Kansas City (1996) User Reviews

Rich Textured Visuals

[Lechuguilla · 6/10 · 12 February 2012]

A kidnapping and a robbery move the plot forward in a film that's less about plot than about cultural ambiance. "Kansas City" is mostly a cinematic expression of place and time. It's 1934, when gangsters and jazz ruled and Blacks and Whites went their separate ways.

Visuals are very dark. And though the film is in color, tints are muted, which conveys a nostalgic, sentimental mood. The thin plot takes place largely at night. And the plot alternates with dark interior scenes at the Hey Hey Club, a risqué, all-Black speakeasy where an all-Black band jives free-form jazz, and where illegal gambling fills the back rooms.

None of the characters are sympathetic. But I don't think they're supposed to be. They're archetypes, models of desperate people in desperate times. A gun-wielding gangster's girl named Blondie (Jennifer Jason Leigh) wants to be like Jean Harlow. Mrs. Stilton (Miranda Richardson) is a wealthy, spaced-out politician's wife. Seldom Seen (based on a real-life person and played by Harry Belafonte) is the cigar smoking godfather who rules the dark, smoky Hey Hey Club with an iron fist and who likes to stand around giving lectures to people.

The script's dialogue is mostly subtext, with message directed less at other characters than at viewers. And, as in other Altman films, then-current politics dance around the edges of the seedy story. The overall tone mixes depression with desperation.

For me this is an easy film to judge. The characters and plot I cared for not at all. Jennifer Jason Leigh was painful to watch. And though the jazz is performed with great competence, its free-form, improvisational style is too contemporary to reflect the 1930s. On the other hand, Miranda Richardson gives a fine performance. Attention to detail in costumes, sets, props, and storefront exteriors make the film come alive with era realism. And lighting is absolutely terrific.

If you go into this movie expecting a deep story and well-constructed plot, you'll be disappointed. Absorb the overall texture of the film's visuals. "Kansas City" is a terrific visual portrait of a specific place at a specific time.

Belafonte Fine, Music Even Better--But Central Miscasting Dooms It!

[museumofdave · 7/10 · 14 March 2013]

Like the films of Orson Welles, Federico Fellini or Woody Allen, there's almost always a reason to watch, even if the completed whole doesn't quite add up to the sum of it's parts. Kansas City fits that bill for me.

Altman weaves his usual rich tapestry of lives affected by history in a city alive with jazz and political chicanery, and Kansas City is worth watching for the unexpectedly mesmerizing performance by Harry Belafonte as "Seldom Seen," mobster boss.

The jazz on display is equally dazzling, but just when your mind is settling into some rich, heady music, the film cuts back to the deadly, mannered, whiny performance turned in by Jennifer Jason Leigh; when most film fans recall the disaster that became Godfather III, the director's indulgence of the lackluster performance turned in by Sofia Coppola comes to mind; Leigh's performance similarly affects the tone of Kansas City, and since she is the protagonist, the film's interest flags with her director-free indulgence in some kind of method acting that fails to evoke much but self-indulgence.

In short, Kansas City is well worth a look for superb mise-en-scene,for the music and atmosphere, but is deeply frustrating for it's central performance.

All that jazz

[jotix100 · 6/10 · 4 May 2005]

Robert Altman, perhaps one of the most innovative directors, working in Hollywood pays homage to his home town: Kansas City. Mr. Altman recreates a long gone era that he probably didn't know that well, being only a child at the time the action takes place. It seems as though the allure of the period made a vivid mark in the director's mind, as he takes us, with this film, for a long over due visit. Make no mistake, this is not another "Nashville", quite the contrary. The only similarity is the title that reflects a city name. As written by the director and Frank Barhydt, the film succeeds in creating the atmosphere, but as far as the story line goes, it has the quality to disorient, even the most avid of Mr. Altman's fans.

What Kansas City lacks in story line, it makes up with the glorious music that serves as compensation with the thinness of the material one sees on the screen. The music is the best excuse to watch the movie that showcases an excellent group of musicians playing heavenly in between the action.

