3/4 time on Broadway

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Movie
German title 3/4 time on Broadway
Original title The Great Victor Herbert
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1939
length 84 minutes
Rod
Director Andrew L. Stone
script Russel Crouse
Robert Lively
production Andrew L. Stone
music Arthur Lange
Phil Boutelje
camera Victor Milner
cut James Smith
occupation

Three-quarter time on Broadway (original title: The Great Victor Herbert ) is an American musical film from 1939, which deals with the life and work of the American composer Victor Herbert . Herbert is played by Walter Connolly . The other leading roles are cast with Allan Jones , Mary Martin , Lee Bowman and Susanna Foster . Andrew L. Stone directed and produced the film .

action

Louise Hall, a girl from the small town of Riverford, sings enthusiastically in her hometown choir. To make a name for herself as a singer, she leaves her boyfriend, a country doctor, to try it on a stage in New York . Once there, she noticed a poster announcing Victor Herberts (Herbert is a famous composer ) latest work "Prinzess Peggy". When a band, led by John Ramsey, the star of the Herbert productions, passes by, Louise unceremoniously joins the colorful crowd. They want to serenade Victor Herbert for his birthday. Louise sings along with her beautiful voice, so that Ramsey looks astonished in her direction. Since he likes the young woman very much, he tries to convince Herbert of her qualities as a singer in order to get Louise such an engagement . Herbert, however, does not want to work with a beginner.

Since John and Louise are sure of their feelings, they soon marry quietly. With a trick, Ramsey succeeds in getting Herbert to listen carefully to Louise. Louise can fully convince him and as a subsequent wedding gift, he gives her the female lead in his next operetta . For Louise she becomes a great success and it doesn't take long for her to overshadow her husband with her successes. Although Louise loves the stage and her work so much, she chooses her marriage because John cannot cope with the fact that she is more successful than him. Since the birth of her daughter Peggy falls within this period, it is easier for her to say goodbye to the stage. When John's popularity continues to decline because he is “taken”, Louise makes another sacrifice and withdraws to Switzerland with her young daughter . A few years pass before Victor Herbert can persuade Louise to come back to America with Peggy. John's career is now completely idle, so that Louise hires out as a singing teacher and also gives her daughter, who has a similarly beautiful voice as her mother, singing lessons. John doesn't make it easy for her because he can't deal with not being the "big star" anymore. Several years passed like this; Peggy is now 14 and John wants to accept a small engagement in Australia that is far below his artistic qualities. During this time Victor Herbert succeeds in persuading Louise to try again on stage. Louise, who is now busy dissolving her marriage, cannot cope with the emotional stress and collapses on the evening of the premiere. Peggy, who was there at every rehearsal and can sing the mother's parts by heart, wants to step in. Victor Herbert has doubts as to whether she is already up to such a task, very young as she is. The first part of their appearance turns into a disaster. Her father John, who has not yet left, is also at the premiere. He wants to stand by his nervous daughter and smuggles himself onto the stage in an extra costume. His presence gives Peggy the assurance she needed to sing freely. The second part of her appearance, thanks to the intervention of her father, becomes a real success and the beginning of a hopeful career.

Production, background

Filming for the film began in mid-August 1939. The film was shot at the Providencia Ranch in the Hollywood Hills in Los Angeles and at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, USA . In the United States, the film premiered in New York on December 6, 1939, and was shown in US cinemas on December 29, 1939. In Germany he first came in 1947 in the cinemas in Austria , he started already on 13 December 1946th

The working titles of the film were The Gay Days of Victor Herbert , The Life and Melodies of Victor Herbert , The Life of Victor Herbert and Victor Herbert . The film begins with Victor Herbert lifting the baton and leading the orchestra. According to a message in Dailey Variety , the film was originally supposed to be produced by Paramount as early as 1936 under the title The Life and Melodies of Victor Herbert . Edward Arnold was considered for the role of composer, Melvyn Douglas , Fred MacMurray and Clark Gable were considered for the male lead, and Irene Dunne for the female lead. The screenplay, written by Gilbert Gabriel in 1936 , is said to have focused on the composer in his middle years, but through the influence of producer Howard Estabrook , the screenplay was rewritten to Herbert's early years. The project is said to have been shelved in 1938 due to conflicts in the course of the story. It was the first leading role in a movie for Mary Martin, a Broadway musical star.

Music in the film

- Music by Victor Herbert -

  • Someday , text by William LeBaron
  • Intermezzo: Al Fresco
  • Thine Alone , text by Henry Martyn Blossom
  • Punchinello
  • All For You , text by Martyn Blossom
  • Kiss Me Again , text by Henry Martyn Blossom
  • Absinthe Frappé , text by Glen MacDonough
  • Rose of the World , text by Glen MacDonaugh
  • A Kiss in the Dark , text by Buddy G. DeSylva
  • March of the Toys , text by Glen MacDonough
  • Neapolitan Love Song , lyrics by Henry Martyn Blossom
  • There Once Was an Owl , text by Harry B. Smith
  • Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life , text by Rida Johnson Young
  • To the Land of My Own Romance , text by Harry B. Smith
  • I'm falling in Love with Someone , lyrics by Rida Johnson Junge
  • I Might Be Your Once-in-a-While , text by Robert B. Smith

About Victor Herbert

Victor Herbert (1859-1924) was an American composer who wrote primarily operettas. In 1886 he came to New York with his wife Therese Förster, who was engaged as a soprano at the Metropolitan Opera, and after a while got his own orchestra. Herbert is considered the founder of the US operetta. His most successful pieces include Babes in Toyland and Naughty Marietta . Herbert was one of the most successful composers of the Tin Pan Alley era.

Reviews

The lexicon of international films found: "Good musical numbers in a negligent, lengthy musician's biography."

BR Crisler of the New York Times felt that the film should be seen as a bouquet of 28 Victor Herbert tunes. However, the attempt to recreate the life of Victor Herbert forms a distorted portrait of this great man. Perhaps an afterword would have been appropriate, saying that it was just an attempt. Whether Walter Connolly actually has the similarity claimed by Paramount to Victor Herbert remains to be seen. If Victor Herbert was the kind of man we think he would be, he'd probably turn over in his grave. But his music, and it cannot be repeated often enough, is inimitably superb and still the greatest show music that you can imagine. Melodies like Kiss Me Again , A Kiss in the Dark , Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life , I am Falling in Love Someone , Little Gypsy Sweetheart and so on and so on are proof of this. Allan Jones is in his role as a selfish tenor in the very best theater tradition, Mary Martin develops unexpected resources as an actress, as well as a frivolous singer and the charming young singer Susanna Foster is also quite passable as a newcomer. Finally, Judith Barrett and Jerome Cowan fit perfectly into the picture.

Awards

At the 1940 Oscars , three-quarter time was nominated for an Oscar in three categories :

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ The Great Victor Herbert at TCM - Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved February 1, 2013.
  2. ↑ Three-four time on Broadway in the Lexicon of International FilmTemplate: LdiF / Maintenance / Access used . Retrieved February 1, 2013.
  3. ^ BR Crisler: The Great Victor Herbert . In: The New York Times , December 7, 1939. Retrieved February 1, 2013.