Rose of Washington Square (1939)

Director:

Gregory Ratoff

Writers:

Jerry Horwin (story)
Nunnally Johnson (writer)

Release Date:

5 May 1939 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Musical

Plot:

New York city in the 1920s: a singer struggles to keep her boyfriend from trouble. When she makes it to Ziegfeld...

Plot Keywords:

Singer | 1920s | Singing | New York City | Deception

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Tyrone Power	...	Barton DeWitt Clinton
Alice Faye	...	Rose Sargent
Al Jolson	...	Ted Cotter
William Frawley	...	Harry Long
Joyce Compton	...	Peggy
Hobart Cavanaugh	...	Whitey Boone
Moroni Olsen	...	Major Buck Russell
E.E. Clive	...	Barouche driver
Louis Prima	...	Bandleader
Charles C. Wilson	...	Detective Mike Cavanaugh
Ben Welden	...	Toby (Hood)
Horace McMahon	...	Irving
Paul Stanton	...	District attorney
Harry Hayden	...	Dexter
John Hamilton	...	Judge

Runtime:

86 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

This film closely resembles the life of entertainer Fanny Brice, and Alice Faye even sings Ms. Brice's signature song "My Man". According to "Biography: Alice Faye: The Star Next Door" (1996), Fanny Brice sued 20th Century Fox for $750,000. 20th Century Fox benefited from the publicity, and this film was its biggest musical hit of 1939. The studio settled out of court with Fanny Brice for an undisclosed amount.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Hidden Hollywood II: More Treasures from the 20th Century Fox Vaults (1997) (TV)

Soundtrack:

I Never Knew Heaven Could Speak

any similarity to real people is purely coincidental

Despite this disclaimer at the beginning of "Rose of Washington Square," Fanny Brice realized the film was about her and quickly sued 20th Century Fox. Gee, wonder what the kicker was...the good-looking con man husband who goes to jail on a bond fraud? The lead character headlining with the Ziegfield Follies? Or was it the song "My Man"? Alice Faye is very pretty as Rose in this somewhat politically incorrect film which also stars Tyrone Power and Al Jolson: There's the man who is paid to drink so he can heckle Al Jolson as part of his act, and there's Al himself in blackface with white lips up on stage singing. Nevertheless, the real story concerns the codependent relationship between Rose and Bart, her crooked husband. But it's Tyrone Power, and what woman wouldn't have loved him - in fact, what woman didn't love him in 1939? He was the number 2 box office star. He portrays the likable but sleazy character very well. In the beginning of his career a few years earlier, he did romantic comedy, then did a string of films where he was a cad, then played soldiers, and after the war, did everything - he was a young man who found himself in "The Razor's Edge," played against type in "Nightmare Alley," and period-pieced his way through Fox until his contract finally ended. In 22 years as a star, he really did every genre, and did them beautifully.

There's lots of music in this movie and a HUGE build-up to the song "My Man" before Faye ever sings it. When she does, it's not the Streisand version, but rather a torch song, sung in Faye's low, rich voice. Jolson was a terrific performer though apparently extremely egomaniacal and difficult to work with. He sings his standards: "Mammy," "California Here I Come," "Toot-toot-Tootsie," "Rockabye Your Baby," etc., and he's great. Power and Faye make a wonderful couple. And by the way, they shared the same birthday, a year apart.

This is an okay film, but it's no Alexander's Ragtime Band, which is far superior.