Rhythm on the River

Rhythm on the River
1940 US Theatrical Poster
Directed by	Victor Schertzinger
Produced by	William LeBaron
Written by	Billy Wilder (story) Jacques Théry (story) Dwight Taylor
Starring	Bing Crosby Mary Martin Basil Rathbone
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date(s)	September 6, 1940 (1940-09-06)
Running time	92 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Home video VHS cover

Rhythm on the River is a 1940 musical comedy film starring Bing Crosby and Mary Martin as ghostwriters whose songs are credited to a composer played by Basil Rathbone. James V. Monaco (music) and Johnny Burke (lyrics) were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Only Forever".

Plot

Oliver Courtney (Basil Rathbone) is an arrogant composer who lets other people work at songs he takes credit for. Bob Sommers (Bing Crosby) writes his tunes with Billy Starbuck (Oscar Levant). At the night of a social Christmas party, Oliver introduces Bob's song What Would Shakespeare Have Said? as his own. Later that night, Oliver thanks Bob for his loyalty and offers him a contract, securing him with $50 a week for a period of three years. He refuses, saying he would rather have a catboat to visit his uncle at his river hotel, called Nobody's Inn.

After his lyric writer dies, Oliver assigns Cherry Lane (Mary Martin) as his replacement. She is reluctant about serving as someone's ghost writer, but accepts his offer. He is satisfied with her first lyric. She becomes ambitious to write better lines, but isn't able to concentrate at home and is suggested to move to a small and quiet place. Meanwhile, Bob and Cherry meet several times, without knowing they are working with each other. She doesn't think highly of him.

To work in a perfect environment, Cherry travels to Tarrytown and stays at Nobody's Inn. Bob decides to give the inn a visit at the same time and they are shocked when they run into each other yet again. They soon become acquainted and actually start liking each other. They even compose their own song. However, because they aren't allowed to tell who they are working for, they don't find out they're colleagues. She becomes mad at him when he plays the song she wrote the lines for, and states he wrote it himself.

Bob is confused and travels back to town to resign. Cherry has come to office as well to inform her boss she thinks someone has stolen his lines. They are confronted with each other and realize they were working with each other all along. Bob and Cherry make up and decide to start their own music composing career as a pair. After a few unsuccessful auditions, Bob agrees to start a band. They audition at Mr. Westlake (William Frawley), who is only interested in Cherry. He offers her a job as a nightclub singer, but she is loyal to the band and rejects his offer.

Bob notices it is a great opportunity for Cherry and gives her his consent to work for Mr. Westlake. He takes his job back as Oliver's ghost writer and raises $200 so Cherry can premiere with the song they wrote together at Nobody's Inn. However, she is unhappy at her new job and is helped by Bob to get her out of her contract. Oliver feels sympathy for them and pursues them not to walk away by announcing the song is not written by him. After announcing they will soon marry, Bob and Cherry perform their song.

Cast

• Bing Crosby as Bob Sommers
• Mary Martin as Cherry Lane
• Basil Rathbone as Oliver Courtney
• Oscar Levant as Billy Starbuck
• Oscar Shaw as Charlie Goodrich
• Charley Grapewin as Uncle Caleb
• Lillian Cornell as Millie Starling
• William Frawley as Mr. Westlake
• John Scott Trotter as Himself (orchestra leader)
• Jeanne Cagney as Country cousin
• Charles Lane as Bernard Schwartz
• Helen Bertram as Aunt Delia

Various musicians and entertainers also make appearances, including Wingy Manone, Jack Pepper, and Harry Barris

Connection to The Carpenters

The movie has also gained fame among fans of The Carpenters, because a (fictional) song named "Goodbye to Love" is mentioned. Richard Carpenter saw the film and thought that would be a good title for a Carpenters song, which was eventually recorded and released in 1972.^[1]

References

External links

• Rhythm on the River at the TCM Movie Database
• Rhythm on the River at the Internet Movie Database
• Rhythm on the River at AllRovi