source: Kansas City

Trailer—Kansas City

Kansas City

The movie was obviously a musical satire of the political and social conditions in Americain that era (and to some degree today. Even if Altman did experience it first hand, he it he obviously did research and wrote as well as directed a movie that was right on the money. I found everyone's performance to be excellent and if you could not understand some of Belafontes lines it didn't detract from his role, nor did the performances of the rest of the cast as the movie was meant to make you think............as well as be entertained. As for a story line..........unless you know nothing of the past........it was right in your face.

One can be tempted to read a lot into this film and Altman's childhood. He grew up in Kansas City and I am sure some of the details of the film are influenced by that. However, I tend to think of this as a minor variation on Thieves Like Us (a much better film) and I can understand why some might find this film too leisurely. Like most of Altman's films the plot is incidental-and in this case highly predictable-and the characters are not the most complex characters Altman developed. The film instead is mood piece with a hefty does of improv at its core. The best aspect of the film is the jazz interludes. There is a song competition playing out in the background of the story (much of the film is in a Black owned club/bar) and besides the music being wonderful it captures the tenor the film is going for completely. With that said, the acting is- as always with Altman - wonderful.

This movie does a good job of portraying a 1930s Kansas City of mobsters, racial unrest, petty criminals and jazz, and if all it took to make a good movie was atmosphere then this would be a great film. But all this movie has is atmosphere, and it's not enough. I'm not a big fan of Altman (I like about 1 out of every 15 of his movies) but I watch anything Jennifer Jason Leigh is in, so I had to watch it. Leigh is fine but this is not one of those electric performances that has made me such a fan. I don't think it's possible to bring any electricity to this lumbering creature. I was incredibly bored throughout and only kept watching out of a vague curiosity as to how it would all turn out, but at the final I felt heavy and almost paralyzed with boredom and disinterest. I'd say this is for Altman fans only.

One night in 1934, in Kansas City, Blondie O'Hara (Jennifer Jason Lee) kidnaps Carolyn Stilton (Miranda Richardson), the wife of an eminent politician, trying to save her husband Johnny (Dermot Mulroney) from the claws of the gangster Seldon Seen (Harry Belafonte). Many events, as usual in a Robert Altman movie, happen along this night. This movie has a beautiful reconstitution of this period, some jazz songs, but the plot is too short for a running time of 116 minutes. Therefore, there are many parts very boring, or highlight in minor plots. My vote is six.

Kansas City is absolutely stunning! Jazz is played practically throughout the entire movie, and one scene in particular could have gone on forever as far as I'm concerned. You'll know which scene I mean when you see it! A real get up and jump 10 minutes or so. Jennifer Jason Leigh was at her best. It was a complex role and her development of the character was incredible. Belefonte was chilling! Altman really picked up a sense of the time and place. This is a must see for jazz fans.

This film is so deceptively constructed that it took me a few viewings to completely get it. Not the most inviting recommendation for a film, but even at first look, there is much to enjoy. The music is superb, the performances outlandish and entertaining, and the take on politics and race relations truly incisive. For example, kidnapping really was a political tool in 1930's Kansas City; Blondie's (Jennifer Jason Leigh) real crime is kidnapping a politician's wife for personal reasons. Though his contempt for romanticism is truly bitter, this remains one of Altman's best films.