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Dixie 
Alfalfa asks a member of Bing's travelling minstrel show to belt out a tune; the man tells him to scram. Bing Crosby plays the real-life nineteenth century minstrel man Dan Emmett in this little-known film from 1943. Bing is a carefree, come-what-may song and dance man whose life gets a little complicated when he has to decide between two beautiful women, both of whom want Bing for their own (we should all be so lucky). He also has a disturbing habit of leaving his lit pipe around in locations which soon after burn to the ground. Alfalfa is seen while Bing and his cohorts, trying to drum up interest in their show, are parading up the street and are followed Pied-Piper style by a bunch of locals, one of whom is Alfalfa. He runs up to Bing and calls out to the man next to Bing: 
Alfalfa: Hey mister, play somethin' on that, will ya'? The man shoos Alfalfa away, but Bing tells the man that he shouldn't chase away potential customers. He then tells Alfalfa to come to the theatre that night to see him and the boys perform for himself. Alfalfa [to Bing]: How do I know you're any good? Bing then strikes up the band and gives Alfalfa and the other onlookers an impromptu performance. 
Seeing as Bing plays a minstrel man, and this film was made in 1943, we probably don't even have to tell you that the proceedings are marked— or "marred"—by ethnic characterizations that would raise many an eyebrow today. Let's put it this way: The Plantation Trio from "The Pinch Singer" would be right at home in "Dixie". As our fellow Alfalfanacs can tell from the above images, the quality is not good on the only print we were able to locate for inclusion on our little Internet Appreciation. Back to "Alfalfaddendum" main page |
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