Till the Clouds Roll By (1946)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Richard Whorf

Writers:

Guy Bolton (story)
George Wells (story)

Release Date:

3 January 1947 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Musical

Tagline:

The mammoth musical of Jerome Kern's dramatic life story!

Plot:

Light bio-pic of American Broadway pioneer Jerome Kern, featuring renditions of the famous songs from his musical plays by contemporary stage artists...

Plot Keywords:

Stage | Composition | Music Arranger | Singing | Title Based On Song

Cast

June Allyson	...	Jane Witherspoon (in "Leave it to Jane" / "Oh Boy")
Lucille Bremer	...	Sally Hessler
Judy Garland	...	Marilyn Miller
Kathryn Grayson	...	Magnolia Hawks (in "Show Boat" / "Finale Specialty")
Van Heflin	...	James I. Hessler
Lena Horne	...	Julie LaVerne (in "Show Boat" / "Specialty")
Van Johnson	...	Bandleader in Elite Club
Tony Martin	...	Gaylord Ravenal (in "Show Boat" / "Finale Specialty")
Dinah Shore	...	Herself / Specialty (in "The Girl from Utah")
Frank Sinatra	...	(in "Finale Specialty")
Robert Walker	...	Jerome Kern
Gower Champion	...	Dance Specialty (in "Roberta")
Cyd Charisse	...	Dance Specialty in 'Roberta'
Harry Hayden	...	Charles Frohman
Paul Langton	...	Oscar Hammerstein II

Runtime:

132 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:PG (TV rating) | UK:PG (re-rating) (2005) | UK:U (original rating) (1947-2005) | Canada:G (Ontario) | Australia:G | Finland:S | USA:Approved (PCA #11781)

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden - 301 N. Baldwin Avenue, Arcadia, California, USA

Company:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Trivia:

At the beginning of 1947, MGM Records began its release schedule, and the Jerome Kern film score became the label's first soundtrack album. Most, though not all of the singers were represented in the box of four 78-rpm discs. Among those missing artists, both Dinah Shore and Frank Sinatra were under contract to Columbia Records, which had in the marketplace commercial recordings of Dinah's "They Didn't Believe Me" (lyrics by Herbert Reynolds) and Frank's "Ol' Man River" (lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II), a disc having been waxed two years before the movie premiere in Manhattan. The two Columbia sides have been transfered to Sony CDs: Mr. Sinatra's lament on a box set called "The Best of The Columbia Years: 1943-1952," and Miss Shore's ballad on her collection of "16 Most Requested Songs." Prominent on the film-score CD from Soundtrack Factory, a Dutch label, are the prerecordings of Dinah and Frank.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: When Kern goes to see Sally at Club Elite in Memphis, he hasn't written Show Boat yet. Therefore, it would be before 1927. However, the song she performs with Van Johnson, "I Won't Dance", wasn't written by Kern until 1935.

Quotes:

Victor Herbert: [congratulating Jerome Kern on his composing ability] My boy, you've got a song to sing.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Biography: Andy Williams" (2003)

Soundtrack:

She Didn't Say 'Yes'

This a good movie musical of the '40's

I have always liked this movie and as time goes on it seems to be a bit dated but if you like Technicolor and musicals you will like this movie. Most of the stars are unfamiliar to audiences today and you must suspend your belief in this being a true story of Jerome Kern and just enjoy the music and dance. Great Judy Garland sequences and great color. Unfortunately, the movie's copyright has lapsed and you can only get inferior versions on DVD. Occasionally, TCM will show this film with a good print. Jerome Kern, by his own admission, was not very exciting, so having Robert Walker play him didn't harm the man's reputation. Good job by Van Heflin. The worst performance has to be the woman who plays Kern's wife. All musical numbers are well done and great entertainment. I recommend this for anyone who wants to see an old 40's musical, keeping in mind what audiences in those days liked and expected.