Rhapsody in Blue (1945)
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20% of critics liked it
(5 reviews) -
58% of users liked it
(349 ratings)
There's slightly more fancy than fact in this lavish film biography of legendary American composer George Gershwin, but oh! That music! Director Irving Rapper had wanted Tyrone Power to play Gershwin, but Power was still serving in the Marines, so Rapper had to settle for Robert Alda--who… More There's slightly more fancy than fact in this lavish film biography of legendary American composer George Gershwin, but oh! That music! Director Irving Rapper had wanted Tyrone Power to play Gershwin, but Power was still serving in the Marines, so Rapper had to settle for Robert Alda--who isn't bad at all, just a trifle over-enthusiastic. The film traces Gershwin's rise from a "song plugger" for a Manhattan music publishing company to the heights of international fame and fortune. Gershwin's first big hit is "Swanee," introduced on Broadway by Al Jolson (who plays himself, making his first film appearance in six years). In collaboration with his lyricist brother Ira (well played by Herbert Rudley), George pens hit after hit in show after show. Impresario Charles Coburn is happy with this, but George's kindly old music teacher Albert Basserman wants his prize pupil to aspire to something more artistic. Gershwin responds with "Rhapsody in Blue", which debuts at Aeolian Hall in 1924 under the baton of bandleader Paul Whiteman (also playing himself). As his fame and workload grows, George finds he has no time at all for romance; the two (fictional) ladies in his life, both of whom eventually realize that they'll always have to play second fiddle to Gershwin's muse, are musical comedy star Joan Leslie and socialite Alexis Smith. Gershwin continues to compose such masterpieces as "An American in Paris", "Cuban Overture", "Concerto in F" and the 1935 folk opera Porgy and Bess. He will not allow himself to rest on his laurels, ruthlessly pushing himself to top all his previous accomplishments. Finally, the strain proves too great: George Gershwin dies of a cerebral hemorrhage in 1937, at the age of 39. Featured in the cast as themselves (in addition to those already mentioned) are Gershwin's lifelong friend Oscar Levant, producer George White, and Broadway performers Tom Patricola and Hazel Scott. Morris Carnovsky and Rosemary DeCamp play George's parents, while Julie Bishop is cast as Ira's wife Lee, who is saddled with the film's silliest line: "Ira, promise me that you'll never become a genius." Alternately hokey and inspired, Rhapsody in Blue has weathered the years as one of Hollywood's most solid biopics. And, as a bonus, we are treated to a virtually complete performance (running a full reel) of the title composition. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Directed By
- Irving Rapper
- Genres
- Musical & Performing Arts, Drama
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 2001 Wide
- Studio
- Warner Home Video
Critic Reviews
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Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
The music is glorious, but the biopic is pedestrian and fictionlaized to a fault, and Robert Alda as the genius George Gerhsiwn is too bland
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
It's the usual inaccurate Hollywood biopic.
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Ken Hanke, Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)
Typical Hollywoodized biopic with some amazing moments.
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Cast
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Robert Alda
as George Gershwin
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Joan Leslie
as Julie Adams
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Alexis Smith
as Christine Gilbert
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Charles Coburn
as Max Dreyfus
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Julie Bishop
as Lee Gershwin
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Oscar Levant
as Himself
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Albert Basserman
as Prof. Frank
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Morris Carnovsky
as Papa Gershwin
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Rosemary De Camp
as Momma Gershwin
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Al Jolson
as Himself
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George White
as Himself
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Hazel Scott
as Herself
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Jamie Anne Brown
as Bess
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Herbert Rudley
as Ira Gershwin
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John B. Hughes
as Commentator
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Mickey Roth
as George Gershwin as a boy
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Darryl Hickman
as Ira Gershwin as a Boy
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Charles Halton
as Mr. Kast
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Andrew Tombes
as Mr. Milton
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Gregory Golubeff
as Mr. Katzman
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Walter Soderling
as Mr. Muscatel
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Eddie Marr
as Buddy De Sylva
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Theodore von Eltz
as Foley
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Bill Kennedy
as Herbert Stone
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Robert Shayne
as Christine's Escort
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Johnny Downs
as Dancer
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Ernest Golm
as Otto Kahn
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Martin Noble
as Jascha Heifetz
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Will Wright
as Rachmaninoff
- Eddie Cantor
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Yola d'Avril
as Prima Donna
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Claire Du Brey
as Receptionist
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William Gillespie
as Porgy
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Ivan Lebedeff
as Guest in Nightclub
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Odette Myrtil
as Mme. De Breteuil
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Jay Novello
as Orchestra Leader
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Tom Patricola
as Himself
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Paul Whiteman & Orch.
as Themselves
- Frank Reicher
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Christian Rub
as Swedish Janitor
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Virginia Sale
as Cashier
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Harry Seymour
as Piano Player
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Mark Stevens
as Singer
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Ira Gershwin
as Herbert Rudley
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George Riley
as Comic
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Oscar Lorraine
as Ravel
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Rob Johnson
as Sport
- Albert Bassermann