Mr. Altman's choice of Jennifer Jason Leigh as Blondie, is probably what's wrong with the film. This actress mumbles her lines, plays Blondie as strident woman and manages to derail the film. On the other hand, Miranda Richardson's Carolyn Stilton gives her one of the best roles in her career. Ms. Richardson appears to be on a cloud most of the time because of her opium addiction. She makes us care for her portrayal of this society woman that needs all the help she can get. Having it all, she can't cope with being married to a cold man that couldn't care less about her. Where other lonely wives resort to drinking, Mrs. Stilton gets away from it all with drugs.

Harry Belafonte plays the local gangster in charge of illegal gambling that evidently was prevalent in the city. His Seldom Seen character is at times inaudible by the way he throws his lines. Sometimes we have to strain our ears in order to hear what he is saying. Mr. Belafonte is a fine actor. As far as Dermot Mulroney and Steve Buscemi are concerned, they have not much to play in the movie to make us care for them. The supporting roles are good.

In spite of this movie not being one of Robert Altman's best, it presents a fine opportunity to absorb the atmosphere and the music of the era, oh, and all that jazz!

pretty good movie with amazing music

[dblaa2000 · 18 June 2004]

I happen to like this film... apparently quite a bit more than most people. I even still have a copy of it on VHS somewhere. First and foremost is the music. Absolutely INCREDIBLE old time jazz. The best scene to me is clearly the 'battle' between the sax players at the club. The music in the club throughout the movie and the background score during the non-club scenes is about as good as it gets. And I'm not really a huge jazz guy though I have always liked the Miles Davis - John Coltrane type stuff. This is my favorite non - Angelo Badalamente (sp?)film score. Seriously, see this flick just for the music alone.

And, see it for Miranda Richardson who is AWESOME in this movie. I think she really steals the show in this one. J. Jason Leigh is solid and plays the part of a not too bright, not very successful midwest girl decently. Also, Harry Belafonte is great as Seldom Seen and he just looks and sounds the part so well. Steve Buscemi, Dermot Mulroney and the woman who plays J. Jason Leigh's sister are all quite good in supporting roles, and Michael Murphy is perfect for the part of the slightly confused, yet somewhat powerful husband to the kidnapped Richardson character.

The clothes, cars, and look of the film is nicely done (cmon it IS an Altman picture!!!) and really does make you feel as if you are in Missouri circa 1935-1940. Add to that a slightly twisted ending and you have a really good and def. underrated film that I really want to see again... on DVD this time to REALLY crank up the music scenes. I give Kansas City 7.5/10

It was a great experience!

[woogaboo · 7/10 · 21 November 2006]

I was an extra in the film and it was an illuminating experience. We shot the Union Station scenes in 98 degree heat (no AC) and in winter costumes! I was wearing a wool dress, real silk stockings, leather heels and a BEAVER coat! Oh yes, and I was 6 months pregnant! Despite the sweat involved, it was a blast and I am glad I had the experience. Not only was I paid to be in a film, but the caterer was fabulous, the people were very interesting, and it's cool that I can see myself on the screen. I would let my kids see it, but 90% of the movie isn't exactly kid- friendly! I was sorry to hear of Mr. Altman's death - he was one in a trillion. Glad so many people enjoyed the film...

A Beautiful Reconstitution of a Period, in a Too Long Movie

[claudio_carvalho · 6/10 · 8 December 2003]

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.

A question about the ending

[ap1704 · 7/10 · 28 March 2006]

These comments about the movie and a question. I enjoyed the movie, the music , and the "feel" of the film. It seemed very authentic: the sets, the lighting, costumes and the extras in the background. Also the social atmosphere that was presented in the film of class, race and economics was very effective. I was mesmerized watching as the film progressed. However, I am at a lost as to what it was about when it got to the end. Can anyone please explain the ending? I saw the movie twice and must have missed something. Why did the politician's wife kill the crook's wife? How did her husband know that this would happen and was outside the house waiting for his wife, who wordlessly gets in the car with him. Thanks.

In true Altman fashion...a very good film... longer than it needed to be

[seanhmoss6 · 6/10 · 22 October 2021]

I really have only enjoyed about less than half of Altman's films. He always delivers a fantastic cast because they all want to work with him. The stories are pretty good. I'm pretty sure his films appeal to film students. I'm not that guy.

