[Dixielandjazz] Garden of the Moon

[dhs2 at peoplepc.com]

Dear Listers:

The other night I stumbled onto an obscure-but-fun big band picture on
Turner Classic Movies.  It's called Garden of the Moon, and it was made in
1938.  The Garden of the Moon is a swanky nightclub in a Los Angeles hotel,
run in ruthless fashion by Pat O'Brien.  His character is supposed to be
mildly comedic, but O'Brien's shtick must have been funnier in 1938.

Rudy Vallee and his Connecticut Yankees are en route to the hotel for a long
engagement when their bus swerves off the road and wrecks.  O'Brien needs a
band in a hurry, and hires a New York group led by John Payne (a
breakthrough role for Payne).  O'Brien only needs the band for two weeks, so
he gives the band notice upon their arrival.  The rest of the movie is taken
up by dirty tricks played by or on behalf of Payne and O'Brien.

The band is pretty good, and includes Johnny "Scat" Davis, Jerry Colonna and
Joe Venuti.  Colonna is hilarious.  I would characterize the movie as an
amiable time-waster, but it's entertaining and I would like to see it again
sometime.  That won't be soon, as I seem to have stumbled over the only TCM
showing in either January or February.

Jazz fans, remember that TCM will be showing It's Trad, Dad again on January
29.

Regards,
Dave Stoddard
Round Rock, TX