A Song Is Born

source: A Song Is Born

I fell in love with this movie first viewing it as a kid several years ago. I am surprised TCM does not air it more often. Danny Kaye plays a stuffed shirt music professor who lives with 5 other elder professors.Kaye sets out to document the history of Jazz music visiting clubs and inviting the musicians he has heard to several daily "jam" sessions to record music for a jazz library. He invites a lounge singer he meets,who is involved with a mob boss, and she winds up hiding out from the law at the professors house jamming with these musicians. This film is excellent for one good reason: the musicians invited are some of the best jazz players that ever lived. Clarinet player BennyGoodman, trombonist Tommy Dorsey, Vibraphonist Lionel Hampton, Pianist Mel Powell, and the great Louis Armstrong. There are also two vocal groups, guitarists and percussionists. If you ever had a dream group of musicians you wanted to see play together, you won't be disappointed with this film.One of the remarkable features of this film is not just that so many jazz greats were in it but that they were able to play together in the first place. This movie was made in 1948 when segregation was very much in force. Many of the great white jazz musicians of this time could not play on stage with the black musicians. The clubs white musicians played at did not allow blacks in them or they had to enter through the back door. Most of the time it simply was not allowed. So many great white jazz players who admired Armstrong and Hampton could never play with them because of this. Watch this film though, every jam session you see all the musicians present, black and white, are so engulfed in the music, no one even notices black, white or whatever. Just great music and a lot of fun! The back story is a little silly with Mayo on the lamb from the DA and hiding out at Kaye's residence. Kaye falls for her , playing naive and clueless to her motives. But of course they will wind up together in the end. Mayo looked beautiful in this film,great body! But the real draw is all the musicians. If you're a lover of jazz or even just music, this is a true gem to watch.

The story line, the plot, the characterizations in this film are all average. What makes this film stand out are the musicians and the music. The presence of Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong and Tommy Dorsey along with other contemporary jazz musicians makes this film a true gem.

Annoying intro bit with bookish Kaye and the dopey song opening is VERY similar to "Ball of Fire"--and with subpoenaed boyfriend--awfully soon for a remake. strong focus on black musical acts of the day--including Louis Armstrong and Lionel Hampton is that Mayo singing? If so, nice voice liked the music but it did make the film meander a lot--which is bad, as the original film was about the same length WITHOUT the music very multi ethnic "Ball of Fire" is a fantastic classic film. In my review, I gave this one a 9--but nearly gave it a 10 because it was THAT good. The film is a very clever reworking of the Snow White story--set today and with gangsters!! It is an adorable film from start to finish. "A Song is Born" is a remake, and, like too many remakes during this era, it came out not all that long after the original. Now considering that the original was just about perfect and starred Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck, what sane person thought this Danny Kaye remake was a good idea?! Sure, it's pleasant enough--but not nearly as good as the real thing. Both films have plots that are just about identical. A gangster's moll (Virginia Mayo) is hiding out from the police because they are trying to make her testify against her scum-bag boyfriend (Steve Cochran). On a lark, she moves in with a group of professors. In the original, they were working on an encyclopedia--here they are music professors cataloging music. One of them, the youngest (Danny Kaye) eventually falls for this lady--which is a severe problem since her boyfriend is a nut! How does it all work out--see the film. Because this film is less a comedy and more a musical, the film has guest appearances by some pretty amazing musical talent--such as Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton and Benny Goodman! It was also impressive because this was a very multiracial cast who interacted like old friends--something unheard of in 1948. The problem with this, however, is that because there is so much music, there is far less time with comedy--and the adorable old professors were far less adorable and lovable here. The only major plus of this ensemble cast of professors was Danny Kaye. While he was not nearly as good as Cooper, it was sure nice to see Kaye in a MUCH more understated and subtle role than usual. Overall, I'd give this one a 6 (which might be a bit generous--my wife thinks it only earns a 3). It is entertaining but is so unoriginal and unfunny that I say just watch the original and be done with it.

Where else can you see a jam session with Louie Armstrong on trumpet, Charlie Barnet on saxophone, Benny Goodman on clarinet, and Tommy Dorsey on trombone? Four major swing band leaders jamming out, and they do it more than once on this film. The movie is sufficiently entertaining to watch, but the real treat is the music jam sessions. Some of you may not know Charlie Barnet. Barnet was from a wealthy family, and his bands were more freewheeling than most traditional swing bands. He was the first white band leader to integrate his bands, and he gave Lena Horne her first gig with a major orchestra. The true big band aficionado will recognize some of the other musicians, but I will not list them here as I might spoil someone's fun.