Too many soliloquies, slow pacing.

I did love the soundtrack/score. I always love to see Jennifer Jason Leigh. I did recognize the jazz Easter Egg, as I'm sure many people did. Personally, I would have liked to see that thread pursued.

At any rate, there is plenty to enjoy about this movie.

WATCH THIS MOVIE.

A Fantastic Film with a Bonus of Great Music

[aimless-46 · 9/10 · 27 April 2005]

Bottom line, whether you love or hate "Kansas City" will depend on your reaction to Jennifer Jason Leigh's performance. Leigh's character Blondie anchors the story as a desperate wife trying to save her husband from the gangsters he tried to rob. Leigh looks great in this role, she is fit and trim which makes her face cuter and her character more fragile looking. The contrast between her almost angelic appearance and her tough persona is intentional because the toughness is an affectation, qualities she has adopted because she loves her husband and they are a turn-on for him.

Her's is the key performance of the film, the twist is her emulation of Kansas City native Jean Harlow ("The Public Enemy" and "Girl from Missoui"). Watch Harlow in "Red Headed Woman" and you will see the incredible physical resemblance between the two actresses. Personally I found it both touching and humorous; her character worthy of the brave heroine hall of fame. But it is almost a caricature and some viewer will be put off by this tiny woman talking so tough.

As in "Nashville", there are great songs (but jazz rather than country) throughout the film. It is important to realize that "Blondie's" behavior is intended to mirror the "cutting contests" between the jazz musicians on-stage at the club. Just as the musicians borrow from one another and weave each others stuff into what they are improvising, "Blondie" borrows from the movies and weaves Harlow's tough girl phrases and expressions into her conversation.

Leigh and Miranda Richardson spend most of the film in each other's company. Although Richardson's character is doped up on laudanum (tincture of opium) most of the time, you get the idea that she is taking in a lot more of the situation than she is letting on. There is almost a "Thelma and Louise" quality to their relationship, in part because Leigh doing Harlow ends up sounding a lot like Geena Davis doing Geena Davis. The two women are polar opposites in the way they react to the desperation in their lives; one has lost all restraint, the other has lost everything but restraint.

Richardson's character is unexpectedly touching. An emotional bond is subtly forged between the two women as the film proceeds, with Richarson gradually becoming totally protective of her kidnapper. The ending is shocking but you understand the motivation, then looking back you pick up on the various foreshadowing devices that Altman placed throughout the film. He goes out with a bass duet of Duke Ellington's "Solitude" performed by Ron Carter and Christian McBride.

Like many films with downbeat endings, "Kansas City" is destined to be more appreciated 25 years after its release.

A good but slow pace movie!

[gmichael-3 · 6/10 · 2 April 2000]

Maybe "Kansas City" is not one of the best works of Robert Altman. In fact, when we think about Altman we always remember some great moments of him like "Mash", for instance. But Kansas City is a act of courage. Indeed, I think that the gangster era and the first days of jazz are not the kind of theme Altman is really concerned; but he does fine here, with a interesting and sometimes funny plotline and the background music is really remarkable. However, the main problem here is the cast. Although Jennifer Jason Leigh is a good actress, she is far-fetched and unconvincing as Blondie. Just Miranda Richardson hits the target, with a "nuts" performance of Mrs. Stilton.

More like my cup of poison than my cup of tea, but it has a nice soundtrack

[BrandtSponseller · 4/10 · 23 June 2005]

I'm not convinced that this film is not more well-respected just because director Robert Altman's name is attached. Show Kansas City to your average casual film-viewer without letting them know who directed, or you can even let them know, if they're not cineastes and do not know Altman, and I think the average opinion would be much lower. That's not to say there are no positive qualities to the film, but it is far more burdened with flaws, and it's more likely to ultimately annoy rather than entertain.

