Humoresque ***** (1946, Joan Crawford, John Garfield, Oscar Levant, J Carrol Naish, Joan Chandler) – Classic Movie Review 3534

‘One Of The Greatest Of Them All!’ Joan Crawford finds a wonderful vehicle for her unique personality and talents in director Jean Negulesco’s splendid 1946 soap opera. She gives a definitive, crazed performance in this stylish remake of a silent movie classic, filmed by Frank Borzage in 1920 and starring Gaston Glass and Vera Gordon.

This time Crawford plays Helen Wright, a rich, unbalanced older heroine who comes to the aid of younger scheming violin player from the slums, Paul Boray (John Garfield) and becomes his patroness. Based on a Fannie Hurst.story in a collection of stories entitled Humoresque: A Laugh on Life with a Tear Behind It (1920), and spiced up with Clifford Odets’s clever dialogue and Franz Waxman’s lush classical music (Isaac Stern’s violin can be heard), its story of affluent people suffering in luxurious settings builds up to a delirious, highly emotional conclusion.

Among a large and welcome talented cast, Oscar Levant is a particular asset as virtuoso pianist Sid Jeffers; Joan Chandler plays cellist Gina Romney; child star Robert Blake plays the young version of Paul Boray. Warner Bros’ splendidly plush production is directed in handsome style by Negulesco.

Also in the cast are J Carrol Naish, Tom D’Andrea, Craig Stevens, Paul Cavanagh, Peggy Knudsen, Richard Gaines, John Abbott, Tommy Cook, Don McGuire, Fritz Leiber, Peg Las Centra, Nestor Paiva, Richard Walsh, Don Turner, Paul Panzer, Esther Michelson, Ann Lawrence, Jane Harker, Creighton Hale, Bess Flowers, Harlan Briggs, Monte Blue, Patricia Barry and Sylvia Aslan.

The opening credits are presented on a book with someone turning the pages. The final beach scene is re-created by Madonna in her 1998 music video ‘The Power of Good-Bye’, which is also based on several scenes from the movie.

Humoresque is a genre of romantic music characterised by pieces with fanciful humour.

Waxman orchestrates and conducts the score. Stern is musical advisor, his hands are seen in close-up playing the violin (supposedly Garfield’s) and he was the solo violinist on the soundtrack. Celebrated pianist Levant is playing on the soundtrack.

Hurst turned her story into a play that opened on Broadway on 27 February 1923 at the Vanderbilt Theatre but ran for only 32 performances. Laurette Taylor played the leading role in the production staged by her husband J Hartley Manners. Crawford’s movie, though, was a box-office hit, grossing $3,399,000 on a budget of $2,164,000.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3534

Link to Derek Winnert’s home page for more reviews: http://derekwinnert.com/

Movie Queens – Joan by Graeme Jukes.