''Till The Clouds Roll By'' is a 1946 American

Technicolor Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...

musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as brea ...

produced by

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

. A fictionalized

biopic A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudr ...

of composer

Jerome Kern Jerome David Kern (January 27, 1885 – November 11, 1945) was an American composer of musical theatre and popular music. One of the most important American theatre composers of the early 20th century, he wrote more than 700 songs, used in ove ...

, portrayed by Robert Walker, Kern was originally involved with the production, but died before its completion. Featuring an ensemble cast of well-known musical stars, it was the first in a series of MGM biopics about Broadway composers. The film is one of the MGM musicals that entered the

public domain The public domain (PD) consists of all the creative work to which no exclusive intellectual property rights apply. Those rights may have expired, been forfeited, expressly waived, or may be inapplicable. Because those rights have expired ...

when MGM failed to renew their copyrights.

Plot

Kern attends the opening night of '' Show Boat'' in 1927, the landmark musical that secured his popularity. Following several of the show's most notable songs, Kern departs to reminisce about his early days as a young songwriter. Kern recounts meeting Jim Hessler, a musical mentor, and Hessler's young daughter Sally. Kern and the Hesslers grow close, and he later visits them in London. Taking Sally to the

fair A fair (archaic: faire or fayre) is a gathering of people for a variety of entertainment or commercial activities. Fairs are typically temporary with scheduled times lasting from an afternoon to several weeks. Types Variations of fairs incl ...

, a swing ride inspires Kern to conceive a stage production for one of his songs. At the London Gaieties revue, Kern's song garners the attention of theatrical producer

Charles Frohman Charles Frohman (July 15, 1856 – May 7, 1915) was an American theater manager and producer, who discovered and promoted many stars of the American stage. Notably, he produced '' Peter Pan'', both in London and the US, the latter productio ...

. When Kern happens to meet Eva Leale, it's

love at first sight Love at first sight is a personal experience as well as a common trope in literature: a person or character feels an instant, extreme, and ultimately long-lasting romantic attraction for a stranger upon first seeing that stranger. Described by p ...

, but the courtship is cut short. He must abruptly sail back to New York to adapt '' The Girl from Utah'' for its Broadway debut. Following the show's success, Kern narrowly misses sailing back to London on the RMS ''Lusitania''. The 1917 opening night of ''Oh, Boy!'' includes the musical number "Till the Clouds Roll By". The composer proposes to Eva, and returns to New York to continue his string of theatrical successes, including '' Leave It to Jane''. His 1920 musical ''Sally'', starring Marilyn Miller, popularized the song "

Look for the Silver Lining "Look for the Silver Lining" is a 1919 popular song with music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by B.G. DeSylva. Background The song was written in 1919 for the unsuccessful musical ''Zip, Goes a Million''. In 1920, it was publishedSuskin, Steven ...

". Now grown up, Sally Hessler asks her "Uncle Jerry" to help her get a stage role. He writes the song "Who?" for her to have a part in the 1925 musical ''Sunny''. After the show's producers give the song to star Marilyn Miller, Sally leaves in protest. At the opening night of ''Sunny'', Kern learns that Sally has run off, leaving her father despondent. All attempts to locate Sally fail, and Jim Hessler dies, leaving a mourning Kern unable to work. Oscar Hammerstein visits the Kerns to share a copy of the 1926 novel ''Show Boat''. The same night, Kern learns that Sally will be performing at a club in Memphis. He leaves to find her in Tennessee, where the two make amends, and he spends the night listening to the sounds of the mighty

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the List of longest rivers of the United States (by main stem), second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest Drainage system (geomorphology), drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson B ...