The story is of course set in Kansas City, during the depression. Blondie O'Hara (Jennifer Jason Leigh) enters the home of socialite Carolyn Stilton (Miranda Richardson) under false pretenses (she says she's there to give Mrs. Stilton her normal manicure) and ends up pulling a gun on her. Mrs. Stilton figures it's just your run-of-the-mill robbery, but O'Hara wants something else. O'Hara's husband, Johnny (Dermot Mulroney), has gotten himself into trouble and Mrs. Stilton's influential husband, Henry (Michael Murphy), an adviser to President Roosevelt, can help him out.

Let me mention the positive aspects of the film first, because otherwise I'll likely run out of room. The primary asset is the film's music. Because of the setting, including that a lot of the film takes place in a black jazz joint, the "Hey Hey Club", the music is jazz during its transitional phase between swing and early bop--heck, even a young Charlie Parker (Albert J. Burnes) is in the film, although the setting has Parker too young to be shown performing (and Parker turns out to be irrelevant to the film). But it does have musicians playing Lester Young, Coleman Hawkins, and Count Basie, and the musicians who perform throughout the film read like all all-star roster of contemporary jazzers, including David Murray, Joshua Redman, David "Fathead" Newman, Ron Carter, Christian McBride, Geri Allen and Victor Lewis. The music is excellent if you're a jazz fan, as Altman must be.

The other asset is that production designer Stephen Altman, the director's son, does an excellent job getting the period setting right. Especially if you're into classic cars of the era, the film will be a treat to watch, but all of the details seem right. The cinematography isn't bad, either.

However, even as good as the music is, it just doesn't work within the context of the film. Most of the musicians can't act but try to. Maybe it's that they weren't directed very well by Altman. He features them on camera too much, and even lingers on them for relatively long songs. A concert film featuring the band would have been great. In the middle of a dramatic film, these shots just feel like padding with bad acting.

The story itself, although relatively simple--too simple, perhaps, is chopped up and told as if it's going to have some big revelation or twist. Altman keeps unnecessarily jumping back and forth in time--but just a few hours, and he keeps unnecessarily jumping back and forth between different sets of characters in the middle of (very) long scenes. I guess he realized the scenes were too long and needed to be broken up. The scenes should have been cut back instead. More should have happened. Far too often, scenes feel like they're stretched out with pointless dialogue just to increase the film's running time.

And the dialogue isn't just pointless. It's loaded with non-sequiturs. I've never experienced laudanum or known anyone who has, but one of the characters, shown as a laudanum user, regularly speaks gibberish. At least that seems to be the excuse for it. It turns out that everyone in the film routinely speaks gibberish as if they're on some kind of heavy drugs. Not every line is like that, but enough are that it's relatively inexplicable. The plot in general has a lot of non-sequiturs. It seems almost as if Altman, who co-wrote the script with Frank Barhydt, was shooting for some kind of bizarre surrealism, except that surrealism seems so out of context for the setting and basic gist of the film, and it's too understated to seem intentional. I just don't get why people in the film would speak and behave so oddly.

Then there are the performances. I've liked Jennifer Jason Leigh in some films--I absolutely love eXistenZ (1999) for example, and she certainly can act like "someone other than herself", which a lot of people seem to use as one of the main criteria for "good acting", but her character here is so annoying that I couldn't wait for the film to be over. She bizarrely barks out her dialogue in a grating accent. When I thought of it upon waking up this morning with my review gelling in my head (I usually watch films at night then think about them while I head off to sleep--reviews often pop up almost fully formed when I awake), I burst out laughing remembering the character. It's something I'd more expect from an alien sketch on a show like MadTV or Saturday Night Live. Imagine Prymatt Conehead with a sour and somewhat hyper Brooklyn attitude.

Harry Belafonte, as the ridiculously named "Seldom Seen", also tended to be annoying--and he probably has more lines than anyone else but Leigh. A number of other characters were primarily annoying, too. The only one I really didn't mind was Miranda Richardson, despite the gibberish, and she's also gorgeous, so she's a treat to watch.

There are a couple good sequences, but they tended to be those focused on "action"--when characters were up and about, doing something rather than sitting in a room and talking, and the climax was great (I even cheered). Unfortunately, those sequences were few and far between. The majority of the film just seems flat and drawn out. My advice is to just buy the soundtrack; avoid the film.