Howard Hawks remake of his 1941 comedy "Ball of Fire" was a vehicle for Danny Kaye, who was popular at the time. This film is based on a story by Billy Wilder and Thomas Monroe, which had also been the basis of the original film. The movie was shot in Technicolor, something that must have been one of the stipulations of its star, Danny Kaye. By changing the original premise from learning about slang to learning about the new popular rhythms that had come out during the thirties and forties, the creators thought they were updating the basic idea, and they succeed, at times. The best thing in this film is the array of talent we see. Some of the giants in popular music of that time, are seen at their best in musical numbers that are clever and that reminds the viewer how classic compositions could relate to the new expressions. The central story is just a pretext to present Danny Kaye, who is the nerdy professor Frisbee, and his co-star, Virginia Mayo, a night club singer, Honey Swanson. Professor Frisbee gets in hot water because unknown to him, Honey is involved with a gangster, Tony Crow, who doesn't want to let go of his beautiful girlfriend. Besides the two stars, Steve Cochran puts in an appearance as Tony. Some of the best known popular musicians of that era are seen doing wonderful music together. Tommy Dorsey, Mel Powell, Buck and Bubbles, Charlie Barnett, Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, and Benny Goodman, who plays one of the professors. The film, while not as original as its model, is worth watching for the music alone. Music fans are in for a treat thanks to Mr. Hawks.

This movie (a remake of 1941's "Ball of Fire") is an entertaining movie. But if you like swing or JAZZ, you have got to see this! Most Danny Kaye movies have good musical scores, but this one has Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong and a number of other greats performing. Not as good a movie as "The Five Pennies", but well worth seeing for the music and for Danny Kaye. Recommended to anyone who likes Jazz and/or Swing.

Not the strongest plot in the world, but where else will you find Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Mel Powell and Charlie Barnet jamming together? This movie is worth watching just for the music. Danny Kaye's Professor Hobart Frisbee isn't the strongest use of his talents and Virginia Mayo's songs are dubbed by Jeri Sullivan. Although somewhat predictable, Professor Magenbruch's (Benny Goodman) "discovery" of swing and lack of awareness of a clarinetist named Benny Goodman is fun to watch. Perhaps the best way to enjoy the film is when viewed with "Ball Of Fire" as a double feature.

Annoying intro bit with bookish Kaye and the dopey song opening is VERY similar to "Ball of Fire"--and with subpoenaed boyfriend--awfully soon for a remake. strong focus on black musical acts of the day--including Louis Armstrong and Lionel Hampton is that Mayo singing? If so, nice voice liked the music but it did make the film meander a lot--which is bad, as the original film was about the same length WITHOUT the music very multi ethnic "Ball of Fire" is a fantastic classic film. In my review, I gave this one a 9--but nearly gave it a 10 because it was THAT good. The film is a very clever reworking of the Snow White story--set today and with gangsters!! It is an adorable film from start to finish. "A Song is Born" is a remake, and, like too many remakes during this era, it came out not all that long after the original. Now considering that the original was just about perfect and starred Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck, what sane person thought this Danny Kaye remake was a good idea?! Sure, it's pleasant enough--but not nearly as good as the real thing. Both films have plots that are just about identical. A gangster's moll (Virginia Mayo) is hiding out from the police because they are trying to make her testify against her scum-bag boyfriend (Steve Cochran). On a lark, she moves in with a group of professors. In the original, they were working on an encyclopedia--here they are music professors cataloging music. One of them, the youngest (Danny Kaye) eventually falls for this lady--which is a severe problem since her boyfriend is a nut! How does it all work out--see the film. Because this film is less a comedy and more a musical, the film has guest appearances by some pretty amazing musical talent--such as Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton and Benny Goodman! It was also impressive because this was a very multiracial cast who interacted like old friends--something unheard of in 1948. The problem with this, however, is that because there is so much music, there is far less time with comedy--and the adorable old professors were far less adorable and lovable here. The only major plus of this ensemble cast of professors was Danny Kaye. While he was not nearly as good as Cooper, it was sure nice to see Kaye in a MUCH more understated and subtle role than usual. Overall, I'd give this one a 6 (which might be a bit generous--my wife thinks it only earns a 3). It is entertaining but is so unoriginal and unfunny that I say just watch the original and be done with it.

The story line, the plot, the characterizations in this film are all average. What makes this film stand out are the musicians and the music. The presence of Benny Goodman, Louis Armstrong and Tommy Dorsey along with other contemporary jazz musicians makes this film a true gem.