Humoresque (1946)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Jean Negulesco

Writers:

Clifford Odets (screenplay) and
Zachary Gold (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

25 December 1946 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Music | Romance

Tagline:

TWO WHO MET AND KISSED AND NEVER SHOULD HAVE MET AGAIN! (original poster - all caps)

Plot:

A classical musician from the slums is sidetracked by his love for a wealthy, neurotic socialite.

Plot Keywords:

Cuckold | Violin | Beach | Based On Novel

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Joan Crawford	...	Mrs. Helen Wright
John Garfield	...	Paul Boray
Oscar Levant	...	Sid Jeffers
J. Carrol Naish	...	Papa Rudy Boray
Joan Chandler	...	Gina Romney
Tom D'Andrea	...	Phil Boray
Peggy Knudsen	...	Florence Boray
Ruth Nelson	...	Mama Esther Boray
Craig Stevens	...	Monte Loeffler
Paul Cavanagh	...	Mr. Victor Wright
Richard Gaines	...	Bauer - Paul's 1st producer
John Abbott	...	Rozner - conducts Nat.Inst.Orch.
Robert Blake	...	Paul Boray - child (as Bobby Blake)
Tommy Cook	...	Phil Boray - child
Don McGuire	...	Teddy #2 - Prop. of Teddy's Bar

Runtime:

125 min | West Germany:115 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Germany:12 (DVD rating) | Australia:PG | Australia:G (TV rating) | USA:Approved (certificate #11490) | West Germany:16 | Finland:S

Filming Locations:

Warner Brothers Burbank Studios - 4000 Warner Boulevard, Burbank, California, USA

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Trivia:

John Garfield's violin "performances" are actually played by two professional violinists standing on either side of him, one to bow and one to finger. The actual music was performed by Isaac Stern.

Goofs:

Continuity: Outside the beach house owned by Helen Wright (Joan Crawford), there is an ornate lantern on top of a post by the stairs leading from the house's terrace to the beach. In early sequences, the lantern has no glass and a bare light bulb is visible. Later sequences show the lantern with its glass installed, concealing the bulb.

Quotes:

Sid Jeffers: It isn't what you are, it's what you don't become that hurts.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Music of 'Humoresque' (2005) (V)

Soundtrack:

You Do Something to Me

Perhaps Joan's Finest Hour

The film is over 2 hours long, but Crawford only has about 1 hour of film time in it, and it is surely one of her finest performances and finest films in her lengthy career. She plays a married socialite who takes particular interest in a rising concert violinst (played by Garfield). This is one of my favorite movies of all time and yes the ending is one of the greatest of all times. ***1/2 out of ****.