One of Altman's best

[sws-3 · 10/10 · 6 October 1999]

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.

A bonanza for jazz lovers - one of Mr Altman's more personal works

[ianlouisiana · 7/10 · 4 October 2008]

God knows English politics is corrupt,but America seems to have raised duplicity to another level.Wheeling,dealing,threatening,bribing,snouts deep in the trough....I would have to be held at gunpoint before I'd vote for anybody.In the poor black Wards of Kansas City in the mid 1930s it doesn't matter who you vote for,your life is not going to get any better,the successful politico is just going to get richer. With a plot and characters remarkably similar to early Runyon,Mr Altman parallels the development of KC jazz with its turbulent social history. For lovers of Bennie Moten/Count Basie type music the movie is at least an aural treat;for the average moviegoer,"Kansas City" is very much a curate's egg. Unless you are at least familiar with Hawk,Pres,Bird and Jean Harlow your enjoyment of the movie may well be limited to the amount of admiration you have for Mr Altman's more personal work. With all due respect to the acting talent involved,no one apart from the much - maligned Miss J.J. Leigh has much to work with.As "Blondie" she has the only role that actually develops during the course of the film. In an era when movies were enormously influential her conscious morphing into a Jean Harlow persona is touching rather than laughable. With "Kansas City",Mr Altman continued to plough his lonely furrow.That it was not a great commercial success is hardly surprising,but admirers of maverick works will get pleasure from it.Jazz loving moviegoers,themselves to some degree mavericks,scouring the schedules in a usually vain attempt to satisfy both their Joneses,should seize the moment.

atmospheric but slow as dirt

[cherold · 3/10 · 1 July 2005]

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.

Celluloid Jazz

[tieman64 · 4 March 2009]

"You know what I didn't do today? I didn't vote." – Carolyn Stilton

I absolutely hated "Kansas City" upon first viewing. Its pace seemed strange, its flashbacks seemed oddly placed, its camera seemed to dwell on unimportant details and none of its characters seemed to exist to propel any clearly defined story forward. In other words, though I'd seen virtually every other Robert Altman film, "Kansas City" still left me in a state of bewilderment.

But as is often the case with Altman, "Kansas City" began to make sense - in so far as Altman desires to make sense; his films seem to embrace a certain chaos - upon second viewing. Filled with loving shots of jazz musicians, the film is itself a jazzy tone poem, Altman coming at the audience from odd angles, asking us to pick up on his shifting rhythms of plot and character, themes of race, politics, violence and money.

Consider the subtle juxtapositions Altman weaves into the film...

A poor white man (Johnny O'Hara) paints his face black and robs a wealthy black man. Seeking assistance, the black man visits a powerful black crime boss called Seldom Seen. Seldom agrees to help, kidnaps Johnny and kills him.

In contrast, Johnny's wife (Blondie O'Hara) kidnaps a wealthy white woman (Carolyn Stilton) while she applies a white beauty mask. Carolyn is married to Henry Stilton, a powerful politician. Blondie wants Henry to negotiate with the crime lord so that she may get her husband back. Blondie is eventually killed by Carolyn Stilton.

While this drama is unfolding, other characters enter the mix. A young Charlie Parker, years away from musical fame, finds a pregnant black girl. He takes her to a maternity ward. Meanwhile, we learn that Blondie had her baby aborted because Johnny didn't want kids.

Similarly, a poor black cab driver (who helped Johnny stage his robbery) is taken to a back alleyway and killed by Seldom and his gang. In contrast, Henry Stilton's goons kill a white man in broad daylight because he was hampering their efforts to falsify local election ballots.

And so on and on it goes, Altman juxtaposing his jazz notes, "Kansas City" less a linear narrative than a series of contrasting sequences or oppositional musical riffs, some obvious, some subtle, but all revolving around class, race and gender. Blackface paint is mirrored to white beauty cream, black crime lords are mirrored to corrupt white politicians, political thugs are mirrored to violent gangsters, abortions are mirrored to pregnancies, loving marriages are mirrored to loveless couples, poverty is mirrored to power, underground gambling joints and brothels are mirrored to above ground poll booths and ballot stations.

