Rhapsodie in Blau

Thank God the film-makers trusted in the power of Gershwin's music to allow almost complete versions of the title composition, and "An American in Paris" to be included in the film - as well as many complete songs. All the music is superbly orchestrated and the songs sung beautifully by a wide variety of artists, many of whom were really the first artists to sing them. The film is excellently directed and photographed, with musical scenes well realised visually. The montage of Gershwin wandering about Paris as we hear "An American In Paris" is excellent - and the use of lights and shadows to film the orchestra playing "Rhapsody in Blue" is magnificent - would that contemporary films of orchestras were this imaginative.

Yes I know it is largely fiction - but so what? This is a tribute, not a documentary. And Alda is fine in the lead, backed by an excellent supporting cast. I loved this film from start to finish.

This film presents many Gershwin tunes in great fashion with several great settings and great production numbers. Yes, it's unfortunate that the story line is so heavily fictionalized and even misleading. But, the sets are honest to the periods covered, several sequences are very tastefully done and fun, the show excerpts are good, and did I mention the music? As several other commentators have indicated, the music is faithfully recreated in long segments that bring you much or all of the tune.

If you come to this film to hear some wonderful Gershwin performed by some great artists staged with a lot of character and splash (my favorite set is Hazel Scott's Paris show), you won't be disappointed. The story line is simply a convenient string to tie together the thread of music.

The "Gershwin Years" were very exciting times, and the life and career of George --and his brother, Ira--are well captured in this memorable classic, "Rhapsody in Blue." Tackling this subject was a difficult one, and it manages to reveal the composer's exuberance for his art, his trials and his successes. Robert Alda is a perfect choice for George; others making fine contributions are Oscar Levant and Alexis Smith. A host of great artists, many playing themselves round out a star-studded cast. A wonderful selection of Gershwin's works are represented, some in near-complete versions. This is one of the most successful of classical composer bios ever brought to the screen. It is a cherished part of my video library, and I thoroughly enjoy watching and listening to this recreation of the life, times, and music of one of American's great composers.

The music was wonderful, I enjoyed watching the father of Alan Alda in the title role & I got one "mini surprise"! That was the solo song of a very young, enchanting Hazel Scott, accompanying herself on the piano. She was a musical prodigy on the piano from the age of 4 and the youngist student admitted to the Julliard School of Music at age 16. This was the last of her early film appearances, as she focused more on musical recordings and a TV series, until the late 50s. She also married Adam Clayton Powell Jr., noted congressman from Harlem & civil rights activist. Her 1955 album, "Relaxed Piano Moods," recorded with Charles Mingus and Max Roach was recently reissued on CD & named Album of the Month by National Public Radio.

RHAPSODY IN BLUE (Warner Brothers, 1945), directed by Irving Rapper, subtitled "The Story of George Gershwin," is a tribute to America's most original composer of the twentieth century. It's an entertaining musical biography if one could overlook its faults. Made at the time when movies of this type dominated the screen, beginning with YANKEE DOODLE DANDY (1942) with James Cagney as actor and songwriter George M. Cohan, Warners later contributed another using a song title to personify the subject matter, Cole Porter in NIGHT AND DAY (1946) as portrayed by Cary Grant. Obviously YANKEE DOODLE DANDY is the best of the three, however, while NIGHT AND DAY offers an added plus with Technicolor, it makes RHAPSODY IN BLUE better than what it is. Unlike the two mentioned bio-pics, RHAPSODY IN BLUE is not headlined by a major name, but a newcomer named Robert Alda, who, unlike Cagney and Grant, never became a top rank star. One thing going for Alda is his resemblance to George Gershwin, and how acceptable he is in what has become his best known film role. Unfortunately, that's where the Gershwin legend ends. Hoping for another YANKEE DOODLE DANDY, Warners reused its co-stars, Joan Leslie as the fictitious girlfriend, and Rosemary DeCamp as the mother, the sort of roles they've done before. The result: the music that outscores an episodic story.

