Bessie Smith is just... wow in St. Louis Blues

You should absolutely watch this today if you have 16 minutes to spare and want to see what a real legend looks like. If you like music history or just want to see someone act with their whole soul, this is it. But if you can't stand old, scratchy audio or movies where the acting feels like a stage play, you'll probly hate it.

It is wild to think this is the only movie Bessie Smith ever did. Just one. She’s so big on screen, and I don't mean her size, I mean her vibe.

The plot is basically nothing. Her guy, Jimmy, is a total creep who is cheating on her with a younger woman. He literally kicks Bessie to the floor and leaves her there to steal her money. It's mean and fast.

Most of the movie is just set in this one room. It feels small. Like a box. 📦

But when she starts singing, the room doesn't matter anymore. She’s leaning against the bar, holding a glass, and she looks wrecked. You can see the sweat. Or maybe it's just the old lights they used back then, but it looks real.

The way she sings "St. Louis Blues" isn't like the polished versions you hear now. It's heavy. It's got dirt on it.

There is this huge choir that pops up out of nowhere. It’s the Hall Johnson Choir, and they start humming and singing behind her. It's kind of weird because they are all just standing there in the shadows like ghosts. 👻

It makes the whole bar feel like it’s floating in space or something. One guy is even playing a saw. A saw! It makes this wobbly, spooky sound that fits perfectly with her voice.

The movie is from 1929, so the sound is pretty rough. Sometimes the voices don't quite match the lips. It’s like watching a badly dubbed kung-fu movie but with more sadness. It doesn't really matter though because you get the point.

Jimmy, the boyfriend, wears this suit that looks way too expensive for a guy living in a dive bar. He’s got these spats on his shoes. He looks like he wandered off the set of The Marriage Market or something.

When he comes back at the end, he dances with her for a second. He's just doing it to get her money again. He's so slick it's gross.

Bessie’s face when he leaves the second time... man. She doesn't even cry. She just looks empty. It’s better acting than half the stuff I saw in Cleopatra or those other huge silent epics.

I noticed this one extra in the background who is just staring at the camera for like five seconds. He looks confused. Probably wondering why this lady is singing so loud.

The camera doesn't move much. It just sits there and watches. It’s very static. But since Bessie is the center of everything, it works. You don't need fancy shots when you have her.

The way the beer spills on the floor when Jimmy knocks her down... it stays there for the whole scene. A big wet patch. It’s a tiny detail but it made the room feel gross and real.

There is a lot of laughing and shouting in the background that feels a bit forced. Like the director told everyone "Okay, now act like you're having a party!" and they all just started waving their arms. It’s a bit goofy.

But then the music starts again. And everything else stops being funny. The choir gets louder and it feels like a church service for people who have given up.

I wonder what would have happened if she made more movies. She had this way of looking right through the lens. It's intense. Most actors back then were either too stiff or too wild with their hands, but she just is.

It’s a short film, so it ends abruptly. No big wrap-up. Just her alone again. 🥃

It’s not a masterpiece of storytelling. It’s basically a music video from a hundred years ago. But it’s got more heart than most two-hour dramas I’ve sat through lately.

If you're looking for something like The Little Intruder or a cute comedy, keep moving. This is pure heartbreak.

The audio hiss is constant. It sounds like rain. After a while, you just stop hearing it and only hear her. Which is probably how it felt to be in that room.

Anyway, go watch it on YouTube or wherever. It's free usually. It's a piece of history that actually feels alive.