When it first came out, Idlewild (2006) got pegged as just a long music video for the Outkast. Which, if anyone had actually watched the movie, they’d know is not true. Elements of the visual style are similar to music videos, sure, but just here and there. Mostly, this is a 1930s Prohibition-era gangster movie set in a small Black community in Georgia, with the story revolving around a nightclub, so there’s a bunch of musical numbers. And yes, the main characters are portrayed by the members of the hip hop duo Outkast, André 3000 and Big Boi. André plays Percival “Percy” Jenkins Jr., the somewhat meek piano-player son of the town’s mortician, and Big Boi plays Rooster, a gregarious gangster and nightclub impresario. The two have been friends since childhood.
The movie starts out from Percival’s point of view but as the story proceeds, it realizes there’s more fun to be had, and the plot will move along more, by following Rooster’s POV. This makes for somewhat disjointed storytelling over the course of the movie. That’d be my only real complaint about the movie, as the back-and-forth isn’t consistent or always logical, and more careful editing would have made for a more compelling story.
But there’s plenty to recommend as-is, and in many ways, I feel like this movie was ahead of its time and maybe missed its audience. If Idlewild came out today in the post-Bridgerton world, the movie might be a big sensation because of how the historical setting is mixed with hip hop and focuses on Black characters exclusively. Idlewild takes a lighter hand than Bridgerton, and other than some editing / movie effects and some of the music, the look and feel are pretty historically accurate. Even the music mixes hip hop with 1930s jazz so it fits, and in the nightclub scenes, dancers include jitterbug and swing steps to keep it feeling like a ’30s juke joint.
Unlike a lot of 20th-century period flicks we watch, the menswear IS worth mentioning because it’s not just drab suits. Oh no. Rooster is fashionably dressed in the Black dandy tradition, echoing Harlem Renaissance figures who showed off with exceptional tailoring, colorful textiles, and exquisite accessories. While Percival is less outgoing as a character, he too is elegantly attired in fine suits, ties, and hats. Omg, the hats! Most everyone has them, men and women, because they would in the ’30s, and this movie gets that right, thank you!
André 3000 talked about the film’s setting in an interview with BlackFilm.com:
“I’ve always been a fan of 1930’s style. It was probably one of the best eras, especially for a man’s dress. Just showing up on the set, putting on your wardrobe, listening to the music, every day leaving the set and playing Cab Calloway, or watching ‘Stormy Weather’ and ‘Casablanca’ … Because it was a different time, I had to actually learn how to walk differently and sit differently ‘cause in the ’30s, they didn’t slouch. They sat up straight. Your chest is poked out. You exude that class. It’s different now. Now, it’s chill and everybody is laid back, and then, on Sunday, you may dress up. Back then, it was the opposite. You’d dress up every day, and then, on Sunday, you’d chill out. It was a blessing, for me. That’s the best thing about making movies, to get that experience and to live out certain fantasies and do things you wouldn’t have done.”
Here’s an example of Rooster’s style — he’s on stage, but the wears these combinations of patterns and color all the time.
Off-stage, with his mistress Rose (Paula Jai Parker), Rooster combines a smart plaid suit with a diamond-print tie, plus a hat.
Rooster shows off a different plaid suit with a pink patterned shirt and rewears that diamond tie.
He’s not the only one. Even gangster Trumpy wears a gorgeous stripe shirt with his dark suit, also accented by a bright yellow pocket square.
Trumpy shows off another stripe skirt with a pale suit and a patterned tie.
Terrence Howard, who plays Trumpy, got into the period and the clothing, telling Radio Free Entertainment:
“Well, the ’30s, you’re talking about truly the heyday of jazz. Jazz was about individuality, but then you had that level of conformity that we were coming from the Victorian age where dress and presentation still meant everything. So you’re looking for some form of expression, creative expression that alone was informative. …
As an actor, when you give me all these things, the biggest thing about me is my wardrobe. The thing that’s most expressive and most representative of me is the wardrobe that I’m wearing in that scene. So if you set that properly, it’ll make my walk a lot easier.”
Compare Rooster and Trumpy with this fellow and note the details like the hat, pocket square, and tie pin.
Even these more casual musicians wear hats and patterned ties, one has patterned socks, and though the photo is black-and-white, you can see that their shirts and trousers are in different colors.
These are all ways of juicing up the standard menswear fashions of the day.
Percival sticks closer to the traditional style with neutral colors, though he gets a little bright accent in his ties, and again, all the period-correct accessories.
More hats, pocket squares, and even a watch chain shows when he’s in shirt-sleeves.
Percival’s romantic interest, Angel (Paula Patton), has a wardrobe that mixes ’30s style prints and accessories with slightly modernized shapes.
Rooster’s wife, Zora (Malinda Williams), plays a smaller role, but she has more historically accurate costumes IMO, like this excellent hat and delicate pin-tucked blouse.
With the nightclub scenes, the ladies get sparkly stage outfits, big velvet coats, and feather trims.
The movie credits feature a fabulous set piece right out of ’30s movies and Cab Calloway revues, with Percival in a tux and playing piano and dancing.
While the movie has some violent scenes and an unexpected ending, this last scene is a great capper and fits the optimistic vibe.
Have you seen Idlewild?
Find this frock flick at:
Just put it on my watchlist. :)
Not a fan. Sorry.
This definitely sounds fun!