''Dixie'' is a 1943 American

biographical film A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or group of people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from Docudrama, docudrama films ...

of composer and songwriter

Daniel Decatur Emmett Daniel Decatur Emmett (October 29, 1815June 28, 1904) was an American composer, entertainer, and founder of the first troupe of the blackface minstrel tradition, the Virginia Minstrels. He is most remembered as the composer of the song " Dixie" ...

directed by

A. Edward Sutherland Albert Edward Sutherland (January 5, 1895 – December 31, 1973) was a British-born film director and actor. Born in London, he was from a theatrical family. His father, Al Sutherland, was a theatre manager and producer and his mother, Julie Rin ...

and starring

Bing Crosby Harry Lillis "Bing" Crosby Jr. (May 3, 1903 – October 14, 1977) was an American singer, comedian, entertainer and actor. The first multimedia star, he was one of the most popular and influential musical artists of the 20th century worldwi ...

and

Dorothy Lamour Dorothy Lamour (born Mary Leta Dorothy Slaton; December 10, 1914 – September 22, 1996) was an American actress and singer. She is best remembered for having appeared in the ''Road to...'' movies, a series of successful comedies starring Bing C ...

. Filmed in

Technicolor Technicolor is a family of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes. The first version, Process 1, was introduced in 1916, and improved versions followed over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black-and ...

, ''Dixie'' was a box-office hit, and introduced one of Crosby's most popular songs, " Sunday, Monday, or Always". Critical reception to the film was mixed, however. Dixie contains depictions that would be offensive to 21st century audiences – most notably, Crosby’s performance in

blackface Blackface is the practice of performers using burned cork, shoe polish, or theatrical makeup to portray a caricature of black people on stage or in entertainment. Scholarship on the origins or definition of blackface vary with some taking a glo ...

for several musical numbers. The film is now owned by Universal Studios, Inc., which does not make it available for purchase or streaming.

Plot

Dan Emmett and Jean are seated beneath a spreading magnolia tree in the garden of her home while he sings "Sunday, Monday or Always". The house is seen on fire, and though Dan rushes off to the fire-house for assistance, it is burned down. Jean's angry father blames Dan for leaving his pipe in the hall, and forbids Dan from seeing his daughter again. Dan says that he wants to marry Jean after he has become successful as an actor and composer, but Mason is so sure that Dan will fail he says that he will agree to the marriage if Dan returns successful within six months. Dan leaves for New Orleans, and on the river boat sings "

Swing Low, Sweet Chariot "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot" is an African-American spiritual song and one of the best-known Christian hymns. Originating in early African-American musical traditions, the song was probably composed in the late 1860s by Wallace Willis and his d ...

". He encounters another entertainer, Mr. Bones, who cheats him at cards and wins his 500 dollars. It is not until after Bones has left the boat that Dan discovers the cards are faked, but he meets him again in New Orleans and demands the return of his money. Bones denies cheating, but offers to put Dan in his act. Unable to pay for a meal they have in a restaurant, they are assaulted, and suffer black eyes. Bones takes Dan to the boarding house owned by Mr. Cook and his daughter Millie. Neither Bones nor two other boarders can pay the rent arrears demanded by Millie, and she refuses to let Dan stay, until Mr. Cook intervenes to tell Bones that the manager of the local Maxwell Theatre has said Bones could try out his act that evening. The other two boarders sing "Laughing Tony" to Bones, but he refuses to let them join his act. Dan reminds Bones of his promise that he should be in the act, but Bones insists that his act is a single, until Millie threatens to lock him in his room unless all four appear. She suggests that to cover their battered features they should use black make-up. On stage, the four sing " Old Dan Tucker" and "The Last Rose of Summer", introduce minstrel-style patter, and Dan sings "She's From Missouri". They are successful, and Millie becomes attracted to Dan who, however, tells her about Jean. The act continues to do well and is enlarged to a twenty-four artist minstrel show, with Mr. Cook joining as the only white-faced member. Although Dan is also attracted to Millie, he tells her he will remain loyal to Jean and Millie, in a fit of pique, agrees to marry Bones. The new minstrel show opens: the Company sings "Minstrel Show" and "

Buffalo Gals "Buffalo Gals" is a traditional American song, published as "Lubly Fan" in 1844 by the blackface minstrel John Hodges, who performed as "Cool White". Whilst the song is often attributed to John Hodges it is likely to have a history that pre-dat ...

