Tu seras un homme, mon fils

In the late 20's, the talkative newly graduated in pharmacy and aspirant piano player Eddy Duchin (Tyrone Power) comes from Boston to New York expecting to play with the orchestra of Leo Reisman (Larry Keating) at fancy New York's Central Park Casino. However he had misunderstood the invitation of the maestro and while leaving the place, he meets the wealthy socialite Marjorie Oelrichs (Kim Novak) that asks Leo Reisman to give a chance to Eddy. He plays in the intermission and becomes a successful piano showman. Two years later, Marjorie and Eddy get married and in the Christmas, Marjorie has a baby, Peter, but she dies after the delivery. Eddy rejects Peter blaming him for the death of Marjorie and only five years later he meets his son. With the World War II, Eddy Duchin breaks up his band and enlists to fight in the war. With the end of the war, Eddy returns to New York with the intention of getting closer to Peter but he sees the boy connected to his friend Chiquita (Victoria Shaw). When Eddy discovers that he has a terminal disease, he proposes Chiquita and they get married.

When we see the biography of a personality by Hollywood, we are never sure that it is a true story or a fairy tale created by the cinema industry. Despite of that, the melodramatic "The Eddy Duchin Story" is a nice story of a man's life surrounded by music, beautiful ladies and tragedies. The forty-two year-old Tyrone Power has good performance and he really seems to be playing the piano, but it is funny to see him in the role of a newly graduated man. Kim Novak shines with her beauty, elegance and her sweet voice. Victoria Shaw is also gorgeous. The cinematography and the music score are awesome and deserved the nomination to the Oscar. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Melodia Immortal" ("Immortal Melody")

There is a back narrative about Tyrone Power and his involvement in The Eddy Duchin Story (TEDS) that is quite interesting and worth sharing. In 1955, Power had just completed the film Untamed for Henry King/Twentieth Century-Fox and was winding down his long contractual association with that studio. Power was increasingly disillusioned with his recent film assignments, and yearned to go back on the stage. He had just concluded theatrical assignments in Stephen Vincent Benet's John Brown's Body (1952-1953) and Christopher Fry's The Dark Is Light Enough (1954-1955) that gave him considerable personal satisfaction and generated much positive critical acclaim. When the latter play closed in Boston during May of 1955, Power wanted to continue with the theatrical phase of his acting career. It was around this time that Power agreed to star in a new play titled A Quiet Place (AQP) by young playwright Julian Claman. It dealt with the tribulations of a middle-aged American composer trying to write a new musical score while striving to save his failing marriage. Staged by Delbert Mann (of Marty (1955) fame), AQP opened in New Haven during late November,1955. After continuing its brief tryouts in Boston, Cleveland and Pittsburgh, AQP moved on to Washington, D. C.-----where it closed on New Year's Eve. Subsequent scheduled play dates in Philadelphia and New York for AQP were then cancelled.

AQP itself was a critical failure, although the actors in it generally received good notices. Power in particular was positively singled out for his realistic depiction of a serious composer, including his natural performance of suggested piano playing. A personal aside. I happened to see AQP during its Pittsburgh engagement-----and can attest to the validity of the above comments based upon my own actual experience.

Power did not appear in another stage production until a revival of Shaw's The Devil's Disciple was mounted in early 1956. It was was just when AQP had folded that the opportunity appeared for Power to act the title character in a proposed new biopic to be called The Eddy Duchin Story! It seemed to be either fate or coincidence or both that TEDS involved a musician who also played the piano just as Power recently did in in AQP. Power's preparation for AQP obviously helped him to deal with and successfully execute the extended important scenes in TEDS that required him to suggest virtuoso piano playing. As we know, the actual piano work in TEDS was done by Carmen Cavallaro. But having personally seen Power in both AQP and TEDS----probably a unique admission for someone to affirm at this point in time------his "faking" great piano playing was and is a truly remarkable piece of work and deserves the considerable praiseworthy attention that it garnered from both his fans and critics.

Power was well known to be one of Hollywood's most handsome men. Possibly this may help explain why he seldom received the acting recognition that should have been his. The way he was able to perform as an accomplished pianist in both AQP and TEDS must surely be singled out for appropriate recognition as a unique and remarkable acting achievement.

Tyrone Power and Errol Flynn were probably the two greatest cinematic action heroes of their generation. Both died young----Power at age 44 of a heart attack in 1958 and Flynn at age 50 of an abused life style just one year later. They were extraordinary performers-----we will not see their likes again. That Power was also able to broaden his acting range by accepting the challenge to appear on the stage while at the same time being a Hollywood film performer of the first rank is not sufficiently recognized------as it should be. Perhaps this review may help to correct that situation.

