AIN'T MISBEHAVIN, the grandly entertaining musical revue saluting the music of the legendary Fats Waller that made a star out of the late Nell Carter, was beautifully filmed in all its original glory for NBC television in 1982. No characters, no dialogue, just one showstopping musical number after the next. If you're going to film a Broadway musical, this is the textbook on how to do it. No alteration of the original material, no tampering with the score, no elaborate changes in settings, and utilizing the amazing original cast: Carter, Ken Page, Armelia McQueen, Andre DeShields, and Charlaine Woodard. This show features over 20 musical numbers and the original Broadway soundtrack is a two-record set, but you never feel the length because the show is so unbelievably entertaining, when it's over you just want more. For me, the highlights were Carter and Page's duet, "Honeysuckle Rose", McQueen's "Squeeze Me", "A Handful of Keys", "Lounging at the Waldorf", "Fat and Greasy", DeShield's showstopping "The Viper/Reefer Drag" and the beautiful and haunting "Black and Blue." This is an evening of musical theater you will never forget and you will DEFINITELY be humming the tunes when it's over. A must-see.
Review of Ain't Misbehavin'