. Having recounted his life story so far, Kern feels his career has likely come to an end with ''Show Boat''. On the contrary, he continued to write hit shows, including ''The Cat and the Fiddle'' (1931) and '' Roberta'' (1933). While visiting a sound stage at MGM, Kern is delighted to discover the studio has cast Sally to perform in a new film featuring his songs. Highlights of Kern's Hollywood career include songs from ''Swing Time'' (1936), ''Cover Girl'' (1944), and '' Broadway Rhythm'' (1944); the montage concludes with songs from ''Sweet Adeline'' and ''Show Boat''.

Cast

* Robert Walker as

June Allyson June Allyson (born Eleanor Geisman; October 7, 1917 – July 8, 2006) was an American stage, film, and television actress, dancer, and singer. Allyson began her career in 1937 as a dancer in short subject films and on Broadway in 1938. She sig ...

as Herself/Jane in '' Leave It to Jane'' * Lucille Bremer as Sally Hessler *

Judy Garland Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10, 1922June 22, 1969) was an American actress and singer. While critically acclaimed for many different roles throughout her career, she is widely known for playing the part of Dorothy Gale in '' The ...

as Marilyn Miller * Kathryn Grayson as Magnolia Hawks in '' Show Boat''/Herself *

Van Heflin Emmett Evan "Van" Heflin Jr. (December 13, 1908 – July 23, 1971) was an American theatre, radio and film actor. He played mostly character parts over the course of his film career, but during the 1940s had a string of roles as a leading man. H ...

as James I. Hessler *

Lena Horne Lena Mary Calhoun Horne (June 30, 1917 – May 9, 2010) was an American dancer, actress, singer, and civil rights activist. Horne's career spanned more than seventy years, appearing in film, television, and theatre. Horne joined the chorus of th ...

as Julie LaVerne in ''Show Boat''/Herself *

Dorothy Patrick Dorothy Patrick (born Dorothea Davis; June 3, 1921 – May 31, 1987) was a Canadian-American film actress and a John Robert Powers model. Early life Patrick was born on June 3, 1921, in St. Boniface, Manitoba, Canada, the daughter of Mr. and ...

as Eva Kern *

Van Johnson Charles Van Dell Johnson (August 25, 1916 – December 12, 2008) was an American film, television, theatre and radio actor. He was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during and after World War II. Johnson was described as the embodiment ...

as bandleader in Elite Club * Tony Martin as Gaylord Ravenal in ''Show Boat''/Himself * Dinah Shore as Julia Sanderson *

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the " Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...

as Himself * Gower Champion as Specialty dancer in '' Roberta'' *

Cyd Charisse Cyd Charisse (born Tula Ellice Finklea; March 8, 1922 – June 17, 2008) was an American actress and dancer. After recovering from polio as a child and studying ballet, Charisse entered films in the 1940s. Her roles usually featured her abilit ...

as Specialty dancer in ''Roberta'' *

Angela Lansbury Dame Angela Brigid Lansbury (October 16, 1925 – October 11, 2022) was an Irish-British and American film, stage, and television actress. Her career spanned eight decades, much of it in the United States, and her work received a great deal ...

as London specialty *

Ray McDonald Raymondo Antoine McDonald (born September 2, 1984) is a former American football defensive end. He was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida, where he was a member o ...

as Dance Specialty in ''Oh, Boy!'' and '' Leave It to Jane'' * Virginia O'Brien as Ellie Mae in ''Show Boat''/Herself * Mary Nash as Mrs. Muller * Joan Wells as Young Sally Hessler * Harry Hayden as

* Paul Langton as

Oscar Hammerstein II Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II (; July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was an American lyricist, librettist, theatrical producer, and (usually uncredited) director in the musical theater for almost 40 years. He won eight ...

* Paul Maxey as

Victor Herbert Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859 – May 26, 1924) was an American composer, cellist and conductor of English and Irish ancestry and German training. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and conductor, he is bes ...

