Swanee River (1939)

More fictional than factual biography of Stephen Foster. Songwriter from Pittsburgh falls in love with the South, marries a Southern gal (Leeds), then is accused of sympathizing when the ... See full summary »

Director:

Sidney Lanfield

Writers:

John Taintor Foote (screenplay), Philip Dunne (screenplay)

Stars:

Don Ameche, Andrea Leeds, Al Jolson

Nominated for 1 Oscar.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Don Ameche	...	Stephen Foster
Andrea Leeds	...	Jane McDowell Foster
Al Jolson	...	Edwin P. Christy
Felix Bressart	...	Henry Kleber
Chick Chandler	...	Bones
Russell Hicks	...	Andrew McDowell
George Reed	...	Old Joe, McDowell's Coachman
Richard Clarke	...	Tom Harper
Diane Fisher	...	Marion Foster
George P. Breakston	...	Ambrose
Al Herman	...	Tambo
Charles Trowbridge	...	Mr. Foster
George Meeker	...	Henry Foster
Leona Roberts	...	Mrs. Foster
Charles Tannen	...	Morrison Foster

Storyline

More fictional than factual biography of Stephen Foster. Songwriter from Pittsburgh falls in love with the South, marries a Southern gal (Leeds), then is accused of sympathizing when the Civil War breaks out.

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Taglines:

YOU"LL Thrill To the Songs...the Romances of STEPHEN FOSTER!!

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 January 1940 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Life of Stephen Foster

Filming Locations:

20th Century Fox Studios - 10201 Pico Blvd., Century City, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

84 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The last credited on screen performance of Al Jolson.

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Goofs

In this movie, Stephen Foster marries a girl from the South, but in real life, his wife was from Pittsburgh.

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Connections

Referenced in Love Letter to Edie (1975)

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Soundtracks

"My Old Kentucky Home, Good-Night"
Written by Stephen Foster

User Reviews

Suicide?

My mother took me to see this movie in 1939, when I was 6 years old, at the Sanders theater across from Prospect Park in Brooklyn. I liked the music, and still do, but have this memory of Stephen Foster killing himself with a straight razor. I remember the water in the wash pan next to him filling with blood. Heavy stuff for a six year old. I asked my Mom why he would do that and she said she didn't know. Of course, later in life I found out why.

The music was great and the color very impressive for the time. Anyway, I always liked Don Ameche and remember seeing him sing and dance on Broadway in 1953 at the Winter Garden theater co-starring with Hildegarde Neff. I believe the show was Silk Stockings.