The story of George Gershwin, according to an original story by Sonya Levien, opens on the lower East side of Manhattan with brothers George and Ira Gershwin as boys (Darryl Hickman and Mickey Roth) watching men delivering a piano to their apartment. The piano was ordered for Ira to take lessons, but their mother, Rose (Rosemary DeCamp) can't help but notice George's natural talent for the piano without a single lesson. Years pass, the now adult George (Robert Alda), develops a new method in piano playing, lands a job playing songs for customers, getting himself fired for going against management by demonstrating his own songs. In time, he gets his big break when publisher Max Dreyfus (Charles Coburn) introduces Gershwin's latest composition, "Swanee," to Broadway entertainer Al Jolson, who likes the song so much that he introduces it in his next Broadway show, SINBAD. Jolson's delivery to "Swanee" elevates Gershwin into an exceptional and most original composer. Collaborating his songs with Ira (Herbert Rudley), Broadway shows featuring one hit song after another, along with George's on and off romances with Julie Adams (Joan Leslie), a singer who loves him, and Christine Gilbert (Alexis Smith), a socialite/ divorcée who knows she'll be nothing more than a backdrop to his life. In spite of fame and fortune, especially with his masterpiece, "Rhapsody in Blue," George is not a happy man, and strives to improve himself, doing everything in such quick pace as if he has some premonition of an untimely death.

The supporting players feature Julie Bishop as Lee Gershwin; Albert Basserman as Professor Frank; Morris Conovsky as Morris Gershwin; Johnny Downs as a tap-dancer; with Paul Whiteman, George White, Tom Patricola, Hazel Scott guest starring as themselves. A pity that Fred Astaire, whose best known for introducing some classic Gershwin tunes, didn't appear. The highlight of the program is Al Jolson singing "Swanee." This became Jolson's final contribution to the motion picture by which he takes part in the plot, but this would not be the last time his voice would be heard on screen. Jolson appears in two key scenes, each in his black-face trademark, first from his dressing room on the telephone and later on opening night. While age has caught up with Jolson physically, his delivery to "Swanee" proves he still has that old magic. A pity he didn't contribute more to the story. Oscar Levant, playing his usual droll self, provides some amusing moments as Gershwin's close friend, as well as his piano solos.

Of the many songs composed by George Gershwin, the ones selected for the soundtrack include: "Smiles," (not by Gershwin); "Swanee," "S' Wonderful, S' Marvelous," "Somebody Loves Me," "I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise," "Lady Be Good," "Blue Monday Blues" followed by "My Joe" and "Mother Mine," "Rhapsody in Blue" (conducted by Paul Whiteman); Braham's "Lullaby" (background score); Hazel Scott's piano playing and vocalization of "The Man I Love" (in French);  "Clap Yo Hands," "Fascinatin' Rhythm," "I Got Rhythm" and "Yankee Doodle Blues"; "Liza," "Bidin' My Time," "Embraceable You," "An American in Paris" (instrumental); "Cuban Rhapsody," "Our Love is Here to Stay," "Delicious," "Summertime" from PORGY AND BESS; "Concerto in F", "135th Street Blues," "Love Walked In," "Concerto in F" (reprise); and "Rhapsody in Blue"(reprise/finale).

Not historically accurate as one would like it to be, although the costumes and hair styles do fit into the time frames, RHAPSODY IN BLUE should be a delight for Gershwin fans, considering how it concentrates more on his songs than on his personal life. Running more than two hours, the narrative includes several scenes that drag on, but as long as there's enough Gershwin music to fill in the void, it shouldn't appear endless.

RHAPSODY IN BLUE, may not be the success in the tradition of YANKEE DOODLE DANDY nor Robert Alda as legendary as James Cagney, but George Gershwin's contribution to American music, jazz, blues and/or folk opera, remains legendary. RHAPSODY IN BLUE formerly available on video cassette, is shown on Turner Classic Movies. Running time: 142 minutes - "a very important piece." (***1/2)