A Bela Lillian Russell

LILLIAN RUSSELL (20th Century-Fox, 1940), directed by Irving Cummings, is a nostalgic film tribute to Helen Louise Leonard, better known as Broadway legend Lillian Russell (1861-1922), as portrayed by Hollywood legend Alice Faye in one of her more challenging roles of her career. Faye doesn't attempt to act nor sing like Lillian Russell, although it's hard to determine the actual personality of this legend, yet makes her characterization simple, sweet and sentimental in the usual Faye manner without making it look too much like a typical Alice Faye musical.

The story opens in Clinton, Iowa, shortly before the outbreak of the Civil War, with the birth of the fifth daughter of Charlie Leonard (Ernest Truex), owner of a newspaper business, and Cynthia Leonard (Dorothy Peterson), pioneer for women's suffrage whom, after moving the family to New York City, runs and loses her bid as mayor. As for Helen, she grows up into an attractive young lady with a remarkable singing voice. Her grandmother (Helen Westley) wants her to be trained for grand opera by Leopold Damrosch (Joseph Cawthorn), who feels she'd be far more suited for something else. While "playing theater" in her backyard for her father, Helen is overheard by producer Tony Pastor (Leo Carrillo) who immediately hires her for his theater under the new name of Lillian Russell. Over the years she becomes a famous star, against her mother's objections, loved by wealthy suitors Jesse Lewisohn (Warren William) and the legendary Diamond Jim Brady (Edward Arnold). She eventually marries composer Edward Solomon (Don Ameche), settles in England for a time where she gives birth to their daughter, Dorothy. Before dying, Solomon completes a haunting ballad "Blue Lovebird" dedicated entirely to her. While going through fame and despair, Alexander Moore (Henry Fonda), a newspaper man, who has been coming in and out of her life for some time now, and assigned by his editor for her biographical interview, keeps to himself his everlasting love for the girl he known back home as Helen.

The motion picture soundtrack mixing old and new song standards include: "Back in the Days of Old Broadway" by Charles Henderson and Alfred Newman; "Under the Bamboo Tree," "Comin' Thru the Rye" (Scotch tradition melody by Robert Burns); "The Strawberry Blonde," "My Evening Star" by John Stromberg and Robert B. Smith; "My Blushin' Rosie," "Adored One" by Mack Gordon and Alfred Newman; "Blue Lovebird" by Gus Kahn and Bronislau Kaper; "Blue Lovebird," "Blue Lovebird" (reprises); "He Goes to the Church on Sunday" by E. Ray Goetz and Vincent Bryan; "Waltz is King" by Mack Gordon and Charles Henderson; "The Tales of the Vienna Woods" by Johann Strauss Jr.; "After the Ball" and "Back in the Days of Old Broadway."

A companion piece to ROSE OF WASHINGTON SQUARE (1939), with Faye in an unauthorized biography of Fanny Brice, along with supporting players assuming fictional names, ROSE and LILLIAN are met with production similarities. Originally a two hour piece, ROSE went through the editing process of 35 minutes, eliminating some great songs as well as comedy acts by the vaudeville comedy team of Joe Weber and Lew Fields. LILLIAN displays what ROSE might have been during its 127 minutes, indicating that maybe the wrong movie was dramatically downsized. A lavish scale musical-biography, LILLIAN succeeds most with its all-star cast, fine songs, plus added bonuses of Weber and Fields recorded on film, Eddie Foy Jr. playing his father, and for the second time on screen, Edward Arnold as Diamond Jim Brady, the role he originated in DIAMOND JIM (Universal, 1935). In spite of its pure accuracy in costume design and hair styles, recapturing the bygone era which ROSE didn't with its 1939 costumes in 1920s setting, the fault for LILLIAN lies on its weak script that might have be salvaged with Technicolor gloss instead of its standard black and white photography. Reviews then must have been mixed, but with fine support of big name and familiar actors, including Nigel Bruce and Claude Allister as Gilbert and Sullivan; and Una O'Connor as Marie, the maid, how could it fail? Yet, the big surprise is the third-billed Henry Fonda, straight from his triumph in THE GRAPES OF WRATH (1940). Not necessarily associated with musicals, it's been mentioned by various sources, including Bob Dorian, former host of American Movie Classics, where LILLIAN RUSSELL aired regularly prior to 1989, that Fonda was unhappy with this assignment, feeling that after several important projects under the direction of John Ford that he would be offered the chance to star mostly in prestigious assignments. As it stands, this project should have been an honor for him for that Fonda's name at this point, supported by a strong cast, to be beneficial to LILLIAN RUSSELL, but of course he didn't or couldn't see it that way. While the real Lillian Russell married four times, the movie only depicts one briefly and the fourth possible prospect, eliminating husbands two and three. Maybe adding a roaster of other popular 20th-Fox actors as substitute to the film's weak points might have helped some with the continuity.

