‘Hi-De-Ho’ is an all-around American film that was released in 1947. It has a giant jazzy touch due to its star, Calloway who dominated the jazz scene in the center. Directed by Josh Binney, it also flaunts the bright excellence jazz contained during that period. Synopsis Based on real-life events, the lead character Minnie Calloway has anger issues because her boyfriend Cab Calloway is in demand due to his spin on women. He is a band leader and because of his band, he gets involved in gangster troubles and night clubs. In simpler words, Cab Calloway played Minnie’s boyfriend who was all British, jealous and conceited. With sparking violence and heated exchanges with club owners, the film ends on a high note with fantastic music directed by Calloway. Cast & Crew -Cab Calloway as Himself -Ida James as Nettie -Jeni Le Gon as Minnie -William Campbell as Sparks -George Wiltshire as Boss Mason Observed by Jinan Jones, the film casts Calloway’s orchestra that starred such musicians as Milt Hinton.
Critical Reception
With an average rating of 5.8 on IMDb, “Hi-De-Ho” appears to have received mixed reviews from the audiences as is evident in the audience score of 29 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. However, critics have remarked that the most interesting thing about the film which has an uncomplicated storyline, is that it is undoubtedly a reflection of Calloway and his music, and that there is Calloway’s jazz culture at that time during that period of cinema.
Cultural Significance
The film offers a great perspective and reflection of the African American entertainment profession back in the forties. The movie is quite reflective of jazz back then and of Cab Calloway as an early African American star. Hi-De-Ho plays a great role in the restoration of cultural history so that the people of this age are able to relate with the surviving music and social order of those times.
Viewing Information
“Hi-De-Ho” can be watched on Tubi TV as long as the adverts are not an issue as it is available for free with a commercial frequency, this same movie can also be seen on Youtube with less stress.