Chords of love

Movie
German title	Chords of love
Original title	Penny Serenade
Country of production	United States
original language	English
Publishing year	1941
length	119 minutes
Rod
Director	George Stevens
script	Morrie Ryskind
production	George Stevens for Columbia Pictures
music	William Franke Harling
camera	Joseph Walker
cut	Otto Meyer
occupation
	Irene Dunne : Julie Gardiner Adams; Cary Grant : Roger Adams; Beulah Bondi : Miss Oliver; Edgar Buchanan : Applejack Carney; Ann Doran : Dotty "Dot"; Eva Lee Kuney : Trina, 6 years old; Leonard Willey : Dr. Hartley; Wallis Clark : Judge; Walter Soderling : Billings;

Chords of Love (OT: Penny Serenade ) is an American feature film from 1941 with Irene Dunne and Cary Grant in the lead roles. Directed by George Stevens . Cary Grant received an Oscar nomination for Best Actor for his performance . It was the third and last joint appearance of the two stars.

action

Julie Gardiner Adams is about to split up from her husband Roger Adams. She wants to leave the common home and hears the songs from her record collection one last time. Through these songs she remembers her life with Roger. First the first encounter in a record store, where Roger buys numerous records from the saleswoman Julie, not without having heard a large number beforehand. Roger comes to the party very late on New Year's Eve; Julie's friend Applejack is already suspicious of whether Roger is the right partner for her. When he finally arrives, Roger has some exciting news: He is given the dream job of his newspaper's correspondent in Japan and has to leave the same night. Roger proposes marriage to Julie and they are married before he leaves. Three months after her husband's departure, Julie also travels to Japan.

In 1923 Tokyo and the surrounding area were hit by the catastrophic Taishō earthquake . Julie miscarries. The couple return to the United States and Julie receives news that she will never have another child. Roger becomes the editor of a small town newspaper at the time, and the couple attempt to adopt a child. This is difficult because the newspaper is in financial trouble. However, Miss Oliver from Adoption Agency helps them with success in adopting Trina. Trina suddenly dies at the age of six. Julie and Roger's marriage is about to divorce. Roger in particular is increasingly isolating himself. Julie hears their favorite song “Penny Serenade” for the last time. When she is about to leave, Miss Oliver calls and informs Julie that she has a two year old boy for her to adopt. The couple make up again.

background

After appearing together in the screwball comedies The Terrible Truth and My Favorite Woman , Irene Dunne and Cary Grant were established as actors in slightly frivolous comedies. Chords of love showed the two actors as fate-plagued married couples who stay together despite numerous problems. In the following years there were various possible follow-up projects to get Dunne and Grant back in front of the camera, most recently in Just for the sake of my wife , but above all the unwillingness of Irene Dunne prevented her name from being named second after Grant's, a follow-up project.

In 1944, Irene Dunne repeated her role in the popular radio show Lux Video Theater with Joseph Cotten as a partner.

Reviews

The film was received with goodwill by the critics. The interaction between Dunne and Grant was particularly praised and recognized.

Variety , the leading industry journal, found kind words, especially for the female star:

“The film marks the return of Miss Dunne to the big screen after an extended vacation, which at best serves as evidence of what a star she still is. In the role of a not exactly wealthy publisher of a small town newspaper, she is exuberant and serious and plays the sentimental passages with restraint. She had more exciting roles, but none of them required such emotionality. "

Current reviewers also praised the sensitive presentation of the topic:

“A sensitive drama of strong emotionality; despite the serious subject with some humorous moments. "

- Lexicon of international film

Awards

The film went to the 1942 Academy Awards with a nomination :

Best Actor - Cary Grant

Web links

Chords of love in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Background information with a link to numerous screenshots
Penny Serenade at Turner Classic Movies (English)

Individual evidence

↑ Penny Serenade . In: Variety . April 16, 1941, p. 16 (English, online in Archive.org [accessed November 6, 2019]): “Film marks the return of Miss Dunne after an extended vacation, the only effects of which seem to be that she proves again her place among the handful of women screen stars. In the role of a not too prosperous wife of a small-town struggling newspaper publisher, she is gay and earnest, and plays the sentimental passages with restraint. She has had more spectacular roles, but none that required sustaining quite the mood of her latest film. "
↑ Chords of Love. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed November 6, 2019 .

[1] Penny Serenade . In: Variety . April 16, 1941, p. 16 (English, online in Archive.org [accessed November 6, 2019]): “Film marks the return of Miss Dunne after an extended vacation, the only effects of which seem to be that she proves again her place among the handful of women screen stars. In the role of a not too prosperous wife of a small-town struggling newspaper publisher, she is gay and earnest, and plays the sentimental passages with restraint. She has had more spectacular roles, but none that required sustaining quite the mood of her latest film. "

[2] Chords of Love. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed November 6, 2019 .