Rhythm on the River

Poor Basil Rathbone, an egotistical composer who's lost his muse. He's been faking it for some time, buying his lyrics and his music from various sources. Trouble is that two of the sources (Bing Crosby music) and (Mary Martin words) happen to meet and fall in love. And then they discover what they've been doing. Complications ensue, but all is righted at the end.

Crosby and Martin sing terrifically. Mary had signed a Paramount contract and also at the same time doubled as a regular on Crosby's Kraft Music Hall Radio Show. For reasons I don't understand, movie audiences didn't take to her, so she went back to Broadway and did One Touch of Venus in 1944 and stayed there.

Basil Rathbone in one of the few times he played comedy does it very well. His ego is constantly being deflated by sidekick Oscar Levant and again I'm surprised they didn't do more films together.

As in most of Crosby's Paramount vehicles, no big production numbers, but I agree with the previous reviewer about the title tune being done as an impromptu jam session in a pawn shop. Good job by all.

A surprisingly original plot and great entertainment.

Anyone want to see Basil Rathbone in a comedy? You can either catch him in The Court Jester, or you can rent Rhythm on the River, a cute Bing Crosby vehicle about two songwriters who fall in love. It was Mary Martin's second movie, and she didn't make too many, so catch the "singing Jean Arthur" while you can!

Basil Rathbone is a famous composer of popular tunes, and Oscar Levant is his faithful piano player. At a party, he's asked by his guests to share a new song he's working on. He excuses himself to the other room, and Bing Crosby rushes in with some crumpled sheet music. Turns out, Basil hires out and doesn't write his own melodies! Right after presenting the new song to his guests, Oscar takes Basil aside and shows him a telegram with bad news. Turns out, Basil hires out and doesn't write his own lyrics-and his lyricist just died! When he's in need of a new writer, he meets Mary Martin, but will Bing ever meet her?

Since this a cute romantic comedy, it's safe to say the answer is yes. With classic quips from Oscar, charm and sweetness from Bing, and class and good intentions from Basil, this is an adorable musical. Basil doesn't sing, but Bing and Mary come up with some great tunes that you'll be humming after the credits roll. "That's for Me" is particularly cute, and "Only Forever" was nominated for an Oscar in 1941.

RHYTHM ON THE RIVER (Paramount, 1940), directed by Victor Schertzinger, is not a musical set on a riverboat floating down the Mississippi as the title may imply, but a story about song writing set mostly in New York City. Starring Bing Crosby in this well-intentioned but underrated musical about ghostwriting, its title might have suited Crosby's earlier riverboat musical MISSISSIPPI (1935) or a rarely seen Barbara Stanwyck BANJO ON MY KNEE (20th Century-Fox, 1936), RHYTHM ON THE RIVER is basically a series of "Rhythm" titles used for several Paramount musicals at that time, including Crosby's similarly titled RHYTHM ON THE RANGE (1936) or DOCTOR RHYTHM (1938). In fact, RHYTHM ON THE RIVER is actually one of the songs used for this production, which may not be as memorable or noteworthy as some others selected as part of its story.

The story revolves around Oliver Courtney (Basil Rathbone), a popular songwriter in demand for composing tunes for an upcoming Broadway show. Unknown to many, his melodies are actually composed by Bob Summers (Bing Crosby) with lyrics written by another, for which Courtney takes credit. Working for Courtney only a year, Summers refuses to be tied down to a contract, promising never to reveal who's been writing the songs to Courtney's music. When his lyricist dies, Courtney hires Sherry Lane (Mary Martin) to ghost write the words to his songs at $50 a week. Living in her aunt's boarding house where she has rented a room next to her band players (Harry Barris and Willy Mannone) constantly playing "Hold That Tiger," she's unable to concentrate on her work. Courtney suggests she go to Nobody's Inn in Tarrytown where she can compose in peace and quiet. Unknown to her, the Inn, managed by Bob's uncle (Charley Grapewin) and his wife, also lives there. Upon their acquaintance, and learning about their ghost writing profession for Courtney, it is decided they leave Courtney and have their own songs published instead. Problems arise when Bob and Cherry are unable to sell their songs to publishers for having all the earmarks Oliver Courtney while Oliver Courtney is having problems of his own unable to score anything on his own.

