Rhapsody in Blue (Warner Bros.) (1945)

KK he ae RK a Bo oe ek. The Music “Rhapsody In Blue” by George Gershwin. Conducted by Paul Whiteman; Special piano passages by Oscar Levant. “The Man I Love” by George and Ira Gershwin. Sung by Hazel Scott. “Embraceable You” by George and Ira Gershwin. Sung by Joan Leslie. “I Got Rhythm” by George and Ira Gershwin. Played by Oscar Levant; Sung and played by Hazel Scott. “‘Swanee” by George Gershwin and Irving Caesar. Sung by Al Jolson, Joan Leslie and Robert Alda. “Do It Again” by B. G. DeSylva and George Gershwin. Played by Hazel Scott. “Somebody Loves Me” by B. G. DeSylva, MacDonald and George Gershwin. Sung by Tom Patricola and Joan Leslie. “lady Be Good” by George and Ira Gershwin. Sung by Joan Leslie. “135th St. Blues” by B. G. DeSylva and George Gershwin. Conducted by Paul Whiteman. “Clap Yo’ Hands” by George and Ira Gershwin. Sung by Hazel Scott. “Fascinatin’ Rhythm” by George and Ira Gershwin. Sung by Hazel Scott. “Someone To Watch Over Me” by George and Ira Gershwin. Played by Oscar Levant. “Mine” by George and Ira Gershwin. Played by Oscar Levant; Sung by Oscar Levant and Robert Alda. “Delicious” by George and Ira Gershwin. Sung by Joan Leslie. “S’Wonderful” by George and Ira Gershwin. Sung by Joan Leslie and The Warner Choral Singers. “Concerto In F” by George Gershwin. Piano passages by Oscar Levant. “Tove Walked In” by George and Ira Gershwin. Sung by Stephen Richards. “Yankee Doodle Blues” by George Gershwin, Irving Caesar and B. G. DeSylva. Sung by Hazel Scott. “Porgy and Bess’ by George Gershwin. “Summertime,” sung by Anne Brown and The Warner Choral Singers. Background Music “Nobody But You” by Arthur Jackson, B. G. DeSylva and George Gershwin; “I Was So Young And You Were So Beautiful” by Irving Caesar, A. Bryan and George Gershwin; “Looking For A Boy” by George and Ira Gershwin; “Drifting Along With the Tide” by Tony Jackson and George Gershwin; “I Found A Four Leaf Clover” by George Gershwin and B. G. DeSylva; “Sweet And Lowdown” by George and Ira Gershwin; “T’ll Build A Stairway To Paradise” by Arthur Francis, B. G. DeSylva and George Gershwin; “Liza” by George and Ira Gershwin, and Gus Kahn; “l’m Bidin’ My Time” by George and Ira Gershwin; “My One And Only” by George and Ira Gershwin; “An American In Paris” by George Gershwin; “Cuban Overture” by George Gershwin (Levant playing piano passages); ‘Porgy and Bess’ by George Gershwin; ““When You Want ’Em You Can’t Get ’Em” by George Gershwin; “Sidewalks of New York,’”’ Published by Paull-Pioneer. ge lees ke ge cai Re Ste oe a er a Re I oe The Story (Not for publication) Bending over the keys of a player piano in a New York penny arcade, a boy of ten hammers out the tune of Rubinstein’s Melody in F. He is George Gershwin (Mickey Roth), destined to follow his love of music to lasting fame. George’s parents (Morris Carnovsky and Rosemary DeCamp) plan piano lessons for their oldest son, Ira (Darryl Hickman). George, however, soon becomes the one to receive the instruction. At the age of eighteen, George (Robert Alda) has advanced sufhciently to be accepted as the pupil of an eminent teacher, Professor Frank (Albert Basserman). He’s also playing professionally, first in a vaudeville theatre, later as a song plugger for Remick’s Publishing Co. The young man becomes interested in a singer, Julie Adams (Joan Leslie) and suggests one of his own songs for her, instead of a Remick number. The suggestion costs George his job. His heart in his mouth, young Gershwin takes his songs to Max Dreyfus (Charles Coburn), head of Harms Publishing Co. Dreyfus sees merit in the young composer’s work and becomes his first champion. The first hit is established when Al Jolson ( prayed by himself) introduces “Swanee” in his Winter Garden show. Success, money and fame come to young Gershwin. Spurred by Professor Frank and his own inner urge to write classical music, he tries to break away from show business only to find that he is chained to Broadway by the links of his own song hits. Acting on Paul Whiteman’s (as himself) suggestion, George composes a serious blues composition for a concert Whiteman plans to give at Aeolian Hall. Before an audience of music critics, “Rhapsody In Blue” is introduced to the world. George Gershwin is hailed as a genius. The composer’s friendship with Julie Adams has kept pace with the progress of his career. Even his brother Ira (Herbert Rudley), now writing lyrics for George’s songs, believes he will marry Julie. In love with George, Julie encourages his decision to go to Paris and study for the serious music he feels he must write. Fruits of George’s sojourn in Paris are “An American In Paris,” and a romance with a beautiful American expatriate, Christine Gilbert (Alexis Smith). Sweeping on from success to success, George returns to America with Christine, completely infatuated by her. But Christine soon realizes that music is George’s one consuming interest, his life. She leaves him. On the rebound, he turns to Julie who sends him away abruptly. Like Christine, she now knows George belongs wholly to his music. “Porgy and Bess,” a folk opera of the American Negro, is drawing the plaudits of critics as Gershwin’s greatest work when the composer receives the first hint of impending tragedy. While playing his ‘Concerto in F” at a concert, his fingers suddenly falter. George recovers instantly, but the blinding head pain that caused the lapse persists. Tortured by pain and the agony of being unable to produce music—“my only justification for living’—George and Ira journey to California in hope that the climate will be of some help to the composer. At their Beverly Hills home, George receives a call from Julie. She has read of his illness and is flying out to Hollywood. to be with him. George’s headache is miraculously gone. Rushing to the piano, he starts to play the melody of his last—and one of his loveliest—songs, ‘‘Love Walked In.” Suddenly the melody ends in a discordant crash. George collapses. | In memory of Gershwin, a great crowd fills the Lewisohn Stadium in New York to pay tribute to his genius. George’s good friend and lifetime associate, Oscar Levant, is at the piano as Paul Whiteman again conducts the “Rhapsody In Blue.’’ Seated in the audience is George’s family and Julie Adams. As Julie’s tears fall, the figure of Oscar Levant grows blurred to her. Carried away by the melody and her memories, she sees George Gershwin seated at the piano, triumphantly playing his enduring “Rhapsody In Blue.” (Running Time: 139 Minutes ) kK Keok a ee ee a RS a ee ee RK EE oe ee ee KY N N