Melody of Destiny (film)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Melody of Destiny |
| Original title | The Joker Is Wild |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1957 |
| length | 126 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Charles Vidor |
| script |
Art Cohn Oscar Saul |
| production | Samuel J. Briskin |
| music | Walter Scharf |
| camera | Daniel L. Fapp |
| cut | Everett Douglas |
| occupation | |
| |
Melody of Destiny is an American feature film from 1957.
The biography is based in large part on the true story of singer and comedian Joe E. Lewis , who was seriously injured in 1927 by henchmen Jack McGurns , a confidante of Al Capone , when Lewis refused to renew his contract at the Green Mill nightclub .
action
Chicago was marked by prohibition in the late 1920s . Gangsters who earn their living by smuggling alcohol shape social life. One of those gangsters is Georgie Parker, who owns the 777 nightclub . Singer Joe E. Lewis performs here. Joe has an offer from the competition. His piano accompanist Austin Mack warns Joe. But even the death threat from Tim Coogan, a Georgie Parker killer, can't stop him from accepting the offer. The opening night at the new club The Valencia was a complete success and a little later Joe was even able to sign a record deal. But the success is short-lived. Joe falls victim to an assassination attempt. He survived seriously injured but lost his voice because his vocal cords were severed. After Joe leaves the hospital, his assassin Coogan is murdered. Joe disappears from town. His friends Austin Mack and Swifty Morgan learn from the police that their boyfriend was not the killer. However, the friends lose sight of each other.
In 1937 Swifty meets Joe again by chance in New York . He now works as a silent clown in a variety theater. Swifty and Austin persuade Joe to try again as a singer. On his first appearance, however, he realizes that he no longer hits the high notes. However, he transforms the performance into a clowning and thus leads the performance to success. He starts a new career as a comedian. Austin Mack is his piano accompanist again. But Joe's new career is not satisfactory. He succumbs to alcohol. The relationship with his new girlfriend Letty Page is also affected. When his performances are canceled after the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 , Joe resigns and also leaves Letty. He's going overseas with Austin as an entertainer.
Months later, Joe returns. He wants to return to Letty, but has to learn from Cassie Mack, Austin's wife, that Letty is already married. In his frustration, he marries the dancer Martha Stewart. After the wedding, the young couple starts nightclub work again. Martha moves to Hollywood and Joe to Las Vegas . The separation makes the marriage fail quickly. Martha only has her career on her mind and Joe drinks and plays in Las Vegas. When Martha meets Joe drunk in Las Vegas, she files for divorce. Joe becomes involved in a brawl that night, including injuring his friend Austin Mack. Suddenly he stands alone and returns to Chicago. Here he thinks back to his botched life and decides a life without alcohol.
Reviews
"Atmospherically dense gangster film with numerous musical interludes."
Awards
Composer Jimmy Van Heusen and songwriter Sammy Cahn received an Oscar for the song All the Way in 1958 .
Web links
- Schicksalsmelodie in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ Melody of Destiny. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed April 20, 2017 .