", while Dan sings "A Horse That Knows the Way Back Home". At a celebration supper, Dan and Millie make up their quarrel, but the sound of fire bells and a burning theatre, caused by Dan's pipe, puts them all out of a job. Dan returns to his home-town to find that Jean has been stricken with paralysis and will never walk again. He insists on going through with the marriage, and they travel to New York City. In New Orleans, Bones again asks Millie to marry him, and they learn that the theatre will be repaired in three weeks' time. When Dan sings his new song, "If You Please", to Jean, she suggests that he tries to sell his songs, but a publisher refuses "

Dixie Dixie, also known as Dixieland or Dixie's Land, is a nickname for all or part of the Southern United States. While there is no official definition of this region (and the included areas have shifted over the years), or the extent of the area i ...

" when Dan sings it for him. He manages, however, to sell ten other songs for 100 dollars, but refuses to part with "Dixie" when he is offered only one dollar for it. Mr. Cook arrives and tells Jean of Dan's success in New Orleans, inadvertently revealing the situation between Millie and Dan. Cook urges Dan to return to New Orleans and join a new show of forty artists; when Jean supports this plea, Dan agrees. On their arrival in New Orleans, Millie is still angry with Dan, but realises the true situation when she sees that Jean is an invalid. The new Minstrel Show is booked into the Opera House for three months, but when "Dixie" is sung by one of the minstrels, it is not well received. Jean suggests that it should be played at a quicker tempo, but Dan disagrees. Jean, under the impression that Dan is in love with Millie, tells her servant, Lucius, to place a letter of farewell in Dan's dressing room. The show proceeds, and Dan sings "Sunday, Monday or Always" with the company. While the minstrels sing "She's From Missouri", Millie, backstage, tells Bones that she will marry him that night and breaks the news to Jean. On stage, Dan and the company sing "Dixie" while his pipe, once again left lying around, starts a fire. As the tempo of the song speeds up, the entire audience joins in the rousing chorus. The fire burns Dan's dressing room and Jean's valedictory letter.

Cast

as Daniel Decatur Emmett *

as Millie Cook *

Billy De Wolfe William Andrew Jones (February 18, 1907 – March 5, 1974), better known as Billy De Wolfe, was an American character actor. He was active in films from the mid-1940s until his death in 1974. Early life and early stage career Born William Andrew ...

as Mr. Bones *

Marjorie Reynolds Marjorie Reynolds ( Goodspeed; August 12, 1917 – February 1, 1997) was an American film and television actress who appeared in more than 50 films, including the 1942 musical ''Holiday Inn'', in which she and Bing Crosby introduced the song " ...

as Jean Mason *

Lynne Overman Lynne Overman (September 19, 1887 – February 19, 1943) was an American actor. In films he often played a sidekick. Early life and career Born in Maryville, Missouri,Aaker, Everett (2013). George Raft: The Films'. Jefferson, NC: McFarland ...

as Mr. Whitlock * Eddie Foy, Jr. as Mr. Felham *

Raymond Walburn Raymond Walburn (September 9, 1887 – July 26, 1969) was an American character actor of stage and screen who appeared in dozens of Hollywood movie comedies and an occasional dramatic role during the 1930s and 1940s. Life and career Born ...

as Mr. Cook * Grant Mitchell as Mr. Mason *

Clara Blandick Clara Blandick (born Clara Blanchard Dickey; June 4, 1876 – April 15, 1962) was an American character, film, stage and theater actress who portrayed Aunt Em in Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's '' The Wizard of Oz'' (1939). As a character actress, ...