Blondie O'Hara, the young kidnapper, is herself contrasted with Carolyn Stilton, the woman she kidnaps. Blondie loves her husband and would do anything for him. Mrs Stilton, in contrast, is constantly doped up on opium and has long given up on her marriage. Furthermore, Blondie is constantly emulating Kansas City native Jean Harlow, an actress whom she idolises. This notion of "narrative emulation" is itself intended to mirror the "cutting contests" between the jazz musicians sprinkled throughout the film. Just as the musicians borrow from one another and weave each other's material into what they are improvising, Blondie borrows from the movies and weaves Harlow's tough girl phrases and expressions into her conversation.

But Blondie's toughness is all a facade, a suit of armour used to compensate for her petite size and coarse environment. While Blondie gives up her child and is constantly subservient to her husband, it is Carolyn Stilton who possesses true strength. Despite her permanently doped up state, Carolyn constantly gives the impression that she knows more than she's letting on, always absorbing information and assessing her surroundings. Her final line, "I didn't vote", itself lets us know that she has long cut herself off from a venal world which she refuses to legitimize.

And so with "Kansas City" - a film which ends with a crime lord counting money in the dark corners of a jazz club - Altman has abstracted the politics of power and persuasion, threat and privilege. Everything in the film hinges on social power, Altman drawing a clean line between those violent people who wield power and all those pathetic dreamers who try to grab it but never succeed in doing so for more than a fleeting moment.

The political corruption of the city's democratic machine (the country was built on voting fraud and rigged elections; practises common even today), and the expanding influence of Hollywood (and the power of film to seduce and destroy people such as Blondie), is as important to Altman as the racial segregation that produces Kansas City's two worlds: the white world, dominated by the Stilton's, and the inverted black world of Seldom Seen, a vampiric world of music which seems to only come to life long after the surface world has gone to sleep.

The film is also unique in the way it offers jazz music an unprecedented role within the diegetic world. This music is constantly "seeping into" he story, providing a kind of tapestry for the characters to perform against. The result is that the jazz music seems to become intertwined with the very social climate that influences it. Altman himself has said that it was his intention that jazz be the structure of the entire film. Whilst a typical song lasts 3 minutes, a jazz tune lasts as much as 17, the effect being that many of the film's scenes are elongated and purposefully stretched out. "Seldom Seen is like a brass instrument," Altman says, "when it's his turn to solo, he does long monologues and riffs. But the discussions of the two women are like reed instruments, saxophones having duets."

8/10 - Best appreciated as a kind of cinematic jazz, the plot lethargically frustrating as it intrigues.

Recommended for Altmanites

[jcnsoflorida · 7/10 · 21 April 2007]

I basically concur with sws-3 from Albany, though I don't give it a 10-star rating. 'Kansas City' is a period piece from Altman's childhood. Having said that, don't expect it to brim with nostalgia. The director's trademark gentle cynicism is very much in evidence. Of course there is no 'message' but the depiction of race relations is certainly of interest. The whole film is inspired by jazz and could even be viewed as a kind of visual jazz, (with some nasty wallpaper). The ensemble cast is wonderful. Some reviewers complained that the Jason Leigh and Richardson characters did not develop a rapport, but I disagree. People who have liked other Altman films should consider giving this one a chance.

her nutcase performance ruins the film

[christopher-underwood · 6/10 · 20 July 2020]

Bit of an odd one this, apparently Altman was unwell at the time and even had to have a heart transplant later, so maybe he was not fully focused. Much time and effort has been spent on period cars and costumes and street decoration but ultimately it is all maybe too shiny and bright. The plot is simple and uninteresting even if early on made unnecessarily complicated with flash backs that don't look like flash backs. And then there is Jennifer Jason Leigh who can be excellent with the occasional tendency to over do things. Here she is abominable and I cannot imagine what Altman was thinking of to allow it or encourage it. Either way her nutcase performance ruins the film and were it not for the music I would have switched off very early on. The jazz, however, is fine. There is much footage of what looks like one big jam session and the music permeates the film throughout helping enormously. I'm tempted to suppose it was the jazz that came first and the film built loosely around it but if it doesn't enable you to ignore Leigh's performance, it does at least help.

