The Five Pennies with Danny Kaye: DVD Cover

    The Five Pennies Director: Melville Shavelson Cast: Danny Kaye, Barbara Bel Geddes, Louis Armstrong, Harry Guardino

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    • DVD Release Date: 12/13/2005
    • Original Release: 1959
    • Rating: Not Rated
    • Sales Rank: 2,260

    Viewer Rating: (1 ratings)

    Detailed Rating: "Emotional" See All

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    Editorial Reviews

    The Five Pennies is the life story of influential jazz cornetist Red Nichols, played here by a remarkably straight-faced Danny Kaye. The somewhat romanticized screenplay chronicles Nichols' rise from obscurity, annotates the many future bandleaders who would play with Nichols' "Five Pennies," and details his self-destructive streak and (seeming) inability to conform to changing musical tastes. Weaving in and out of the main story is a sentimental subplot concerning Nichols' physically impaired daughter Dorothy, played by Susan Gordon as a child and by Tuesday Weld (in her movie debut) as a young woman. Nichols's long-suffering wife is portrayed by Barbara Bel Geddes. The storyline occasionally lapses into sappiness and the ending is almost impossibly lachrymose, but the musical highlights save the day. Especially memorable is Danny Kaye's duet with Louis Armstrong. Among the real-life musicians who grace the supporting cast of The Five Pennies are Bob Crosby, Ray Anthony, Shelly Manne, and, as Jimmy Dorsey, Bobby Troup. Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

    Customer Reviews

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    • Ratings: 1Reviews: 1

    A more serious, dramatic role for Danny Kayeby sumteacher

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    June 19, 2009: This movie, based on a true story, is an interesting role for Danny Kaye and shows his dramatic side as opposed to his lovable, goofy, comedy roles. He plays Red Nichols, a jazz musician and band leader who gives many famous musicians a start in his band. He gives it all up to care for his daughter who contracts polio, and is nearly forgotten as a player in the early jazz and big band era.