Themes: Musician's Life, Rags To Riches, Teachers and Students
Main Cast: Robert Alda, Joan Leslie, Alexis Smith, Charles Coburn, Julie Bishop, Oscar Levant
Release Year: 1945
Country: US
Run Time: 139 minutes
Plot
There's slightly more fancy than fact in this lavish film biography of legendary American composer George Gershwin, but oh! That music! Director Irving Rapper had wanted Tyrone Power to play Gershwin, but Power was still serving in the Marines, so Rapper had to settle for Robert Alda--who isn't bad at all, just a trifle over-enthusiastic. The film traces Gershwin's rise from a "song plugger" for a Manhattan music publishing company to the heights of international fame and fortune. Gershwin's first big hit is "Swanee," introduced on Broadway by Al Jolson (who plays himself, making his first film appearance in six years). In collaboration with his lyricist brother Ira (well played by Herbert Rudley), George pens hit after hit in show after show. Impresario Charles Coburn is happy with this, but George's kindly old music teacher Albert Basserman wants his prize pupil to aspire to something more artistic. Gershwin responds with "Rhapsody in Blue", which debuts at Aeolian Hall in 1924 under the baton of bandleader Paul Whiteman (also playing himself). As his fame and workload grows, George finds he has no time at all for romance; the two (fictional) ladies in his life, both of whom eventually realize that they'll always have to play second fiddle to Gershwin's muse, are musical comedy star Joan Leslie and socialite Alexis Smith. Gershwin continues to compose such masterpieces as "An American in Paris", "Cuban Overture", "Concerto in F" and the 1935 folk opera Porgy and Bess. He will not allow himself to rest on his laurels, ruthlessly pushing himself to top all his previous accomplishments. Finally, the strain proves too great: George Gershwin dies of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1937, at the age of 39. Featured in the cast as themselves (in addition to those already mentioned) are Gershwin's lifelong friend Oscar Levant, producer George White, and Broadway performers Tom Patricola and Hazel Scott. Morris Carnovsky and Rosemary DeCamp play George's parents, while Julie Bishop is cast as Ira's wife Lee, who is saddled with the film's silliest line: "Ira, promise me that you'll never become a genius." Alternately hokey and inspired, Rhapsody in Blue has weathered the years as one of Hollywood's most solid biopics. And, as a bonus, we are treated to a virtually complete performance (running a full reel) of the title composition. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Review
Some films, including Rhapsody in Blue succeed very much in spite of themselves. Rhapsody should by no means be as good as it is. Like so many other biopics of the period (and today), Rhapsody plays very fast and very loose with the facts and has very little value as biography. The screenplay is a string of clichés, and filled with uninspired dialogue spouted by characters that, if not cardboard, are still not flesh-and-blood. And while Robert Alda has some of Gershwin's appeal, he doesn't give the kind of galvanizing performance that is required. And yet Rhapsody is still an enthralling film -- because of the music. The music is so powerful, so full of life, so full of the man who wrote it that one willingly waits through the predictable story, just so one can experience those glorious sounds. The performances of that music varies, although none of them are bad. Among the vocalists, Al Jolson, even though past his peak, and Hazel Scott win top honors, with Jolson tearing up the screen with "Swanee" and Scott simply sublime with "The Man I Love." Purists may quibble somewhat with the performance of the title concerto, as well as "An American in Paris" and "Concerto in F"; they're abridged, the orchestrations are not exactly as Gershwin envisioned, etc. But most will find them mesmerizing. The Porgy & Bess segment is a delight, and the "Blue Monday" suite will come as a surprise to many. Alda gets some fine support from Alexis Smith, and some lesser support from Joan Leslie, neither of whom has much of a part to play. And Oscar Levant is on hand to provide his unique brand of humor. Rhapsody has a few too many lulls, but as soon as the orchestra starts playing any of its songs, it comes to brilliant life. ~ Craig Butler, All Movie Guide
Anton Grot - Art Director, John Hughes - Art Director, LeRoy J. Prinz - Choreography, Milo Anderson - Costume Designer, Irving Rapper - Director, Folmar Blangsted - Editor, Ray Heindorf - Composer (Music Score), Max Steiner - Composer (Music Score), Leo F. Forbstein - Musical Direction/Supervision, Irving Caesar - Songwriter, Buddy G. DeSylva - Songwriter, Ira Gershwin - Songwriter, Ballard MacDonald - Songwriter, Arthur Frances - Songwriter, Perc Westmore - Makeup, Sol Polito - Cinematographer, Jesse Lasky - Producer, Fred MacLean - Set Designer, Roy Davidson - Special Effects, Richard Van Enger - Special Effects, Ray Davidson - Special Effects, Willard Van Enger - Special Effects, Stan Jones - Sound/Sound Designer, David Forrest - Sound/Sound Designer, Nathan Levinson - Sound Recordist, Sonya Levien - Screen Story, Elliot Paul - Screenwriter, Howard Koch - Screenwriter, George Gershwin - Featured Music, DuBose Heyward - Featured Music, Gus Kahn - Featured Music
