Minstrel Man (1944): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1944, Minstrel Man is a music film directed by Joseph H. Lewis, running about 70 minutes.

What it’s about. Unusually elaborate for a PRC film, Minstrel Man is a lively musical drama built around the talents of veteran vaudevillian Benny Fields. The star is cast as Dixie Boy Johnson, who rises from the ranks of minstrel shows to become a top Broadway attraction. On the opening night of his greatest stage triumph, Dixie Boy's wife dies in childbirth. Profoundly shaken, he walks out of the show, leaving the baby to be raised by his showbiz pals Mae and Lasses White (Gladys George, Roscoe Karns). The kid grows up to be an attractive young woman named Caroline (Judy Clark), who follows in her dad's footsteps by billing herself as-that's right-Dixie Girl Johnson. This leads to a tearful reunion between Caroline and the father she'd long assumed to be dead. If Minstrel Man seems at times to be a dress rehearsal for Columbia's The Jolson Story (1946), it shouldn't surprising: the PRC film was directed by Joseph H. Lewis, who went on to helm Jolson Story's musical highlights.

Who’s in it. Minstrel Man stars Benny Fields as Dixie Boy Johnson, Gladys George as Mae White, Alan Dinehart as Lew Dunn and Roscoe Karns as Lasses White, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 4.3/10, Minstrel Man has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on FlixFling and rent or buy it from FlixFling and Amazon Video. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Minstrel Man page.

If you liked it. Fans of Minstrel Man tend to enjoy Whiplash, Coco, Green Book and The Legend of 1900.