well) with it's underworld in contrast to the Americana of the Uptown KC with it's quaint Democratic lifestyle untouched by the jazz going down at the Hey-Hey Club...ultimately leading to murder from all sides.
This is a powerful message and why the movie scores big besides the wonderful music and the 2 Cd's spurned out which are equally impressive.
The moral equivalency of these 2 worlds makes this movie a great one.

Even the mighty have their moments when they stumble and KANSAS CITY is one of those moments for maverick director Robert Altman. There's little more than atmosphere in this film; the period-recreation of 1935-ish Kansas City Missouri, the great jazz throughout every frame and a bravura performance by Harry Belefonte as a gambler/crime kingpin named "Seldom Seen" don't mask the fact that the plot's thinner than newspaper and that every other actor save Belefonte is chewing the scenery and burping after every chew. On the surface, this movie's approach isn't much different from Altman's others--there's constant activity, so much that it's initially disorienting to try and figure out all of the threads of the story, but in many of his films (NASHVILLE, MASH and GOSFORD PARK, for instance), those threads gradually come together into a whole. It never happens in KANSAS CITY. The threads stay threads and you're left with a jumble, albiet a jumble with a great score.

The shooting and action is high quality and typical altman, but you never grab onto the characters. Too much happens too fast, like a great jump blues tune, but as a film it's a bit out of control.

The music *is* great, so buy the CD.