Mit einem Lied im Herzen

In 1952, 20th Century-Fox produced a Technicolor extravaganza devoted to the singing career of the legendary Jane Froman.

Today, most folks don't know who she was, but this film -- strangely missing from the Fox classics series -- not only shows us the kind of woman she was but treats us to one of the most amazing catalogs of music ever put on screen.

Music director Alfred Newman, with associate Ken Darby, worked with Jane Froman and Susan Hayward, who portrayed/lip synced to Froman's voice. Newman won a much-deserved Oscar for this work (beating out "Singin' in the Rain").

It's a cornucopia of 1940s popular music and is performed by one of the most amazing voices I've heard.

The film is beautifully written, tautly directed and acted to perfection. When I first saw this film in the early 60s on NBC's "Saturday Night at the Movies," Susan Hayward instantly became my favorite actress of all time. She is extraordinary as Froman, and in many ways resembled her. Hayward and Froman spent much time together, with Hayward studying Froman's movements, gestures, singing style and modeled her performance accordingly. It was an Oscar-nominated performance that was well-deserved. Thelma Ritter is at the top of her game as the nurse, Clancy, who nurses the seriously injured Froman during a near-fatal airplane crash in Spain and remained her companion/nurse the rest of her career. Ritter was a master of the wise-cracking New Yorker, who could have you cackling one minute and break your heart the next. She had me on my first viewing of "All About Eve", but this one cemented her forever at the top of my best-loved character actress pantheon.

David Wayne gives a solid performance as Froman's manager and husband. It was a marriage made of respect/mutual interest and it's portrayed that way. The romantic angle comes in the form of Rory Calhoun's character, based on the man Froman eventually married.

The Jane Froman story deserves to be remembered, and Froman deserves to be heard again and again. Come on Fox, give this film a DVD release real soon.

Susan Hayward was at her best in this very sympathetic role portraying singer Jane Froman.... She looked beautiful throughout the entire production, even during the plane crash sequence....N o one lip synched better than Hayward !(also synched in Ill Cry Tomorrow, although might have done some of her vocalizing there.)...beautiful heartwarming story, how accurate,? will never know, it was an entertainment... and it entertained... The soundtrack/score is exceptional, especially the Americana medley...Thelma Ritter once again is a scene stealer... beautiful blue eyed Rory Calhoun, plays and looks his part well, and Robert Wagner was also a standout, in a minor, but moving role.. Why is this no longer available on Video?? It hasnt been for over 20 years... Thanks to AMC, Ive seen it again afew times. and luckily I do have the soundtrack lp on Vinyl....Hayward fans incl. myself should demand this film to be re-issued on Video & DVD !!!!

This rousing tribute to singer Jane Froman succeeds at every level and why not?

With a brilliant cast led by the great Susan Hayward, how can anything else be true?

Though Froman did the singing, Hayward's dubbing and movements of Froman were outstanding. She merited a well earned Oscar nomination for best actress in 1952.

The film begins with Froman, a co-ed from Missouri U, auditioning for radio. By accident, she meets a fellow-want-to-be in showbusiness, Don Ross, wonderfully played by David Wayne, a very under-rated actor for his time. Wayne is highly believable helping Froman to the top, loving her and then after marriage, turning on her as his career wanes.

A sinking marriage is temporarily quieted by a tragic plane crash which occurs at the height of Froman's career in 1943. Only 15 of the 39 passengers aboard survived. The crash and hospitalization allowed Froman to meet and fall in love with pilot, John Byrne, competently acted by Rory Calhoun, a cowboy favorite.

Thelma Ritter is outstanding as the wisecracking nurse Clancy. Nominated for best supporting actress, Ritter certainly should have won for her ability to go from wise-cracking to a no-nonsense nurse, who tells a complaining hospitalized Froman that she stayed with her because she had guts.

The musical numbers are fantastic. Hayward, in the rendition of Get Happy, with that gorgeous red dress, is phenomenal. The Blue Moon sequence is terrific and the dancing sequence, while singing the title song, will forever be memorable to all.

The end of the film is a salute to our fighting men and nation. Our states are saluted in this grand film!

Saw this movie at the age of 16 and fell immediately in love with Susan Hayward. The plot seems a bit contrived now, although it is fairly faithful to Froman's physical problem and her contributions in entertaining the troops in WWII. The music is wonderful! "Get Happy" is still one of my favorite movie production numbers. By the way, it is not Hayward doing the singing, but Jane Froman herself whose voice was dubbed into the soundtrack.

If for no other reason than the extraordinary soundtrack, 20th Century Fox should have already released "With A Song in My Heart" on DVD/VHS. With music written by such diverse composers as Rodgers & Hart; Sammy Fain; Harold Arlen, Peggy Lee, Vincent Youmans, George & Ira Gershwin; Arthur Schwartz Frank Loesser; Jule Stein & Sammy Cahn,and a medley of classic "Americana" songs, it is a musical delight. The vocals, performed by Susan Hayward, but dubbed by Jane Froman, are flawless.

Susan Hayward does a superb job as do David Wayne, Thelma Ritter, and a marvelous supporting cast, including Robert Wagner, Max Showalter and Una Merkle. Only Rory Calhoun seems wooden. It is a story of grit and determination that deserves an audience 50 years later.