Lost somewhere between the 1930s and 1990s.

[bobsgrock · 6/10 · 13 July 2010]

Robert Altman's Kansas City is not a terrible movie by any stretch of the imagination and for any other director it would be a minor triumph. Yet, given the pedigree he has provided for himself, particularly with films such as MASH, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Nashville and 3 Women on his resume, I hold his films to a higher order than most.

Perhaps for that reason most of all, I was quite disappointed by this outcome. Jennifer Jason Leigh and Miranda Richardson star as small-time hoodlum and rich politician's wives, respectively, with Leigh taking Richardson hostage in hope that her husband will be released by the notorious gangster Seldom Seen. However, all this is simply a contrivance for what Altman is really after, which seems to me to be the context and feeling of the city of Kansas City in the 1930s when Jean Harlow movies played in the local cinemas and voting was a high-stakes gamble that if gone wrong had very serious consequences.

In terms of the film itself, I would consider this film to suffer from the Hudsucker Proxy syndrome: it looks fantastic with the sets and costumes all perfectly realizing the era in which it attempts to capture. Yet, the story is almost thrown together with really not attempt to clarify or make known exactly what is happening. I understand this is Altman's style, particularly for this film, but in order to string the movie along and maintain audience interest, it certainly would have helped to include a more cohesive story line. Also, Jennifer Jason Leigh doesn't fit this part in my opinion, coming off more annoying and self-conscious than sympathetic and interestingly quirky. Her dialogue and delivery seem to come right out of the 1990s and have almost no place in the setting of the rest of the characters.

I admire Altman as a director too much to call this film a disaster but it is by far the weakest of all his films I have seen and makes me question why he decided to make this film. Perhaps because he grew up in Kansas City in the 1930s or he felt interested in gangsters, jazz and the setting of a growing town prior to World War II. Whatever the reason, I was frequently out of touch with the story and can really give no compelling reason to seek it out as one of Altman's finer works.

Only for Belafonta and the jazz score.

[DukeEman · 6/10 · 27 February 2003]

A great jazz score keeps this film alive as Altman enters Kansas' gangster territory, 1934. Belafonta as the lead mobster is the only interest as you wonder what makes him tick. I'm sure this was a pet project Altman had stored in his heart and finally got out off his system.

Altman at his best!

[DeeDee-10 · 8/10 · 11 January 1999]

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.

Patience needed;The Soundtrack is HIGHLY recommendable

[KUAlum26 · 6/10 · 13 June 2005]

Robert Altman's depression-era flick,set in his hometown,is a somewhat tangled,hard to embrace film that is long on authenticity and substance but short on "hooks" that is going to get the average viewer.

The characters are tough to develop any real feel for. Unhinged and desperate,Blondie O'HAra(Jennifer JAson Leigh) kidnaps a rich,heavily soused politician's wife(Miranda Richardson,who's very strong here) with the misguided idea that this will free her dense,scheming boyfriend/husband JOhnny(Dermont Mulroney,who barely speaks in this film). She ends up crossing both the Black gangsters of the town,led by a charismatic tough called Seldom Seen(HArry Belafonte) and the political machine that she's trying to manipulate. The results are fairly predictable;it's the interplay between Blondie and Mrs.Stinson as Blondie tries to wait out her scheme that becomes of more interest. Along the way,you get a brief glimpse of the violence,corruption and poverty that is rampant in the area in the post-Prohibition,pre-WWII urban Midwest. Steve Buscemi's turn as a loud-mouthed saloon owner and Pendergast machine lackey who is married to Blondie's sister is strong(As most of his turns in films are)and way too brief.

IN sum,this movie is a worthy watch,but ONLY if one is willing to ride along with the difficult situation as it is laid out. I have not seen that many Altman movies,but I would say I got more out the stories of THe PLayer,Short Cuts or (my personal fave)Cookie's Fortune. The music,however is very strong and practically takes a life of its own,as no fewer than nine established jazz musicians(Kevin Mahogany,Cyrus Chestnut,Ron CArter among them) jam on tunes of(or styled around)the era. If you enjoy jazz,this film--and even more so the soundtrack--is a must to watch and listen.