The supporting players include the droll Oscar Levant as Courtney's assistant, Billy Starbuck; Oscar Shaw, Lillian Cornell, William Frawley, Jeanne Cagney, Charles Lane, and John Scott Trotter, among others. The name Oscar Shaw may be unfamiliar to many, but somewhat known by anybody who's seen his last movie opposite The Marx Brothers in THE COCOANUTS (Paramount, 1929) where Shaw and Mary Eaton sang a duet to Irving Berlin's "When My Dreams Come True."

On the musical program: "What Would Have Shakespeare Have Said?" (sung by Bing Crosby, reprised by Lillian Cornell); "That's For Me" (sung by Mary Martin); "Hold That Tiger" (instrumental); "Only Forever" (sung by Bing Crosby); "When the Moon Comes Over Madison Square," "Rhythm on the River" (both sung by Crosby); "Ain't It a Shame About Mame?" "I Don't Want to Cry Anymore" (both sung by Mary Martin); and "Only Forever: (sung by Crosby and Martin). Of the many songs, "That's for Me" is actually better than the others, along with "Ain't it a Shame About Mame," while the slow in tempo "Only Forever" was good enough to be honored an Academy Award nomination as Best Song of 1940.

With this being another song promotion musical provided by Bing Crosby, RHYTHM ON THE RIVER is more a showcase for Mary Martin, in her second movie role. Though her mannerisms resemble that of actress Jean Arthur, especially when accusing Crosby's character as a masher, she does benefit well musically with a style all her own. What also makes RHYTHM ON THE RIVER quite enjoyable is the casting of Basil Rathbone, known for playing villains, swashbucklers and Sherlock Holmes in a series of mysteries during the 1940s, seen to good advantage in a lightweight comedic performance. Director Schertzinger reteamed Crosby and Martin once more for another musical winner, BIRTH OF THE BLUES (Paramount, 1941), where they once again perform well together.

RHYTHM ON THE RIVER, with last cable broadcasts on The Movie Channel (1992) and American Movie Classics (1993-1994), formerly available on video cassette, can be found on DVD (with Crosby's RHYTHM ON THE RANGE on its flip side), making this a good companion piece to Crosby's easy-going screen personality and the type of movies that made him famous. (*** song sheets)

While a pleasant enough musical, what stuck with me about this movie was the unexpected comedic chemistry between Basil Rathbone, as the has-been composer, and Oscar Levant as his assistant. Playing a high strung, distracted artistic type (a far cry from his more familiar roles as either menacing villains or the coolly logical Sherlock Holmes), Rathbone's character looks like he couldn't find his way out of bed without help. And that help is Starbuck, played with his usual droll humor by Oscar Levant. Upon hiring Crosby's character as his ghost song writer, Rathbone introduces him to Starbuck by saying, "He does all my thinking for me.", to which Levant responds, "Ah, it's only a part-time job." Of course this goes right past (or over) Rathbone, who's too busy fretting about where his next hit song will come from. As another reviewer said, who knew Rathbone could be so funny! Too bad he didn't have more opportunities to display his comedic talent.

and what a combo. Two of the century's great singers star together in this underrated musical. He writes music, she writes lyrics, and they both work for Basil Rathbone who can't write either because his wife died (actually she just got fat!). Best scene is the pawn shop number where Bing sings an impromptu number while the swing band gets their instruments out of hock. Just wonderful. And this is a rare starring role for Broadway legend, Mary Martin, and she's quite good. Charley Grapewin, John Scott Trotter, William Frawley, Oscar Levant (once again the manic pianist), Charles Lane, and Helen Bertram co-star. And who knew Rathbone could be funny?