Cast notes *

Esther Williams Esther Jane Williams (August 8, 1921 – June 6, 2013) was an American competitive swimmer and actress. She set regional and national records in her late teens on the Los Angeles Athletic Club swim team. Unable to compete in the 1940 Summer Ol ...

makes a

cameo appearance A cameo role, also called a cameo appearance and often shortened to just cameo (), is a brief appearance of a well-known person in a work of the performing arts. These roles are generally small, many of them non-speaking ones, and are commonly ei ...

* Sally Forrest and Mary Hatcher make appearances as "chorus girls". * Kathryn Grayson reprised the role of Magnolia Hawks in MGM's film adaptation of '' Show Boat'', released in 1951. File:Bruce Cowling in Till the Clouds Roll By.jpg, Bruce Cowling File:Dorothy Patrick in Till the Clouds Roll By.jpg,

File:Dinah Shore in Till the Clouds Roll By.jpg, Dinah Shore

Production

The working title for the film was "As the Clouds Roll By".

Gene Kelly Eugene Curran Kelly (August 23, 1912 – February 2, 1996) was an American actor, dancer, singer, filmmaker, and choreographer. He was known for his energetic and athletic dancing style and sought to create a new form of American dance accessibl ...

was originally intended to play Kern, with Gloria DeHaven, Jacqueline White, Imogen Carpenter, a stage actress, and

Jeanette MacDonald Jeanette Anna MacDonald (June 18, 1903 – January 14, 1965) was an American singer and actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier (''The Love Parade'', '' Love Me Tonight'', ''The Merry Widow'' and '' On ...

in major parts. None appeared in the film. The first 15 minutes of the film consist of a condensed adaptation of Act I of '' Show Boat'', with the order of some of the songs shifted - "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" is sung after "Life upon the Wicked Stage", and "Ol' Man River" was used as an Act I Finale, dissimilar to the show. "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" as sung by

was filmed, like many of her other musical numbers in MGM films, so that it could be easily removed from the print by sensitive Southern distributors. When the film started production in the fall of 1945,

was signed as Broadway singer-dancer Marilyn Miller, having just returned to California after a long New York honeymoon with her new husband, director

Vincente Minnelli Vincente Minnelli (born Lester Anthony Minnelli; February 28, 1903 – July 25, 1986) was an American stage director and film director. He directed the classic movie musicals '' Meet Me in St. Louis'' (1944), '' An American in Paris'' (1951), ' ...

. Soon after, Kern returned to New York towards the end of October and died in November 1945. During the six months that it took to shoot the film, producer

Arthur Freed Arthur Freed (September 9, 1894 – April 12, 1973) was an American lyricist and Hollywood film producer. He won the Academy Award for Best Picture twice, in 1951 for '' An American in Paris'' and in 1958 for '' Gigi''. Both films were musicals. ...

had to come up with one director after another. Lemuel Ayers, a set designer, was originally scheduled to make his directorial debut on the film, but was replaced by Busby Berkeley late in August 1945. Meanwhile, Minnelli – who, it was rumored at the time, would be taking over the direction of the film – was shooting Garland's sequences even before the beginning of

principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as ...

, as she was pregnant and expected to give birth in March 1946; her shooting was completed on November 8, 1945. By the time full shooting began in the middle of December, Berkeley had been replaced by Henry Koster, who was also replaced after a short period by Richard Whorf. Whorf ended up receiving the onscreen directorial credit. There was a break in production from some time in January 1946 to the middle of March of that year. The film includes two versions of "Ol' Man River" - the first sung by Caleb Peterson and an African-American chorus as part of the ''Show Boat'' medley, and the second, a " crooner version" by

, featured as the grand finale.

Barbette Barbettes are several types of gun emplacement in terrestrial fortifications or on naval ships. In recent naval usage, a barbette is a protective circular armour support for a heavy gun turret. This evolved from earlier forms of gun protectio ...

consulted on the creation of the film's circus sequence.

