Music in My Heart

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Movie
Original title Music in My Heart
Country of production United States
original language English
Publishing year 1940
length 70 minutes
Rod
Director Joseph Santley
script James Edward Grant
production Irving Starr
music Bob Wright ,
Chet Forrest ,
Sidney Cutner
camera John Stumar
cut Otto Meyer
occupation

Music in My Heart is an American musical film with Tony Martin and Rita Hayworth from 1940.

action

The Englishman Robert Gregory, who as understudy for Broadway - Musical was hired gets on the eve of his deportation from the United States a unique opportunity to take the lead role. After his acclaimed performance on the way to New York Harbor, his taxi collides with Patricia O'Malley's taxi, who is also on the way to the harbor to marry the eccentric millionaire Charles Gardner on a ship. Since they are both in a hurry, they decide to share the one still drivable taxi. On the way, Patricia proudly reports to the curious Robert about her marriage plans. However, he is not at all convinced that Patricia really loves her fiancé and does not intend to marry just for the money. When they finally reach the harbor, they are horrified to find that their two boats have already cast off. While Patricia's failure to show up leads Gardner to believe that she left him behind, the immigration service seeks to put Robert under arrest as soon as possible.

Since Robert can't change his precarious situation anyway, he accompanies Patricia to her residential area, where a lavish street party is going on. After a little refreshment in the form of a hot dog , Robert serenades the crowd. With his powerful voice he is able to inspire his audience. Patricia is also impressed by his singing. She now insists that he spend the night with her uncle Luigi. Patricia's younger sister Mary immediately sees the perfect brother-in-law in the handsome baritone singer.

Meanwhile, Gardner is determined to get his fiancée back. To do this, he first sends his butler Griggs to Luigi's restaurant as an ambassador. When he discovered Robert there, he recognized his face from the newspaper, where the police wanted him with a photo. Since Griggs sees him as an obstacle to Patricia's and Gardner's future together, he happily suggests to his employer that Robert be handed over to the police as soon as possible. Gardner, however, the sublime gentleman , rejects such shoddy behavior. Griggs is therefore secretly trying another route: He has an article printed in the newspaper which falsely claims that Robert left a wife and three children in England. When Patricia reads the story, she feels shamelessly betrayed by Robert, who has meanwhile made her a marriage proposal, which she happily accepted. She returns to Gardner disappointed and deeply hurt. But when he learns about the fabricated newspaper article and realizes that Patricia cannot think of anyone other than Robert, he uncovered the hoax and magnanimously announced that he would adopt Robert to prevent his deportation . At the subsequent reconciliation between Patricia and Robert, everyone except Griggs is happy and satisfied.

background

Music in My Heart , also known as Passport to Happiness , was the first in a series of Columbia musicals starring Rita Hayworth. Although she was a trained dancer and later became famous as such in her films, she can only be seen here in a small dance number.

Conductor André Kostelanetz, who had his own CBS radio program at the time, can be seen as himself with his orchestra in Music in My Heart . The fact that it was shown in a radio studio was a rather unusual practice in Hollywood films at the time, as radio was considered the greatest rival in the audience's favor and the censorship of the Motion Picture Association of America strictly opposed any advertising and marketing by others Products in films was.

The song It's a Blue World by the successful songwriting duo Chet Forrest and Bob Wright received an Oscar nomination and became a big hit for singer Tony Martin, who stayed in the US charts for 13 weeks.

Music and dance numbers

  • I've Got Music in My Heart ( Bob Wright / Chet Forrest )
  • Hearts in the Sky (Wright / Forrest)
  • No Other Love (Wright / Forrest)
  • Punchinello (Wright / Forrest)
  • A Bird in a Gilded Cage (Harry von Tilzer / Arthur J. Lamb)
  • Oh What a Lovely Dream (Wright / Forrest)
  • No tabuleiro da baiana ( Ary Barroso )
  • It's a Blue World (Wright / Forrest)

Reviews

"Nobody could ever have had any particular need for such a combination of musical comedy and conventional cheap cinema," said Bosley Crowther of the New York Times . The audience "who can overlook the plot" would, however, "appreciate the first-class work of the excellent cast". Tony Martin as a “foreign tenor”, ​​Rita Hayworth as a “pretty city dweller”, the André Kostelanetz Orchestra and “last but not least” Alan Mowbray as a “real gentleman” are “noteworthy”. Weekly Variety predicted that the film would "not enjoy a particularly lucky box office fate." The plot is "banal" and "a downright worn-out affair that neither the direction nor the performances of the two main actors nor André Kostelanetz's excellent music can overcome".

All Movie Guide's Craig Butler concluded, in retrospect, that screenwriter James Edward Grant "probably didn't take the project very seriously." "Fortunately," director Joseph Santley understood the material as fun, "without worrying about the lack of a sense of reality". Tony Martin is "sympathetic and engaging as a leading actor, although he is actually not enough actor to pull off this particular charade". Rita Hayworth is "pure gold in this relatively early role". Although she is only allowed to give a little musical expression, she uses “her extraordinary charisma and her innate attractiveness to create an attractive effect”. Eric Blore and Alan Mowbray make "a weird team" and the rest of the supporting cast are "reliable and entertaining".

Awards

At the Academy Awards in 1941 , the film with the song It's a Blue World was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Song category. The songwriters Chet Forrest and Bob Wright could not prevail with their song against Leigh Harline and Ned Washington , who received the Oscar for their song When You Whish Upon a Star from Walt Disney's Pinocchio .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Gene Ringgold: The Films of Rita Hayworth . Citadel Press, Secaucus 1974, pp. 105-106.
  2. ↑ cf. Frank Miller on tcm.com
  3. ↑ “No one in particular has ever felt any particular need for such a union of musical comedy and conventional, low-budgeted cinema […]. Persons who will overlook the plot, will properly appreciate the really first-rate work of an excellent cast. Notably, these are Tony Martin, as a foreign tenor; Rita Hayworth, as a pretty tenement dweller; the Andre Kostelanetz orchestra, between whiles, and lastly, but better still, Alan Mowbray, as a real gentleman. " Bosley Crowther in The New York Times quoted. after Gene Ringgold: The Films of Rita Hayworth . Citadel Press, Secaucus 1974, p. 106.
  4. ^ “ Music in My Heart won't ring a particularly happy tune on the exhibitor's cash register. Plot is trite, threadworn affair which neither the direction nor the performances of the two leads and André Kostelanetz's superb music can overcome. " Weekly Variety quoted. after Gene Ringgold: The Films of Rita Hayworth . Citadel Press, Secaucus 1974, p. 106.
  5. ↑ “Screenwriter James Edward Grant certainly doesn't seem to have taken it very seriously […]. Fortunately, director Joseph Santley treats the material as a lark, not worrying about its lack of reality […]. Tony Martin is likeable and engaging in the lead role, although he's not quite actor enough to pull off this particular charade. Rita Hayworth is pure gold in this relatively early starring role. [...] she uses her rare charisma and innate desirability to delightful effect. Eric Blore and Alan Mowbray make a fine comic team, and the rest of the supporting cast is dependable and diverting. " Craig Butler, cf. omovie.com