How much can be said about Lillian Russell that could stir up interest to a new generation today? Hard to say. At least with this depiction on her life, whether it be fact or fiction, Lillian Russell's name continues to live on, especially now whenever this screen treatment plays on the Fox Movie Channel. Thank goodness for film and what it represents. (***)

"Lillian Russell" is a disappointing biopic about a famous American performer and celebrated singer of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As others have noted, this is a very sanitized and fictional story. It has three strikes against it. The first is its historical inaccuracies, deletions and fabrications (a polite way of saying something is a lie). The second is its failure to develop the character and persona of Lillian Russell. It doesn't let the audience see what it was about her that made her so all around liked and loved. She was known for her beauty, voice, and stage presence. There is a little bit of it in Allice Fay's portrayal, but it just plops onto the screen. The third is the singing - specifically, a lack of much music and especially of knowing what Russell sounded like. What was her voice like and what were the songs that so endeared her to the public?

Now, I enjoy Alice Faye and her singing. She was a very good singer. But her low, sultry voice was far different from the voice of Lillian Russell's. Perhaps that's why there is so very little singling by Faye in this film. And, that 's a waiving sign that this would not be a film very much about the talents and the person.

Lillian was born Helen Louise Leonard on December 4, 1861, and raised in Iowa. In real life, her mother left her father and moved to New York with Helen, in the hopes of her becoming an opera singer. It wasn't her father or grandmother who supported her singing, as the film shows. She did get training, as shown, from Leopold Damrosch. And, her voice was near operatic soprano. Alice Faye's voice, on the other hand, was a low or husky contralto. One can hear a recording of Lillian Russell on You Tube. It's from 1912, after her return to performing, and she sings "Come Down Ma Evenin' Star."

One can't fault Alice Faye for her excellent voice, because it's different than Russell's. But one can wonder why someone closer to Russell's character and voice wasn't cast in the part for this film. For instance, Jeanette MacDonald. There are pictures of Russell and MacDonald in which they even look somewhat alike. A person's size and physical shape otherwise isn't very important in making biopics, with the possible exceptions of portrayals of prize-fighters and Olympic weight-lifters. Except for Russell's buxom and full shape, at five and half feet, she was just one inch taller than Faye and two inches taller than MacDonald

And, Jeanette MacDonald had more going for her. She had made many musicals and had the persona and character of someone with a great stage presence. Indeed, with her soprano voice, the film could easily have had some more songs that Russell sang.

This film has one huge plus that enables me to rate it five stars. And that is the very good and considerable portrayal of Russell's relationship with Diamond Jim Brady. Edward Arnold was the right choice to play Brady, since he had played the lead role in the 1935 biopic about him, "Diamond Jim." That was a very good biopic, and while it showed some of Brady's relationship with Lillian Russell, it begged for more on that. Binnie Barnes played the role of Lillian Russell in that film and sang one number that very closely resembled Russell's voice. Early in her career, Barnes had worked as a chorus girl.

Hollywood has made many movies about the lives of historical figures and famous people of the past. Most of the good biopics have been based on biographies or autobiographies. While some have included a number of scenes at different times in a persons life, most of these concentrate on special adult years of achievements, discoveries, or works. Naturally, condensing a life's story or even a period of a few years into a movie of less than two hours requires many short cuts. But most movies about historical figures have tried to include the key aspects of the person's life and relationships that were of prominence during their lives. And, while some things are touched up, softened or glazed over, the films seldom tried to completely cover up some aspects of the life of the person.

Many musical biopics also have tried to closely follow the lives of their subjects, including controversies, conflicts and personal problems and trials. So, there are many very good and great musical biopics, such as: "The Fabulous Dorseys" of 1947, "With a Song in My Heart" (Jane Froman) of 1952, "The Glenn Miller Story" of 1954, "The Benny Goodman Story" of 1956, "The Five Pennies" (Red Nichols) of 1959, "Amadeus" of 1984, "Ray" (Ray Charles) of 2004, "Walk the Line" (Johnny Cash) of 2005, "La Vie en Rose" of 2007 (Edith Piaf).

Perhaps one day there will be a very good biopic done about Lillian Russell. One with a truer portrayal of her life. And, with an actress with a similar voice, beauty and presence. And with some good songs and scenes from operettas and shows that Russell performed in.

Some historical films are totally worthless as guides to the lives and careers of the people they discuss. PARNELL, for instance, is a dismal film about the great Irish nationalist leader. LILLIAN RUSSELL is not a good guide to the career of the the famed singer and entertainer of the 1890s. There are omissions and polite bowdlerizing. For example, her marriage to Edward Solomon the composer(played by Don Ameche) was not ended by his dropping dead from overwork. Effective movie moment that it is, the marriage ended when Lillian discovered her husband was a bigamist with a living first wife. The relationship with Gilbert and Sullivan was not ended on such a sad but friendly note. Lillian did appear in PATIENCE, but she never played IOLANTHE (Gilbert claimed she did not want to rehearse as much as he insisted his performers do; rumor said that Gilbert tried to get Lillian onto the "casting couch" at the Savoy but she said no). Also, it is highly unlikely that Sullivan would have agreed to Lillian singing another composer's song in his operetta (even if between acts).

