The Crimson Canary boasts two things that make B-movies so much fun: a great premise and a short runtime. A trumpet player gets locked up after the lead singer of his band gets whacked. The trumpeter’s fiancée sets out to find the real killer with help from a jazz-loving detective. The film’s Black-led musical numbers have little to do with its plot, which made them easier to cut for Southern censors, but they make up several of the film’s best moments. Coleman Hawkins rips through spirited renditions of “Rifftide” and “Hollywood Stampede,” while blues/folk legend Josh White brings down the house with his signature tune “One Meatball.” Featuring a memorably nasty performance by Claudia Drake (Detour) as the murdered singer.
Music Box Theatre screens films of all genres and from every era of cinema, both new releases and repertory. These films may sometimes contain upsetting, outdated, or offensive material. While we aim to introduce many of our screenings, we do not always provide warnings about potentially triggering content within the films we screen. We encourage our patrons to research the film before they attend using trailers, reviews, or content information found on Common Sense Media, IMDb and DoesTheDogDie.com.
Also Part Of NOIR CITY: Chicago 2026
