A Song Is Born (1948)

Gangster's moll Honey Swanson goes into hiding when her boyfriend is under investigation by the police. Where better to hide than a musical research institute staffed entirely by lonely ... See full summary »

Director:

Howard Hawks

Writers:

Billy Wilder (based on the story "From A to Z" by), Thomas Monroe (based on the story "From A to Z" by),

Stars:

Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, Benny Goodman

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Danny Kaye	...	Professor Hobart Frisbee
Virginia Mayo	...	Honey Swanson
Benny Goodman	...	Professor Magenbruch
Tommy Dorsey	...	Tommy Dorsey
Louis Armstrong	...	Louis Armstrong
Lionel Hampton	...	Lionel Hampton
Charlie Barnet	...	Charlie Barnet
Mel Powell	...	Mel Powell
Buck and Bubbles	...	Dancers
Page Cavanaugh Trio	...	Cavanaugh Trio (as The Page Cavanaugh Trio)
The Golden Gate Quartette	...	Golden Gate Quartette (as The Golden Gate Quartet)
Samba Kings	...	The Samba Kings (as Russo and the Samba Kings)
Hugh Herbert	...	Professor Twingle
Steve Cochran	...	Tony Crow
J. Edward Bromberg	...	Dr. Elfini

Storyline

Gangster's moll Honey Swanson goes into hiding when her boyfriend is under investigation by the police. Where better to hide than a musical research institute staffed entirely by lonely bachelors? She gets more than she bargained for when the head of the institute Professor Hobart Frisbee starts to fall for her.

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Plot Keywords:

remake by original director | remake

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Genres:

Comedy | Musical

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 October 1948 (USA)

Also Known As:

That's Life

Filming Locations:

Samuel Goldwyn Studios - 7200 Santa Monica Boulevard, West Hollywood, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,400,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Samuel Goldwyn Company, The

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In 1948, when "A Song Is Born" was released, the American Federation of Musicians was striking the record companies and union musicians could not legally make records. Nonetheless, the union allowed Capitol Records to make an album of music from the film because the company agreed to donate the proceeds to the Damon Runyon Cancer Fund, In the year between the film shooting and the recording sessions, Benny Goodman had radically changed the personnel of his band - notably adding two bebop musicians, trumpeter Theodore "Fats" Navarro and tenor saxophonist Wardell Gray - so the version of "Stealin' Apples" on the record doesn't sound at all like the one heard in the movie.

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Goofs

After slipping her engagement ring on, it disappears only to reappear at the beginning of Miss Honey's long-hair jam session recording.

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Quotes

Professor Hobart Frisbee: [to Miss Bragg, after she has summoned a cab for Honey Swanson] It's all yours, Crabapple Annie!

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Connections

Referenced in Superman II: Restoring the Vision (2006)

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Soundtracks

"Muskrat Ramble"
(1926) (uncredited)
Written by Ray Gilbert and Kid Ory
Performed by Mel Powell and band members

User Reviews

Very entertaining

I have this on a vhs and watch it from time to time. Apart from the musical sequences, the story pleases me because Danny Kaye is taken for an idiot by the young lady but in the end she falls in love with him ! It is a pleasure to watch the way her attitude changes. There are not many films with this kind of story, so when I see one I like to treasure it ! In addition to this the musical sequences are memorable with well-known stars. Hopefully they will put it onto Dvd but unfortunately the DVD industry seems to have forgotten about Danny Kaye !