Henry Fonda's Alexander Moore is a bland enough character - handsome and kindly in the film, but not as colorful as rivals Ameche, Edward Arnold ("Diamond Jim" Brady) and Warren Williams (Jesse Lewisohn). In real life he was an important newspaperman in Pennsylvania and the Midwest, and (less acceptable in hindsight) a close friend of Warren Harding and Harry Daugherty's "Ohio Gang" of political spoils-men. Lillian, by the way, died in 1922, in the middle of Harding's corrupt administration.

The best things in the film are Faye, as pretty as usual in 19th Century costume, and warbling songs like "Blue Love Bird" in her best voice. That is worth watching. Then there is the color of the theater in the mauve decade. Tony Pastor's, the Savoy Operas, the stage of 19th Century Broadway (back then down near 14th Street and Union Square). My favorite moment: Joe Weber and Lou Fields in costume as their "Dutch" characters of the 1890s, demolishing a game of "Casino". It is a priceless moment of theatrical magic, that briefly tells us more about the real 1890s than the fake movie script for this film. Watch it for Joe and Lou and Alice.

In the 1930s and 40s, Hollywood made a ton of bio-pics. In most cases, the actual peoples' lives were only the barest of outlines for the films--with SIGNIFICANT padding (in other words, outright lying) to make the films more marketable. While the films were generally pretty enjoyable, they also were pure bunk--so when watching any biography from this period, take what you see and hear with a grain of salt. I say all this here because "Lillian Russell" is just one of those films--filled with fiction and is only a biography in name only.

While in some ways this film is accurate about the great stage actress Lillian Russell, here are a few ways where the film is total bull:

The film shows Lillian's parents as a loving couple. They actually separated when Lillian was 18 and she and her mother moved across country--leaving dad behind.

Lillian's first marriage in the film is the biggest problem in the film. Her creepy husband (Don Ameche) dies--leaving her a sad, sad widow who then sings HIS song as a tribute to him. In reality, it turned out this total louse was ALREADY MARRIED!!!! When Lillian discovered he was a bigamist, she divorced him! Some love story!!! He also was her second husband--and she'd been cheating on her poor old first husband!

Lillian was married four times...but not in this movie! She only married once and there is an implied marriage at the end.

Her beautiful baby is important in the film. The fact that it died as an infant was never mentioned!

Lillian herself was a feminist and suffragette--writing articles and speaking out for the cause. None of this is in the film and only her mother's political aspirations are discussed--odd considering the film is supposed to be about Lillian.

The film, despite having a completely dull and inaccurate plot, was a big-budget film--with AMAZING sets and lots of stars. It was odd, however, that despite having many big-name actors in the film that they were often used very poorly. Don Ameche, probably Fox's #1 male star at the time, plays a simpering loser--who also behaves VERY creepy 80 minutes into the film (where he basically says she can NEVER, NEVER leave him--even if she wants to!). Clearly it was NOT a role suited to such an illustrious star and might have been better for Boris Karloff! Henry Fonda basically plays a love-sick loser....and a creepy one who has stalked her from afar. Warren William is in the film...and that's all that can be said about his part. Pretty much the same can be said for Leo Carillo. Edward Arnold isn't bad as Diamond Jim Brady, however, and Helen Westley is GREAT as grandma. And as for the star, Alice Faye, this is one of her best films and the makeup and costuming folks have made her radiant. Clearly the women in this film outshine the men--as if the men, for a change, are more window dressing than people.

The overall verdict is that although the film looks great and has some decent moments, it's a dull, bloated and incredibly inaccurate film. By the way, there is a VERY funny glitch at the 89 minute mark. Lillian picks up her crying baby. The closeup of the kid is of a completely different kid--with the hair changing from brown to blond before your very eyes--and with a completely different face!! Didn't they think anyone would notice.

FYI--This film was wildly inaccurate that there is a special feature on the DVD entitled "A Woman Like No Other: The Real Lillian Russell"! It is worth seeing. It also shows that Lillian's life was FAR more interesting than the 20th Century-Fox film!

The actors were brilliant in trying to portray such a complex person in such a complex time. The costumes were beautiful.

You do not have to use any imagination to try to figure out the characters and the way they dressed and the way they spoke.

Thank you for doing such a wonderful job. This movie is a true treasure. We are surely blessed with such wonderful artists.

These are truly gifted actors portraying a special time in our history.

The theatre was such a huge part of the American culture. It was the only form of entertainment.

It must of been very magical to witness a play by candle light.