Songs

* "Cotton Blossom" - MGM Studio Orchestra and Chorus * "Where's the Mate for Me" - Tony Martin * " Make Believe" - Kathryn Grayson/Tony Martin * "Life Upon the Wicked Stage" - Virginia O'Brien/MGM Studio Orchestra and Chorus Girls * " Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man" - Lena Horne * "

Ol' Man River "Ol' Man River" is a show tune from the 1927 musical '' Show Boat'' with music by Jerome Kern and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. The song contrasts the struggles and hardships of African Americans with the endless, uncaring flow of the Mississi ...

" - Caleb Peterson/MGM Studio Orchestra and Chorus * "Ka-Lu-a" - MGM Studio Orchestra * "How'd You Like to Spoon with Me" - Angela Lansbury/MGM Studio Orchestra and Chorus * " They Didn't Believe Me" - Dinah Shore * "Till the Clouds Roll By" - June Allyson/Ray McDonald/MGM Studio Orchestra and Chorus * "Leave It to Jane" - MGM Studio Orchestra and Chorus/June Allyson/Ray McDonald * "Cleopatterer" - June Allyson/Ray McDonald/MGM Studio Orchestra and Chorus * "Leave It to Jane" (Reprise) - MGM Studio Orchestra and Chorus/June Allyson/Ray McDonald * "

" -

* " Sunny" - Judy Garland/MGM Studio Orchestra and Chorus * " Who?" - Judy Garland/MGM Studio Orchestra and Chorus * "One More Dance" - Lucille Bremer (Dubbed by Trudy Erwin) * " I Won't Dance" -

/Lucille Bremer (dubbed by Trudy Erwin) * " She Didn't Say Yes" - Lee and Lyn Wilde, aka "The Wilde Twins" * "

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" is a show tune written by American composer Jerome Kern and lyricist Otto Harbach for the 1933 musical '' Roberta''. The song was sung in the Broadway show by Tamara Drasin. Its first recorded performance was by Ge ...

" -

/ Gower Champion * " The Last Time I Saw Paris" - Dinah Shore * "The Land Where the Good Songs Go" - Lucille Bremer (dubbed by Trudy Erwin) * " Yesterdays" - MGM Studio Orchestra and Chorus * "

Long Ago (and Far Away) "Long Ago (and Far Away)" is a popular song with music by Jerome Kern, and lyrics about nostalgia by Ira Gershwin from the 1944 Technicolor film musical ''Cover Girl'' starring Rita Hayworth and Gene Kelly and released by Columbia Pictures. The ...

" - Kathryn Grayson * " A Fine Romance" - Virginia O'Brien * "

All the Things You Are "All the Things You Are" is a song composed by Jerome Kern with lyrics written by Oscar Hammerstein II. The song was written for the musical '' Very Warm for May'' (1939)Tony Martin * "

Why Was I Born? "Why Was I Born?" is a 1929 song composed by Jerome Kern, with lyrics written by Oscar Hammerstein II. It was written for the show '' Sweet Adeline'' (1929) and introduced by Helen Morgan. Popular recordings in 1930 were by Helen Morgan and by ...

" -

* "Ol' Man River" (Reprise/Finale) -

/MGM Studio Orchestra and Chorus ;Surviving Judy Garland outtake A video of an excised musical number survives from this film, although part of the soundtrack has been lost. Judy Garland, as Marilyn Miller, sings "D'Ya Love Me?" to two clowns in a circus setting, representing a scene from the Broadway musical '' Sunny''.

Soundtrack album

Judy Garland in Till the Clouds Roll By 4

Judy Garland in Till the Clouds Roll By 2

The film was one of the first motion pictures to have a

soundtrack album A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television show. The first such album to be commercially released was Walt Disney's ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' ...

released concurrent with it arriving in theaters. The soundtrack was produced by MGM Records, originally released as four 78-rpm records featuring various artists and songs from the film and cover artwork by

Lennie Hayton Leonard George Hayton (February 14, 1908 – April 24, 1971) was an American musician, composer, conductor and arranger. Hayton's trademark was a captain's hat, which he always wore at a rakish angle. Early life Hayton was born in New Yo ...