A real mess - needed a script, and a director to give the movie some purpose - any purpose!

[Ben_Cheshire · 1/10 · 30 June 2004]

Okay, he's making a movie about "gangsters" in Kansas City which features a bar where free-form jazz is played, so he decides a nice way to make the movie (what a surprise) is to give the actors free reign to improvise their lines! It may SOUND like a good idea - Altman sure thinks it does, he uses it to make most of his movies - but this is no excuse for offering us a muddled, terribly acted half-baked film that essentially has about three scenes that are stretched out. The plot of this is one of the worst you're likely to see. I remember, at the time i was watching it, i felt there were such major problems with the motivations within the story that completely undid its narrative structure. It pains me enough to recollect the movie, let alone think of it in that much detail.

What Altman doesn't seem to realise is that improvisation seems to make most actors nervous. When they're saying a line they know they've made up during rehersals, they seem not to believe in it. It may have worked for Brando in Last Tango in Paris - but Brando was a titan. These actors, and most name actors Altman shows the true colours of, are not.

The first major mistake was giving Harry Belafonte improvisation priveleges. God, is he obnoxious in this. He's the bad guy, but he's not obnoxious in a way that makes you think "oh, isn't he good" or maybe "isn't this fun." You just think Belafonte is an arrogant guy.

Jason-Leigh's accent and acting are particularly hammy. Miranda Richardson is the only one who escapes unscathed. She's pretty good.

1/10.

Films this bad are rare. Can't recommend enough that you avoid this like the plague.

A must for real jazz fans

[sekander · 8/10 · 26 March 2008]

The music is superb. The movie is so-so. The period sets are perfect and its just like being back in KC during the infamous Pendergast era. Altman made this movie as a paean to his hometown and the music that came out of it. One cannot divorce the music from the movie. Either you are a jazz fan or you're not. If you're not, you won't like this movie. Its that simple. If you are, you are really in for a treat. The film features all of the "new" stars in jazz from the mid-90's (James Carter and Craig Handy on saxes, Mark Whitfield on guitar, Geri Allen and Cyrus Chestnut on piano....the list goes on and on. They all play the legends of jazz that came out of Kansas City-people like Count Basie, Joe Williams, Lester Young and Coleman Hawkins. A veritable treat for the in-the-know jazz fan but probably a bore for anyone else. Altman stays on the music longer than most directors would because this is a film about the music as much as it is about the plot.

And here's the real irony. Movie buffs will say they wished Altman wouldn't have devoted so much time to the music and jazz buffs will say they wished Altman would have done away with the ridiculous, annoying plot and grating performance by Jennifer Jason Leigh and focused entirely on the music. How to please everyone? The end result is uneven but there's enough here to keep all parties interested.

If any actor should be singled out, it should be Harry Belafonte. His turn as the underworld kingpin, Seldom Seen, is fantastic. He speaks in a low, gruff rasp but his dialogue is truly worth the effort to understand. When he goes off on the Marcus Garvey speech, its worth the price of admission. Of course, it helps to know who Marcus Garvey was. Jazz fans (and reggae fans, too) will get it. After all, this is a movie for them/us.

Red State Blues

[urnotdb · 7/10 · 14 May 2005]

Altman's version of 1930s Kansas City, depicting the contrasting lives of its citizens and the corrupting influence of unchecked power. The "leaders" fight to exploit each other and those who serve them; the latter are expendable. Meanwhile, the most exploited of all are busy inventing jazz. Memorable performances by Leigh as a tough, honest "ordinary" person and Richardson as a clueless, detached "aristocrat." The weak really believed in the clichéd family/community values, maybe because they felt helpless individually. Like Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, the powerful "bestride the narrow world / Like a Colossus, and we petty men / Walk under his huge legs and peep about." They try to turn everything to their advantage. Obviously American society has improved since then. Maybe because of the WWII/Depression shocks.

One of Altman's worst

[fubar-2 · 2/10 · 28 August 1998]

A true nadir in the chronology of a sometimes great director, and a female lead performance worthy of an Ed Wood film