Words and Music (1948)

Director:

Norman Taurog

Writers:

Guy Bolton (story)
Ben Feiner Jr. (adaptation)

Release Date:

31 December 1948 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Comedy | Musical

Tagline:

The BIGGEST musical!

Plot:

Fictionalized story of the songwriting partnership of Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart.

Plot Keywords:

Composer | Rooney And Garland | Fictional Biography | Dance | Beautiful Woman

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

June Allyson	...	Alisande La Carteloise (in "A Connecticut Yankee")
Perry Como	...	Eddie Lorrison Anders / Himself
Judy Garland	...	Herself
Lena Horne	...	Herself
Gene Kelly	...	Himself
Mickey Rooney	...	Lorenz Hart
Ann Sothern	...	Joyce Harmon
Tom Drake	...	Richard Rodgers
Cyd Charisse	...	Margo Grant
Betty Garrett	...	Peggy Lorgan McNeil
Janet Leigh	...	Dorothy Feiner Rodgers
Marshall Thompson	...	Herbert Fields
Mel Tormé	...	Himself
Vera-Ellen	...	Herself
Jeanette Nolan	...	Mrs. Hart

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

Cut from the film was the Perry Como rendition of "Lover." However, in the movie trailer, Mr. Como partially sings the waltz. The MGM Studio Orchestra plays "Lover" as the movie's opening credits run. Bonuses on the 2007 DVD, issued by Warner Home Video, include the trailer and outtakes of Mr. Como's two deleted songs, "Lover" and "You're Nearer."

Goofs:

Anachronisms: Camille (1936) is treated and presented as if it were a silent film, even though it was made nearly a decade into the sound era.

Quotes:

Peggy Lorgan McNeil: I don't think I quite understand.
Lorenz Hart: You will after you've known me ten or fifteen years.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Music and Lyrics (2007)

Soundtrack:

Spring Is Here

Five Tough Talents

Among the leading cast of "Words and Music" are 5 fine talented performers who posed great problems for future casting. They're all ideally presented here to utilize their best assets.

The stars are Tom Drake, Betty Garrett, Marshall Thompson, Perry Como and Lena Horne. All super-gifted, providing they're given the right forum.

Drake was forever the "boy next door," and his charming, naive persona was seldom as well used as here and in "Meet Me in St. Louis." Garrett had a great personality and contralto voice, who was seldom allowed to show her full potential.

Thompson was the perfect supporting player but, like Tom Drake, limited to lightweight parts which came few and far between.

Como and Horne, while superstars as singers and entertainers, were likewise limited to "specialties" in films rather than leading roles. Como went on to star in his own tv show, which lasted for many seasons. But Horne represented a truly great talent who was wasted in terms of future acting roles and other musical offerings.

They're all presented in "Words and Music" in their element, and come across beautifully. Other stars are well featured in this fictionalized and Hollywoodized bio of two great songwriters, Rodgers and Hart.

What wonderful music this collaboration rendered musical theater, and this film preserves many of their best numbers.