Word: kern
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Dates: during 1940-1949
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Till the Clouds Roll By (M-G-M), a glamorized biography of the late Jerome Kern, piles Ossa on Pelion, Mt. Everest on top of that, and garnishes with a couple of dozen minor ranges. It is not exactly strong on story. The only clouds in Composer Kern's life-Broadway's onetime preference for English tunes, and Kern's avuncular concern over his arranger's problem daughter-seem to have been no bigger than a man's hand, and just about as unusual. But for those who like popular music and attractive entertainers...
Some 25 of the pleasanter personalities M-G-M owns or could snag for the occasion are on hand, and they go through about two dozen of Kern's graceful, contagious tunes, neck-deep in sumptuous production. Van Johnson does a highly self-appreciative song& -dance-looking, unfortunately, a little as if he should be carrying a roast apple in his mouth. Judy Garland is charming as the late Marilyn Miller and still more charming when she sings Who? Dinah Shore gives special warmth to They Didn't Believe Me and The Last Time I Saw Paris. Lena...
Popular song writers have come in for an awful beating in a series of film biographies. Following the other-world treatment given Gershwin, Cole Porter and Irving Berlin, Metro wisely took another tack and put the life of Jerome Kern on the screen much as it should be presented in little more than concert form. If there is a story in "Till the Clouds Roll By," it is the harmless sort of narrative involving no backstage inamoratas or tearful college reunions. According to the film, the greatest difficulties in Kern's life were a ne'er-do-well arranger...
There are Kern melodies from musical comedy hits and from Hollywood, patter songs and "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes," frivolity in a corn-laden rendition of "I Won't Dance" and theater with a soul in a reproduction of the original setting and arrangement of "Old Man River." Some of filmdom's greatest are hauled in to do their bits with varying results. By far the worst of these contributions is a second round with "Old Man River" with Frank Sinatra, the co-ed's Caruso, sliding all over the range in an effort to bring this great folk-tune...
Missouri's James P. Kern, snow-haired, well-to-do Kansas City lawyer, will take over Harry Truman's former seat. A comparative newcomer in politics, he is a rock-ribbed conservative...