A Song to Remember (1945)

Biography of Frederic Chopin.

Director:

Charles Vidor

Writers:

Sidney Buchman, Ernst Marischka (story)

Stars:

Paul Muni, Merle Oberon, Cornel Wilde

Nominated for 6 Oscars. Another 1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview:
Paul Muni	...	Prof. Joseph Elsner
Merle Oberon	...	George Sand
Cornel Wilde	...	Frédéric Chopin
Nina Foch	...	Constantia
George Coulouris	...	Louis Pleyel
Howard Freeman	...	Kalkbrenner
Stephen Bekassy	...	Franz Liszt

Storyline

Prof. Joseph Elsner guides his protégé Frydryk Chopin through his formative years to early adulthood in Poland. At a recital in a duke's home Chopin insults the new Russian-installed governor, and must flee the country. The professor takes him to Paris, where he eventually comes under the wing and influence of novelist George Sand and rises to prominence in the music world, to the exclusion of his old friends and patriotic feelings towards Poland.

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Plot Keywords:

poland | pianist | composer | writer | paris france | 

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Taglines:

A surging, tempestuous story...aglow with tenderness...powerful...unforgettable!

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | Music

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 January 1945 (USA)

Also Known As:

Chopin

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Producers Sidney Buchman and Louis Edelman and director Charles Vidor originally wanted Lenore Aubert for the role of George Sand, however, Sam Goldwyn wouldn't loan her to Columbia Studios.

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Goofs

A modern wrist-watch can be seen on Chopin's left wrist in the brief close-up of 'his' hands playing the piano at 1 h 42 m.

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Quotes

George Sand: [Chopin is dying and wants to see Sand. Elsner visits her to relay the message] Are you satisfied, monsieur? Do you know anything that could replace a life as great as his?
Prof. Joseph Elsner: Yes. The spirit that he leaves behind in a million hearts, madam.

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Connections

Featured in Liberace (1988)

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Soundtracks

The piano music of Frédéric Chopin is played by José Iturbi

User Reviews

A Film To Remember

For a movie that's about the life of Fredric Chopin the guy who's playing Chopin gets third billing in the film. Cornel Wilde had to settle for third place behind Paul Muni and Merle Oberon. But he's the one that came away with the Oscar nomination for Best Actor.

We're lucky this film got made at all. Paul Muni was a great actor, but sometimes could be very difficult. While he was at Columbia where this film turned out to be the second of three he did there, he formed a friendship with Glenn Ford. But in 1943 Ford went into the Marines and didn't return to Hollywood until 1946. Cornel Wilde who had enlisted earlier got out earlier and when the Chopin project was ready to roll he was assigned the part.

Which disappointed Muni and he made no secret of it to Wilde. Wilde who had admired Muni as an actor and looked forward to working with him was miffed to say the least.

Harry Cohn in his infinite wisdom also banned Bella Muni from the set of A Song to Remember. Muni did EVERYTHING with his wife and she really was his best critic. At Warner Brothers they put up with her. If she said a take was no good, Muni had them do it over. Worked for Emile Zola and Louis Pasteur. But Cohn banned her. As a result Muni was criticized for overacting his role of Joseph Elzner, Chopin's teacher and mentor. It's not his finest hour on the screen, though I love to see him in anything.

Muni also had his supportive side. Nina Foch who played Chopin's sister speaks of Muni's kindness and encouragement to her to stretch herself as an artist.

No acting involved for Merle Oberon as novelist George Sand. The male trousers of George Sand fit Oberon quite well. So does the character. Oberon and Sand were both known to get around in their day.

In real life Fredric Chopin had no conflict between his art and his politics. Though Poland was not a nation for about 130 years, the people in the various countries that occupied Polish soil never forgot they were a nation and would be one again. On instructions after his death, Chopin's body was buried in his adopted city of Paris, but his heart was removed and buried in Poland.

Chopin composed some of the best music that was ever heard on this planet. Jose Iturbi played the various Chopin melodies that will live on until this planet's sun does a supernova.

Cornel Wilde was nominated for Best Actor, but lost to Ray Milland's drunk act in The Lost Weekend. A Song to Remember was nominated in several categories, Best Story, Best Sound, Best Color Cinematography, Best Costumes, Best Musical Scoring. But didn't take home the big prize for anything.

Overlooking some of the historical inaccuracies and Paul Muni's overacting, A Song To Remember is a film to remember.