A Song to Remember (1945)

72% of users liked it
(348 ratings)

One of the most successful filmed biographies of the 1940s, A Song to Remember alleges to be the true story of Polish composer Frederick Chopin. Actually, it has about as much relation to truth as a Heckle and Jeckle cartoon, but with such gorgeous creatures as Cornel Wilde and Merle Oberon in the… More One of the most successful filmed biographies of the 1940s, A Song to Remember alleges to be the true story of Polish composer Frederick Chopin. Actually, it has about as much relation to truth as a Heckle and Jeckle cartoon, but with such gorgeous creatures as Cornel Wilde and Merle Oberon in the leads, who cared? Though Wilde, as Chopin, is the nominal lead, top billing goes to Paul Muni, hamming his way through the role of Chopin's mentor Professor Joseph Elsner. Reportedly, Muni developed his characterization long before shooting started, refusing to allow the performances of the other actors to alter his interpretation in the slightest. This may explain why Muni seems to be acting in a vacuum, frequently completely out of rhythm with the film and its characters. Otherwise, Cornel Wilde does a nice job as the tempestuous Chopin, whose patriotic fervency frequently takes priority over his music. Merle Oberon plays novelist George Sand, who despite her preference for male clothing proves to be "all woman" during her torrid, decade-long affair with Chopin. The film's money scene--the one that everyone talked about, keeping the picture "alive" long after its original release--occurs towards the end, when the tubercular Chopin begins hemorrhaging as he performs his Polonaise for the first time (Jose Iturbi is heard on the soundtrack, "doubling" for Wilde's ivory-tickling). Sumptuously photographed in Technicolor by Tony Gaudio and Allen M. Davey, A Song to Remember was the usually penurious Columbia Pictures' top production of 1945. Fifteen years later, the studio hoped to make lightning strike twice with its Franz Liszt biopic Song Without End, but the magic just wasn't there. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 53 min.
Directed By: Charles Vidor
Written By: Sidney Buchman, Ernst Marischka
Genres: Drama, Musical & Performing Arts, Classics

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1945 Wide

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
The music is fine, but the story is not.
Steve Crum, Dispatch-Tribune Newspapers
The melodrama is pretty forced, but the music is superb.
Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Indefensible as either art or history, Charles Vidor's Chopin biopic is the absolute textbook definition of kitsch.

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Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

A nice biography movie about Chopin. I enjoyed it, the actors are good and the story is interesting (weather or not it's accurate, I don't know).
hawk l

Cornel Wilde turns in a surprisingly good performance with Merle Oberon especially attractive. Glorious production rich in color and design. Paul Muni's performance is endearing. A great deal to enjoy.

Cast

            Paul Muni as Professor Joseph Elsner

            Merle Oberon as George Sand

            Cornel Wilde as Frederic Chopin

            Stephen Bekassy as Franz Liszt

            George Coulouris as Louis Pleyel

            Nina Foch as Constantia

            Sig Arno as Henri Dupont

            Howard Freeman as Kalbrenner

            George Macready as Alfred DeMusset

            Claire Du Brey as Mme. Mercier

            Frank Puglia as M. Jollet

            Fern Emmett as Mme. Lambert

            Sybil Merritt as Isabelle Chopin

            Eugene Borden as Duc of Orleans

            William Challee as Titus

            Peter Cusanelli as Balzac

            Norma Drury as Duchess of Orleans

            Gregory Gaye as Young Russian

            John George as Servant

            Fay Helm as Mme. Chopin

            Charles La Torre as Postman

            Cosmo Sardo as Lackeys

            Maurice R. Tauzin as Chopin age 10

            Ivan Triesault as M. Chopin

            Michael Visaroff as Russian Governor

            Charles Wagenheim
            
            Ian Wolfe as Pleyel's Clerk

            Darren McGavin as Man

            Walter Bonn as Major Domo

            Dawn Bender as Isabelle Chopin

            Zoya Karabanova as Countess

            Alfred Paix as Headwaiter

            Paul Zaremba as Waiter

            Henry Sharp as Russian Count
See full cast