Humoresque (1946)

Director:

Jean Negulesco

Writers:

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

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:

Concert | Violinist | Musician | Talent | Violin

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar.

Cast

Joan Crawford	...	Helen Wright
John Garfield	...	Paul Boray
Oscar Levant	...	Sid Jeffers
J. Carrol Naish	...	Rudy Boray
Joan Chandler	...	Gina Romney
Tom D'Andrea	...	Phil Boray
Peggy Knudsen	...	Florence Boray
Ruth Nelson	...	Esther Boray
Craig Stevens	...	Monte Loeffler
Paul Cavanagh	...	Victor Wright
Richard Gaines	...	Bauer
John Abbott	...	Rozner
Robert Blake	...	Paul Boray as a Child (as Bobby Blake)
Tommy Cook	...	Phil Boray as a Child
Don McGuire	...	Eddie
Fritz Leiber	...	Hagerstrom
Peg La Centra	...	Night Club Singer (as Peg LaCentra)
Nestor Paiva	...	Orchestra Leader
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sylvia Arslan	...	Gina as a Girl (uncredited)
Patricia Barry	...	Fritzie - Bauer's Secretary (uncredited)
Monte Blue	...	Moving Man (uncredited)
Harlan Briggs	...	Jeffers - Toy Shop Proprietor (uncredited)
Eric DeLamarter	...	Orchestra Conductor (uncredited)
Bess Flowers	...	Boray Fan (uncredited)
Angela Greene	...	Tipsy Blonde at Party (uncredited)
Creighton Hale	...	Professor (uncredited)
Jane Harker	...	Redhead Snob with Sid at Party (uncredited)
Ann Lawrence	...	Florence as a Girl (uncredited)
Esther Michelson	...	Mrs. Klein (uncredited)
Paul Panzer	...	Theater Worker (uncredited)
Don Turner	...	Man with Dog (uncredited)
Richard Walsh	...	Teddy (uncredited)

Directed by
Jean Negulesco

Writing credits
Clifford Odets		(screenplay) and
Zachary Gold		(screenplay)
Fannie Hurst		(short story "Humoresque")

Produced by
Jerry Wald	....	producer
Jack L. Warner	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
Ernest Haller		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Rudi Fehr

Art Direction by
Hugh Reticker

Set Decoration by
Clarence Steensen

Makeup Department
Perc Westmore	....	makeup artist
Edwin Allen	....	makeup artist (uncredited)
Della Barnes	....	hair stylist (uncredited)
Gertrude Wheeler	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Louis Baum	....	unit manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Herbert S. Greene	....	second assistant director (uncredited)
Philip Quinn	....	assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
William Wallace	....	props (uncredited)
Levi C. Williams	....	props (uncredited)

Sound Department
Charles David Forrest	....	sound (as David Forrest)
Robert B. Lee	....	sound

Special Effects by
Roy Davidson	....	special effects director
Willard Van Enger	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Ralph Burbank	....	gaffer: stills (uncredited)
Paul Butler	....	best boy (uncredited)
James Geldenhar	....	gaffer (uncredited)
William Schurr	....	second camera (uncredited)
Jack Woods	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Stanley Young	....	grip (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Adrian	....	wardrobe: Miss Crawford
Bernard Newman	....	wardrobe
Mary Dery	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Ralph Hibbs	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Eugene Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)
Jeanette Storck	....	wardrobe (uncredited)
Vic Vallejo	....	wardrobe (uncredited)

Music Department
Leo F. Forbstein	....	musical director
Isaac Stern	....	music advisor
Franz Waxman	....	conductor
Leonid Raab	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Isaac Stern	....	musician (solo violin: John Garfield ) (uncredited)
Franz Waxman	....	composer: additional music (uncredited)

Other crew
Herschel Daugherty	....	dialogue director
James Leicester	....	montages
Alma Dwight	....	script clerk (uncredited)
Oscar Levant	....	technical adviser (uncredited)
John Mitchell	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
John Strauss	....	publicist (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Warner Bros

Distributors

• Warner Bros (1946) (USA) (theatrical)
• Warner Home Video (2005) (USA) (DVD)

Also Known As:

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:

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

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Warner Bros

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. According to Isaac Stern's autobiography, "My First 79 Years" (New York: Knopf, 1999; page 51) when the movie shows closeups of the hands alone playing the violin (without Garfield in the frame), those are Stern's hands you see.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: In the scene where Paul Boray is practicing on stage in his shirt sleeves, you can see the top of the head of a man crouched down behind him. This has to be one of the violinists who did the playing for John Garfield by reaching around him.

Quotes:

Helen Wright:I spend my life doing penance for things I never should have done in the first place

Movie Connections:

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

Soundtrack:

Zing! Went The Strings Of My Heart

Hollywood Actress Meets Method Actor and Makes Magic

"Humoresque" is Joan Crawford's and John Garfield's best movie. It is one of the best tortured love stories ever made. It is about two misfits - one rich idle lady and one poor talented male violinist, who fall in love and make everybody including themselves miserable. Even though the movie is in black and white, it is very glamorous looking. Joan Crawford and John Garfield never looked better. Too bad they never worked again. As a favor, Mr. Garfield appeared briefly as an extra in Ms. Crawford's next movie with Henry Fonda.

The supporting cast was superb. As the parents, J. Carrol Naish and Ruth Nelson were never better. Unfortunately, Ms. Nelson was blacklisted for thirty years so she did not have the career she should have had in the movies. The other supporting actress was Joan Chandler, who played Mr. Garfield's childhood sweetheart. This is the only performance I can remember her in. She was terrific. It seems Ms. Crawford did not mind other actresses getting good parts in her movies. Hurrah for Joan!