Expecting to be bored but knowing my wife would love the music, I sat through 'The Eddie Duchin Story.' I'd never heard of Duchin, except to know his son, Peter, was a fine pianist. Earlier in the evening, I'd endured 'The Passion of the Christ,' and I really wasn't in the mood for another downbeat movie. Much to my surprise, I loved every aspect of 'Duchin.' Columbia's 'Monroe,' Kim Novak got top billing, much to my surprise, since Tyrone Power was still a top matinée idol. Well, let me tell you, whatever jokes you've heard about Novak, you'll forget them when you see her a Marjorie, Duchin's doomed socialite wife. Appearing less than an hour, Novak's grace and sweetness permeates the whole movie. You'll adore Novak as much as Duchin. Power is only slightly less effective, but he has a much rougher job. Power is in his mid forties when he plays Duchin, and he must play the first hour as a man in his mid twenties. Power is so frenetic, so energetic and earnest, you fear he's going to have a heart attack. He did, three years later on 'Solomon and Sheba' and died on the spot. Anyway, back to 'Duchin.' James Whitmore is magnificent, as usual in a small role as Duchin's manager. His little bit of business putting on his hat near the end of the film perfectly captures and advance the mood of the movie. Victoria Shaw is given the thankless role of Duchin's second wife, and she hit just the right notes to make an impression without overpowering the narrative. After all, this is Duchin's story, and her part of it is a small but key part. Rex Thompson is perfect as young Peter Duchin, displaying all the emotional conflicts a child would endure with his history. He has an absolutely great scene near the end of the film, but I won't spoil by telling you what happens. Let's just say he takes of the responsibilities of manhood far younger than a child should. Warren Hsieh as the native boy, is wonderful in helping to capture the mood that is yet another turning point in Duchin's life.

Producer Jerry Wald has spared no expense at recreating a era in a manner as convincing as 'Titanic'. Director George Sydney once again proves he is skilled with a camera as he is with actors. The first kiss between Powers and Novak is seen as a reflection in a puddle. Just beautiful! George Duning provides the incredible score. Carmen Cavallaro performs the great piano classics..

I don't cry in movies too often. I didn't cry once in 'The Passion of the Christ'. But I couldn't hold back tears in many scenes in 'The Eddie Duchin Story'. That's saying a lot. Sure, 'The Eddie Duchin Story' is soap. But, there are many kinds of soap. Oil of Olay leaves you feeling fresh and clean and invigorated. So does 'The Eddie Duchin Story'. I give 'The Eddie Duchin Story' a '10'.

This was one of my favorite movies as a kid - not only does it have great musical sequences, but it is a real tearjerker. I read recently that this movie just about ruined the life of Peter Duchin, Eddy's son. I can't imagine what it must be like to be a character in such a popular film that shows up on AMC just before you play your next gig.

George Sidney did a beautiful job of directing, and no expense was spared for this Technicolor movie filmed on location in New York. There are so many great shots of the city -- if you're familiar with New York, watching the movie is all that much more enjoyable. The film appears to follow the structure of Duchin's actual life but how much is fact and how much is fiction is hard to say. What is fact is that Carmen Cavallero does a divine job dubbing the piano, and Tyrone Power's fingerings are excellent. He apparently worked at them night and day, and the result was worth it.

There are some wonderful scenes in the film, one of the best being when Duchin talks about his love for Marjorie to Chiquita, who is about to become his new wife. It's such a beautiful monologue about how you can be young and love someone the way he did Marjorie only once, watch your parents age only once etc. - needless to say, hearing that little speech today means more to me now than it did when I was 14. Another great scene is Eddy and a little boy playing chopsticks on a rickety piano in wartime; and, of course, Eddy talking to his son at the playground toward the end of the film.

Tyrone Power knew Eddy Duchin personally as he knew just about everyone, and his portrayal is masterful. In the beginning, however, he's the young Eddy and it's obvious that he's way too old to be fresh out of college. Power was 41 at the time of the filming, and it wasn't the 41 of 2006 - it was a 1950s, three-pack-a-day, party all night, I fought in World War II 41 - hello. You would have thought that the lighting man and cameramen would have worked just a tad harder - we're talking about Tyrone Power here, not some nobody. A little star treatment, please. Instead, Power ends up looking younger in the second half of the film. Ridiculous.

There are lots of posts about Kim Novak, who is very beautiful though vapid as Marjorie, but not much mention of the beautiful Australian actress, Victoria Shaw, who played Chiquita. Like Power and Duchin, she died young. She does an excellent job in the movie. One of the comments suggested the character of Chiquita is fictional; in fact, Duchin's widow was indeed Chiquita Wynn Duchin, and in 1947, Peter Duchin left the Harrimans to live with his father and his stepmother.

Rex Thompson plays the young Peter Duchin and though he makes a game try at hiding his British accent, he sounds British. As a young adult, Thompson was a handsome and fine actor - he worked into his twenties, and then faded from view. In real life, Peter Duchin went on to marry Margaret Sullavan's daughter, Brooke Hayward.

It's hard to hold back the tears during "The Eddy Duchin Story," so don't try. Enjoy the romance and be enveloped in a more gentile world where people had some class, and listen to that great music.

TYRONE POWER does a remarkably convincing job at the keyboard and the camera seems to linger on his dexterity at the piano (on a dummy keyboard, of course) while the magic of Carmen Cavallaro takes over on the soundtrack. He's excellent as the brash and overly eager young piano player who eventually makes bigtime as a popular pianist, marries and loses his sweetheart, KIM NOVAK, with whom he has a young son who at first resents him after Power's desertion, then reunites before Duchin's untimely death from leukemia. That's the plot, in a nutshell, but it's the sparkling music that counts.

The richly textured Technicolor photography of Manhattan and its settings evoke the time and period perfectly. I found KIM NOVAK's performance artificial and disturbingly unreal--as though she were affecting a series of poses--while Power is completely natural and appealing opposite her. Novak's performance here is a far cry from her work as Madge in PICNIC. The mood of the film becomes somber after her death and Power's decision to leave the country on tour, leaving his baby son behind. The conflict between Duchin and his son is what has to be resolved before the story ends.

The handsome production values are all enhanced by the constant use of Duchin's music, either in the background or with him at the keyboard and these qualities make it one of the most enjoyable musical biographies I've seen in a long time.

The film won four Oscar nominations and Power deserved to be included, but was not.