Words and Music (1948)
- Starring:
- Mickey Rooney, Perry Como, (more)
- Director(s):
- Norman Taurog
- Format(s):
- DVD
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Synopsis of Words and Music
The life stories of Broadway tunesmiths Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart are prettified for the screen in MGM's Words and Music. Billed fourth, the colorless Tom Drake plays Rodgers, but never mind that: the film belongs to Mickey Rooney, as the dynamic, self-destructive Lorenz Hart. Understandably, Hart's bisexuality is downplayed. According to MGM, his biggest problem in life is that he was never satisfied with his work. We are, however, especially when those great Rodgers & Hart tunes are performed by the likes of Judy Garland, Janet Leigh, Perry Como, Lena Horne, June Allyson, Cyd Charisse, Betty Garrett, Ann Sothern, Mel Torme, Allyn McLerie, Gene Kelly and Vera-Ellen. The musical highlights include Garland's powerhouse rendition of Johnny One-Note, Kelly's Slaughter on 10th Avenue dance solo, Horne's interpretation of Where or When, Allyson's take on Thou Swell, and, best of all, Rooney's premiere performance of I'll Take Manhattan, which he allegedly had just written on the back of an automobile advertisement! ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 121 mins
Complete Cast of Words and Music
- Mickey Rooney - Lorenz "Larry" Hart
- June Allyson - Guest Star
- Lena Horne - Herself
- Ann Sothern - Joyce Harmon
- Cyd Charisse - Margo Grant
- Janet Leigh - Dorothy Feiner Rodgers
- Mel Tormé - Specialty
- Jeanette Nolan - Mrs. Hart
- Clinton Sundberg - Shoe Clerk
- Harry Antrim - Dr. Rodgers
- Helen Spring - Mrs. Feiner
- The Blackburn Twins
- Allyn Ann McLerie
- Ilka Gruning - Mrs. Rodgers
- Perry Como - Eddie Lorrison Anders
- Judy Garland - Guest
- Gene Kelly - Himself
- Tom Drake - Richard "Dick" Rodgers
- Betty Garrett - Peggy Lorgan McNeil
- Marshall Thompson - Herbert Fields
- Vera-Ellen - Herself
- Richard Quine - Ben Feiner, Jr.
- Dee Turnell - Herself
- Emory Parnell - Mr. Feiner
- Edward Earle - James Fernby Kelly
- Sig Frohlich
- John Butler
- Director(s):
- Norman Taurog
- Writer(s):
- Fred F. Finklehoffe
- Producer(s):
- Arthur Freed
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