Taglines: Kansas City, 1934. Anything could happen here. One night it did.
Kansas City movie storyline. Robert Altman’s jazz-scored film explores themes of love, crime, race, and politics in 1930s Kansas City. When Blondie O’Hara’s husband, a petty thief, is captured by Seldom Seen and held at the Hey Hey Club, she launches a desperate plan to release him. She kidnaps the wife of a powerful local politician in an attempt to blackmail him into using his connections to free Johnny.
Despite this being election time, he risks exposure by putting the political machine into action to free Johnny and thereby save his wife. Mrs. Stilton, meanwhile, has befriended Blondie and is impressed by her love and devotion to Johnny, especially in contrast to her own loveless marriage.
Kansas City is a 1996 crime film, directed by Robert Altman and starring Jennifer Jason Leigh, Miranda Richardson, Harry Belafonte, Michael Murphy and Steve Buscemi. Kansas City is also notable for its musical score being integrated into the film, with modern-day musicians recreating the Kansas City jazz of 1930s. The film was entered into the 1996 Cannes Film Festival.
The soundtrack was produced by Hal Wilner and Steven Bernstein and featured several contemporary musicians playing the roles of famous jazz musicians from the 1930s. For example, Craig Handy plays the role of Coleman Hawkins, Geri Allen plays Mary Lou Williams, and James Carter plays Ben Webster.
Kansas City (1996)
Directed by: Robert Altman
Starring: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Miranda Richardson, Harry Belafonte, Michael Murphy, Dermot Mulroney, Steve Buscemi, Brooke Smith, Jane Adams, Tawanna Benbow
Screenplay by: Robert Altman, Frank Barhydt
Production Design by: Stephen Altman
Cinematography by: Oliver Stapleton
Film Editing by: Geraldine Peroni
Costume Design by: Dona Granata
Set Decoration by: Susan Emshwiller
Art Direction by: Richard L. Johnson
MPAA Rating: R for language, and for some violence and drug use.
Distributed by: Fine Line Features
Release Date: August 16, 1996
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