I read that the a song used in this movie, "A Kiss to Build a Dream On", was nominated for an Oscar for Best Song, 1951.
I looked it up, it was nominated, but it was written in 1935, obviously NOT written for this film. I thought a nominated song HAD to be written for the film.
Anybody know how this works or maybe the rules have changed?
I registered to imdb just to try to answer this question, because I know tha answer, and no one else seems to be answering it! However, the first two times I have submitted replies, they have disappeared into the ether. Going to try posting this just to see if it will work.
shareHallelujah! My first two attempts were on my phone. This successful attempt was on my laptop. Guess I will be using my laptop if I want to post messages on this site. When I try on my phone, it says submitted, but the message never actually appears. In 2016, technology is still not friendly.
Okay, to answer your question. The original version of the song had unfinished or incomplete lyrics. I think maybe one of the songwriters died? For the 1951 movie, Oscar Hammerstein II finished off the lyrics. Feels like a stretch, but apparently the Academy decided that was enough to justify considering it an original song written for the movie. I suspect such criteria is stricter now.
sewhite-13579 says > Hallelujah! My first two attempts were on my phone. This successful attempt was on my laptop. Guess I will be using my laptop if I want to post messages on this site.I've never tried using my phone to post responses so I don't know if that problem is unique to you but I'm glad you figure it out. Otherwise, I would have felt I was in limbo.
The original version of the song had unfinished or incomplete lyrics.For some reason I kept thinking it was the song from Casablanca. I know it's not but I guess it reminded me of it. I'd never seen this movie until today but I have definitely heard the song. It's not that odd though; a lot of songs became staples after they were first featured in a movie. By the time I see the movie I've heard the song so often I never realize it debuted in that particular movie unless I hear it on TCM, see it in the Trivia section or read it here in a post.
For the 1951 movie, Oscar Hammerstein II finished off the lyrics. Feels like a stretch, but apparently the Academy decided that was enough to justify considering it an original song written for the movie. I suspect such criteria is stricter now.I think the criteria is, not how long a song has been in circulation but, whether or not it was previously used professionally. That issue came up recently or it was a while ago and I only heard about it recently. I don't remember the specific song or the details but it seems it had been used on TV in some capacity prior to being used in a movie. That made it ineligible for Oscar consideration. I may have it all wrong and I don't even know where I heard or read about it but that's the way I remember it. That's probably how it's always been.