MovieChat Forums > Rhapsody in Blue (1945) Discussion > I just saw this for the first time tonig...

I just saw this for the first time tonight!!

posted 15 years ago by rmoore66-1
10 replies | jump to latest

I never thought I would see this film!!! I had understood that the Gershwin Estate had scarfed up all copies and destroyed them. Well, not really, but I think they would have if they could. It is highly fictionalized, but it is still a great film because of the music and Oscar Levant's role. I loved the music video of An American in Paris. There really is nothing new under the sun. Anne Brown singing Summertime is another high point. True, Clara does sing Summertime at the beginning of the opera, but Bess gets to sing it later on. Anne Brown liked it so much she asked if Bess could also sing it. The high frequency is clipped, so we do not get the full effect of Ms. Brown's voice, but it is still quite incredible. There is no mention of Kay Swift in the film. The Gershwin/Swift story is one of the great love stories of all time. Maybe one day an historically accurate film can be made of the life of George Gershwin. His music is the voice of God speaking to the American people.

[–] NoirCat2528 15 years ago

I saw it for the first time too. I wonder if it's been withheld because of the blackface that's used?

No matter. I love Gershwin's music and was excited to learn more about his life. But when I went online today to compare the movie to real life accounts, I was shocked to see how much they changed for his biopic. I hope you're right that they make a more accurate film study of his life someday soon. May I suggest Rob Pattinson in the role of Gershwin? He sort of looks like him (or maybe he just looks like Alda? lol) and is an accomplished piano player.

http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1743426816/nm1500155

"The eyes, Socrates, go for the eyes."

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] kingarthurup 13 years ago

perhaps if you typed Porgy and Bess rather than porey and bess, you would have better results.

[–] vpilutis 13 years ago

Oh well first off I heard that many years ago and If I did search Goodle wouldn've made corrections

See some stars here
http://www.vbphoto.biz/

[–] nativeangeleno-doug 11 years ago

Warner Bros. recently purchased the Samuel Goldwyn film library and WILL be releasing "Porgy and Bess" on DVD at some point in the future. As well as all the Eddie Cantor films made for Goldwyn including "Roman Scandals" (Goldwyn, 1933).

[–] nativeangeleno-doug 11 years ago

[–] rosewood-6 9 years ago

I just looked in Warner Brothers online catalog and neither of these are in there. http://www.wbshop.com

[–] melnar1 10 years ago

Wrong. You're getting Rhapsody In Blue confused with Samuel Goldwyn's Porgy And Bess (1959) which the Gershwin Estate "scarfed up all the copies and destroyed them". Well, not all the copies. There remain extant a few copies but in very poor condition.

I concur with all your following comments. Kay Swift, a composer herself, had both a very significant musical and also romantic relationship with George Gershwin.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] fanaticita 9 years ago

I saw this film for the first time last night and I was totally amazed! I've always loved Gershwin's music and play a lot of it on the piano, but I really didn't know much about his life except that he died way too young. I don't mean this in an derogatory way but wasn't George Gershwin a bit obsessive-compulsive? It's almost like the man knew he had a short time on Earth and wanted to fill it with as much music as possible. For that we are all grateful, but I think he was not the happiest of men. I could be wrong of course.