as Mrs. Mason * Tom Herbert as Homer *

Olin Howland Olin Ross Howland (February 10, 1886 – September 20, 1959) was an American film and theatre actor. Life and career Howland was born in Denver, Colorado, to Joby A. Howland, one of the youngest enlisted participants in the Civil War, an ...

as Mr. Deveraux (as Olin Howlin) *

Robert Warwick Robert Warwick (born Robert Taylor Bien; October 9, 1878 – June 6, 1964) was an American stage, film and television actor with over 200 film appearances. A matinee idol during the silent film era, he also prospered after the introduction ...

as Mr. LaPlant *

Stanley Andrews Stanley Martin Andrews (born Andrzejewski; August 28, 1891 – June 23, 1969) was an American actor perhaps best known as the voice of Daddy Warbucks on the radio program ''Little Orphan Annie'' and later as "The Old Ranger", the first host of ...

as Mr. Masters *

Norma Varden Norma Varden Shackleton (20 January 1898 – 19 January 1989), known professionally as Norma Varden, was an English-American actress with a long film career. Life and career Early life Born in London, the daughter of a retired sea captain ...

as Mrs. La Plant * James Burke as Riverboat captain * George H. Reed as Lucius *

Harry Barris Harry Barris (November 24, 1905 – December 13, 1962) was an American popular singer and songwriter. He was one of the earliest singers to use " scat singing" in recordings. Barris, one of Paul Whiteman's Rhythm Boys, along with Bing Crosby an ...

as Drummer *

Jimmy Conlin Jimmy Conlin (October 14, 1884 – May 7, 1962) was an American character actor who appeared in almost 150 films in his 32-year career. Career Conlin was born in Camden, New Jersey in 1884, and his acting career started in vaudeville. He ...

as Publisher * George Anderson as Publisher * Harry C. Bradley as Publisher *

Dell Henderson George Adelbert "Dell" Henderson (July 5, 1877 – December 2, 1956) was a Canadian-American actor, film director, director, and writer. He began his long and prolific film career in the early days of silent film. Biography Born in the southwest ...

as Stage manager *

Willie Best William Best (May 27, 1916 – February 27, 1962), known professionally as Willie Best or Sleep 'n' Eat, was an American television and film actor. Best was one of the first African American film actors and comedians to become well known ...

as Steward * Tom Kennedy as Barkeeper * Carl Switzer as Boy

Reception

The film was placed at No. 10 in the list of top-grossing movies for 1943 in the USA, but nevertheless, it got a mixed reception. ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' said: "Dixie is a Technicolorful money-getter, ideal for the summer b.o. It has charm, lightness, good new songs by Johnny Burke and

Jimmy Van Heusen James Van Heusen (born Edward Chester Babcock; January 26, 1913 – February 6, 1990) was an American composer. He wrote songs for films, television, and theater, and won an Emmy and four Academy Award for Best Original Song, Academy Awards for ...

, the classic oldies by Dan Emmett ('Dixie'), and some spirituals such as 'Swing Low Sweet Chariot.' And it has Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour for the marquee...The new songs are clicko. 'Sunday, Monday and Always' and 'She's From Missouri' are Hit Parade material, and the Negro spiritual on the riverboat was effectively introduced by Crosby... Per usual, Crosby is in high with his vocalizing. Whether it's 'Dixie' or the new

Tin Pan Alley Tin Pan Alley was a collection of History of music publishing, music publishers and songwriters in New York City that dominated the American popular music, popular music of the United States in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Originally ...

interpolations, the crooner is never from Dixie when it comes to lyric interpretations. The weaker the film vehicles, the greater is the impact of the Crosby technique. . . .Crosby now is as standard among the male singing toppers as the

Four Freedoms The Four Freedoms were goals articulated by U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt on Monday, January 6, 1941. In an address known as the Four Freedoms speech (technically the 1941 State of the Union address), he proposed four fundamental freed ...

, and today he shapes up more and more as the

Will Rogers William Penn Adair Rogers (November 4, 1879 – August 15, 1935) was an American vaudeville performer, actor, and humorous social commentator. He was born as a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, in the Indian Territory (now part of Oklahoma ...

