Al Jackson Movies

Fans of TV's Amos 'N' Andy series ought to get a big kick out of the black-oriented musical Boy! What a Girl. The "girl" in question, a winsome lass named Bumpsie, is played by none other than Tim "Kingfish" Moore! The story concerns two fly-by-night Harlem producers (Elwood Smith, Duke Williams) who hope to produce a hit Broadway play. Our heroes manage to line up a potential backer, who agrees to bankroll the show only if another backer puts up half the money. The producers engage the services of a female impersonator (Tim Moore) to pose as the second backer-and as a result, they end up with the homeliest "leading lady" in show-biz history. The rest of the film is a vaudeville-style parade of such black specialty acts as the Sid Catlett Orchestra, the Slam Stewart Trio and Deek Watson's Brown Dots. Highlights include a startlingly suggestive dance routine by the International Jitterbugs and a drum solo by Gene Krupa, the only white member of the cast. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi