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6.9/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.9/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Blue of the Night remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, only if you are a completionist for early musical shorts or a die-hard Bing fan. If you are looking for a tight comedy or a coherent plot, you might want to look elsewhere. It is essentially a string of songs held together by a thread of confusion.
The whole thing feels like a fever dream of the 1930s. Everyone is talking at twice the speed of a normal human being, and the plot holes are big enough to drive a Model T through. I kind of loved it for that.
Bing is just… Bing. He wanders through the scenes with that classic, relaxed charm that makes you wonder if he even knew where the cameras were half the time. It is a far cry from the dramatic weight he would later carry in films like The Broken Melody, but here he is just happy to be singing on a train.
The setting is basically one cramped train car where people keep popping in and out of doors. It reminded me a bit of the chaotic energy in A Full House, where the geography of the room seems to change every time someone walks through a doorway.
There is this one moment where a character walks in, gets confused, and walks back out within three seconds. It felt less like a scripted beat and more like someone realized they were in the wrong shot. It’s charming, honestly.
If you have spent any time watching stuff like The Taxi Dancer, you know the drill. It is all about the vibe, not the logic. Don't go in expecting some deep commentary on fame or identity. It is just a guy singing songs to get out of a jam.
Some of the supporting cast are clearly trying to carry the weight of the humor, and sometimes it works, sometimes it’s just noisy. It is not as polished as My Gal Sal, but it does not pretend to be. It’s a scrappy little piece of history. 🚂
I found myself zoning out during the dialogue and just waiting for the next musical number. Is that bad? Maybe. But in a movie like this, the music is the only thing that feels real.