-type of solid American actor-citizen. He enjoys a stature, especially because of his radio programs, enjoyed by no other singing star in show business..."

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though some ...

, writing in ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' was not impressed, saying, inter alia: "Gentlemen (and ladies), be seated—at the Paramount Theatre that is to say—if you are interested in some old-time minstrel capers tossed off in a

film. For songs and jigs and funny sayings are what Paramount is delivering about 40 per cent of the time in a ruffled and reminiscent picture entitled 'Dixie' which came to that theatre yesterday. Otherwise, the remainder of the picture is mainly and not so spiritedly absorbed in a largely fictitious story of Dan Emmett, the original 'Virginia Minstrels' man and the author of the rousing song "Dixie"— a role which the old booper, Bing Crosby, plays... And when Bashful Bing is warbling such sparkless but adequate songs as "Sunday, Monday or Always", "She's from Missouri" or "A Horse That Knows the Way Back Home", it is easy to sit back and listen. There is also a dash of liveliness in the wholly apocryphal climax which pretends to show how "Dixie" was born. But when the story goes weakly meandering into a pointless, confused romance between Dan and a New Orleans hoyden, played airily by Dorothy Lamour, and then marries him off to an old sweetheart who is crippled (Marjorie Reynolds), it is labored and dull... Mr. De Wolfe, with some coaching, might do in an amateur show, but he is definitely a minus quantity in a spot generally filled by Bob Hope. Indeed, the fact is that none of the picture has the jubilatory spirit and dash that should go with an old-time minstrel story. There's a great movie in that subject yet. And Paramount had a nerve to make a picture in which Bing — and he alone — has one hit song."

Soundtrack

*" Sunday, Monday, or Always" sung by Bing Crosby *"

" sung by Bing Crosby *"Laughing Tony" (

/ Johnny Burke) sung by Eddie Foy, Jr. and Lynne Overman *" Old Dan Tucker" sung by Bing Crosby, Billy De Wolfe, Eddie Foy, Jr. and Lynne Overman *" The Last Rose of Summer" sung by Bing Crosby, Billy De Wolfe, Eddie Foy, Jr. and Lynne Overman *"She's from Missouri" (Jimmy Van Heusen / Johnny Burke) sung by Bing Crosby and again by chorus *"

Minstrel Show The minstrel show, also called minstrelsy, was an American form of theater developed in the early 19th century. The shows were performed by mostly white actors wearing blackface makeup for the purpose of portraying racial stereotypes of Afr ...

" sung by chorus *"

" sung by chorus *"A Horse That Knows the Way Back Home" (Jimmy Van Heusen / Johnny Burke) sung by Bing Crosby *"If You Please" (Jimmy Van Heusen / Johnny Burke) sung by Bing Crosby *"

" sung by Bing Crosby and again by chorus Two other songs, "Kinda Peculiar Brown" and "Miss Jemima Walks By", were written for the film by Burke and Van Heusen, but not used. Bing Crosby recorded two of the songs for

Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis after his acquisition of a gramophone manufacturer, The Decca Gramophone Company. It set up an American subsidiary under the Decca name, which bec ...

. "Sunday, Monday, or Always" topped the ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...

'' charts for seven weeks, and "If You Please" also charted, with a peak position of no. 5 in a 12-week stay. Crosby's songs were also included in the ''

Bing's Hollywood The ''Bing's Hollywood'' series was a Decca Records 15-album set by American singer Bing Crosby of commercial recordings of songs used in his films from 1934 to 1956. Numbered in order from Decca DL4250 to DL4264, the LPs included "Easy to Rememb ...

'' series.

References

External links

* {{A. Edward Sutherland 1943 musical films 1943 films Blackface minstrel shows and films Films directed by A. Edward Sutherland Films set in New Orleans Paramount Pictures films American musical films American biographical films 1940s biographical films 1940s English-language films 1940s American films English-language musical films English-language biographical films