With a Song in My Heart (film)

With a Song in My Heart

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Walter Lang
Produced by Lamar Trotti
Written by Lamar Trotti
Starring Susan Hayward
Rory Calhoun
David Wayne
Thelma Ritter
Robert Wagner
Music by Alfred Newman
Cinematography Leon Shamroy
Edited by J. Watson Webb Jr.
Distributed by 20th Century Fox
Release dates
 April 4, 1952
Running time
 117 min
Country United States
Language English
Box office $3.25 million[1][2]

With a Song in My Heart is a 1952 biographical film which tells the story of actress and singer Jane Froman, who was crippled by an airplane crash on February 22, 1943, when the Boeing 314 Pan American Clipper flying boat she was on suffered a crash landing in the Tagus River near Lisbon, Portugal. She entertained the troops in World War II despite having to walk with crutches. The film stars Susan Hayward, Rory Calhoun, David Wayne, Thelma Ritter, Robert Wagner, Helen Westcott and Una Merkel. Froman herself supplied Hayward's singing voice.

The movie was written and produced by Lamar Trotti and directed by Walter Lang. The title song, "With a Song in My Heart", (Rodgers and Hart, 1929) became famous in the UK as the theme to the long-running BBC radio show, Family Favourites.

Plot summary

Jane Froman (Susan Hayward) is a humble staff singer at a Cincinnati radio station, but in no time she rises to the uppermost rungs of network radio fame. Jane gratefully marries her agent Don Ross (David Wayne), but soon both realize they're not truly in love. Jane's popularity soars, and she leaves on a European tour. When her plane crashes, she is partially crippled. Unable to walk without crutches, she nonetheless goes on to entertain U.S. troops during World War II.

Cast

Soundtrack recording

As per the times, the With a Song in my Heart (soundtrack) recording was a studio recording, and the album initially included eight songs and a shorter version of the "American Medley" sung by Jane Froman...with a short orchestral introduction by George Greeley, who conducted the orchestra and chorus. The Capitol Records album was released in multiple formats: Capitol L-309 (LP), DDN-309 (4 record 78rpm-Box Set); KDF-309 (4 record 45rpm singles Box-Set); and FBF-309 (2 EP Box-set).[3] This album was the Best-selling album of 1952, and spent 25 weeks at the top of the Billboard chart.[4] Jane Froman also released a single of the title song with Capital records.

Awards and honors

It won the Academy Award for Original Music Score and was nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Susan Hayward), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Thelma Ritter), Best Costume Design, Color and Best Sound, Recording (Thomas T. Moulton).[5]

The film won the Golden Globe award for best picture in the musical or comedy category, and Susan Hayward won the Golden Globe award for leading actress in a musical or comedy.


The film is also recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:

Soundtrack songs from the film

Although the film won the Academy Award for the Best Original Score, there were a number of American standards represented. All except three songs featured the voice of Jane Froman; and were performed by Susan Hayward.[7]

Songs included in an "American Medley"

References

  1. ↑ Aubrey Solomon, Twentieth Century Fox: A Corporate and Financial History, Scarecrow Press, 1989 p224
  2. ↑ 'Top Box-Office Hits of 1952', Variety, January 7, 1953
  3. ↑ Capitol Album Discography
  4. ↑ Allmusic.com
  5. ↑ "The 25th Academy Awards (1953) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 2011-08-20.
  6. ↑ "AFI's 100 Years...100 Cheers Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved 2016-08-14.
  7. ↑ Soundtracks from Film, IMDb
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