St. Louis Blues (1929): cast, story & where to watch
1929 · Film · ★ 5
Released in 1929, St. Louis Blues is a drama and music film directed by Dudley Murphy, running about 16 minutes. “Queen of the Blues” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. In this all-black cast short, legendary blues singer Bessie Smith finds her gambler lover Jimmy messin' with a pretty, younger woman; he leaves and she sings the blues, with chorus and dancers.
Who’s in it. St. Louis Blues stars Bessie Smith as Bessie - Battered Wife, James P. Johnson as Piano Player (uncredited), Alec Lovejoy as Gambler (uncredited) and Jimmy Mordecai as Jimmy the Pimp, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 5.0/10, St. Louis Blues has proved divisive with audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Cohen Media Amazon Channel and Artiflix and rent or buy it from Amazon Video. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch St. Louis Blues page.
If you liked it. Fans of St. Louis Blues tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch St. Louis Blues (1929)?
- In US, St. Louis Blues is available to stream on Cohen Media Amazon Channel and Artiflix, and rent or buy from Amazon Video. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is St. Louis Blues worth watching?
- St. Louis Blues holds an audience score of 5.0 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama and music. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in St. Louis Blues?
- St. Louis Blues stars Bessie Smith, James P. Johnson, Alec Lovejoy, Jimmy Mordecai and Isabel Washington.
- When was St. Louis Blues released?
- St. Louis Blues was released in 1929, with a runtime of about 16 minutes.