Words and Music (1948 film)

Words and Music

lobby card
Directed by Norman Taurog
Produced by Arthur Freed
Written by Ben Feiner Jr. (adaptation)
Fred F. Finklehoffe (writer)
Story by Guy Bolton
Jean Holloway
Starring Tom Drake
Mickey Rooney
Music by Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart
Cinematography Charles Rosher
Harry Stradling Sr.
Edited by Albert Akst
Ferris Webster
Production
company
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release dates
  • December 31, 1948 (1948-12-31) (US)
Running time
120 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $3,048,000[1]
Box office $4,552,000[1]

Words and Music is a 1948 film loosely based on the creative partnership of the composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Lorenz Hart. The film stars Mickey Rooney as Hart and Tom Drake as Rodgers, along with Janet Leigh, Betty Garrett, Ann Sothern and numerous musical stars. It was the second in a series of MGM biopics about Broadway composers; it was preceded by Till the Clouds Roll By (Jerome Kern, 1946) and followed by Three Little Words (Kalmar and Ruby, 1950) and Deep in My Heart (Sigmund Romberg, 1954).

The movie is best remembered for featuring the final screen pairing between Rooney and Judy Garland, and for the lavish showcasing of the Rodgers and Hart catalogue of songs. The script, as in many such films, was heavily fictionalized. It sanitized Hart's complex psychological problems and self-destructive behavior, which led to the break-up of the writing partnership and contributed to Hart's early death. In keeping with media taboos of the time, the film also completely avoided any mention of Hart's homosexuality. (Thanks to the same taboos, the New York Times reviewer Bosley Crowther ridiculed the film's inaccurate portrayal of Hart but did not specify what was inaccurate.)

The beginning of the film is somewhat unusual for a biopic. Drake appears alone in character, introducing himself to the audience as Richard Rodgers and telling the audience it is about to see the story of his collaboration with Lorenz Hart. It's as if Rodgers were playing himself.

Though the film performed very well at the box office, it proved to be quite an expensive production and, as a result, barely recouped its cost in its first release.[2]

Cast

Guest appearances:

Production

The film was originally budgeted at $2,659,065.[3]

Reception

The film earned $3,453,000 in the US and Canada and $1,099,000 overseas but because of its high cost recorded a loss of $371,000.[1]

The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

References

  1. 1 2 3 The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. H. Mark Glancy, 'MGM Film Grosses, 1924–28: The Eddie Mannix Ledger', Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Vol 12 No. 2 1992 p127-144 at p140
  3. Michael A. Hoey, Elvis' Favorite Director: The Amazing 52-Film Career of Norman Taurog, Bear Manor Media 2013
  4. "AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-08-13.
  5. "AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-08-13.


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