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(More customer reviews)This movie has never been released in ANY format so this is a cause for celebration for this highly sought after flick. Many fine reviews have already preceded mine (considering it is not yet available) so I will not rehash the plot but give what I hope will be interesting insights into the making of this fine film.
Susan during her contract with FOX were her most visible superstardom years and it has always struck me a bit odd little has been released by the studio considering a quarter of their budget was wrapped up in her movies alone. She was the only star at Grauman's to place her hands, footprints and signature in cement embedded in gold dust. Hayward's famous long red tresses were insured for a million dollars and could only be trimmed a half inch. She was allowed to have it cut shoulder length since she bore some resemblence to Jane Froman. She spent hours in the recording booth watching Froman sing the songs used on the soundtrack, noting her every gesture and movement which explains why her lip syncing job is one of the best on celluloid. Her lavish wardrobe was not for glamor but character, as Froman was voted consistently one of the top 10 best dressed women of her time. Her elaborate dance routines took weeks of rehearsal and during one shot, her breast was flashed during a daily rush and and had to be reshot. A young Bob Wagner credits his success to Hayward for taking him under her wing. This was his first major film albeit a small part and he had to cry in one scene while Hayward was singing which he found difficult to execute. Hayward deliberately had the camers focused on the back of her head during the scene as she prompted him to tears. In the 70's he remarked on THE TONIGHT SHOW what a tremendous help she was to a young struggling actor. Susan was not one for making friends with her peers; however, the ascerbic Thelma Ritter as her nurse and companion became life-long friends. Ritter who was also nominated for an oscar should have won. She was overlooked by the Academy 6 times and never received an award of any type. Poor judgement indeed.
Susan made many top money making films for Fox and was always voted one of the top 10 most popular movies during her tenure with FOX yet few have been released and this is her only Oscar nod during her contract with the company. She was cast in big budget movies and given interesting scenes to appeal to her creative talents and despite the overblown budgets, she always managed to bring a close intimacy to the moviegoing public. The next year after SONG she was given her best and most overlooked role as the maligned Rachel Jackeson in THE PRESIDENT'S LADY co-starring a fairly junior Charleton Heston. He was one of her better male leads as their chemistry on screen crackled with electricity.
This grand scale musical was the biggest moneymaker in it's category for 1952 and she was voted the "Most Popular Female Star of 1952" and won a Golden Globe award. Here it is...and it's a long time coming. This one woman show leans towards sentimentality at times, but Hayward never allows it to become maudlin. Under her cabable hands she has managed to give one of the finest musical performances in film history.
This is a classic movie for everyone in the family to enjoy. Sit back and watch a real pro at work here. She is that rare combination of beauty and talent that is seldom found in Hollywood.
A one of a kind movie with a one of a kind actress--the great Susan Hayward. And it is tragic she died at the age of 56 just as she was returning to movies and having great success in important made for TV movies (at a time when this medium was usually silly fare).
ABOUT TIME!!!! More FOX, please!!!
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WITH A SONG IN MY HEART - DVD Movie
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