Words and Music (1948 film)

Words and Music

lobby card
Directed by Norman Taurog
Produced by Arthur Freed
Written by Ben Feiner Jr. (adaptation)
Fred F. Finklehoffe (writer)
Story by Guy Bolton
Jean Holloway
Starring Tom Drake
Mickey Rooney
Music by Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart
Cinematography Charles Rosher
Harry Stradling Sr.
Edited by Albert Akst
Ferris Webster
Production
company
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release dates
  • December 31, 1948 (1948-12-31) (US)
Running time
 120 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $3,048,000[1]
Box office $4,552,000[1]

Words and Music is a 1948 film loosely based on the creative partnership of the composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Lorenz Hart. The film stars Mickey Rooney as Hart and Tom Drake as Rodgers, along with Janet Leigh, Betty Garrett, Ann Sothern and numerous musical stars.

The movie is best remembered for featuring the final screen pairing between Rooney and Judy Garland, and for the lavish showcasing of the Rodgers and Hart catalogue of songs. The script, as in many such films, was heavily fictionalized. It sanitized Hart's complex psychological problems and self-destructive behavior, which led to the break-up of the writing partnership and contributed to Hart's early death. Further, while understandable for its time, the film also completely avoided any mention of Hart's homosexuality.

The beginning of the film is somewhat unusual for a biopic. Drake appears alone in character, introducing himself to the audience as Richard Rodgers and then introducing the story. It's as if Rodgers were playing himself.

Though the film performed very well at the box office, it proved to be quite an expensive production and, as a result, barely recouped its cost in its first release.[2]

Cast

Guest appearances:

Production

The film was originally budgeted at $2,659,065.[3]

Reception

The film earned $3,453,000 in the US and Canada and $1,099,000 overseas but because of its high cost recorded a loss of $371,000.[1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. ↑ H. Mark Glancy, 'MGM Film Grosses, 1924–28: The Eddie Mannix Ledger', Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television, Vol 12 No. 2 1992 p127-144 at p140
  3. ↑ Michael A. Hoey, Elvis' Favorite Director: The Amazing 52-Film Career of Norman Taurog, Bear Manor Media 2013

External links

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