. The album was later released on LP. No official authorized version has yet been released on CD, but several unauthorized versions have appeared on the market. Rhino Entertainment currently owns the rights to issue an authorized CD of the soundtrack, under license from

Turner Entertainment Turner Entertainment Company is an American multimedia company founded by Ted Turner in 1986. Purchased by Time Warner in 1996 as part of its acquisition of Turner Broadcasting System (TBS), the company was largely responsible for overseeing th ...

; in the past,

MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group. Pre-history MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 w ...

and

Sony Music Entertainment Sony Music Entertainment (SME), also known as simply Sony Music, is an American multinational music company. Being owned by the parent conglomerate Sony Group Corporation, it is part of the Sony Music Group, which is owned by Sony Entertainmen ...

held such rights.

Reception

Critical response

Bosley Crowther Francis Bosley Crowther Jr. (July 13, 1905 – March 7, 1981) was an American journalist, writer, and film critic for ''The New York Times'' for 27 years. His work helped shape the careers of many actors, directors and screenwriters, though his ...

, reviewing the film for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', wrote:

"Why did Metro...have to cook up a thoroughly phoney yarn about the struggles of a chirpy young composer to carry the lovely songs of Jerry Kern? And why did it have to do it in such a hackneyed and sentimental way as to grate on the sensibilities of even the most affectionately disposed?"

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'' began its review with a similar sentiment: "Why quibble about the story?" In a retrospective review, American film critic Pauline Kael commented, "This monster thing, spawned at M-G-M, was meant to be the life of Jerome Kern."

Box office

The film earned $4,748,000 in the US and Canada box office and $1,976,000 elsewhere, but because of its high cost the profit was only $732,000.

Accolades

The film is recognized by

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Lead ...

in these lists: * 2006: AFI's Greatest Movie Musicals – Nominated

Home media

The film is one of several MGM musicals – another being ''

Royal Wedding ''Royal Wedding'' is a 1951 American musical comedy film directed by Stanley Donen, and starring Fred Astaire and Jane Powell, with music by Burton Lane and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. Set in 1947 London at the time of the wedding of Princess Eli ...

'' – that entered the public domain 28 years after production because the studio did not renew the

copyright registration The purpose of copyright registration is to place on record a verifiable account of the date and content of the work in question, so that in the event of a legal claim, or case of infringement or plagiarism, the copyright owner can produce a cop ...

. As such, it is one of the most widely circulated MGM musicals on home video.

Warner Home Video Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc. (formerly known as Warner Home Video and WCI Home Video and sometimes credited as Warner Home Entertainment) is the home video distribution division of Warner Bros. It was founded in 1978 as WCI Home Vide ...

gave it its first fully restored DVD release on April 25, 2006.

Related films

''Till The Clouds Roll By'' was the first in a series of MGM biopics about Broadway composers: it was followed by '' Words and Music'' about Rodgers and Hart in 1948, '' Three Little Words'' about Kalmar and Ruby in 1950, and '' Deep in My Heart'' about

Sigmund Romberg Sigmund Romberg (July 29, 1887 – November 9, 1951) was a Hungarian-born American composer. He is best known for his musicals and operettas, particularly '' The Student Prince'' (1924), '' The Desert Song'' (1926) and '' The New Moon'' (1928). E ...

in 1954.

References

External links

"Till The Clouds Roll By"
Full movie at BuggZugg YouTube * * * (100%) * * *

at TheJudyRoom.com {{DEFAULTSORT:Till The Clouds Roll By 1946 films 1940s biographical films 1946 musical films American biographical films American musical films 1940s English-language films Films about composers Films about musical theatre Films directed by Richard Whorf Films produced by Arthur Freed Films scored by Lennie Hayton Jukebox musical films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films 1940s American films