Customer Reviews

The Eddy Duchin Story [VHS]

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first saw this as a rental, and immediately after watching it I searched Amazon for the authentic Original Soundtrack and found it! - a "Like New" CD from Japan. (Be warned: The CD, "The Eddie Duchin Story" is NOT the soundtrack to this movie. On the real soundtrack, Carmen Cavallaro plays the piano - you can find it by doing a search on the Song, "Dizzy Fingers"). Then, I ordered this DVD!! I KNEW I'd want to watch it again and again through the years! Tyrone Power is GREAT as pianist, Eddie Duchin. Kim Novak is excellent as his first wife. I didn't catch who plays his son, but he's wonderful, in spite of his British accent(!) Filmed on location in NYC in the 1950's, Manhattan is absolutely beautiful. The story has plenty of teary-eyed moments, but the real star of the show, however, is the MUSIC. It's unique and delightful music! When I rented it, I watched it twice, the second time immediately after the first, because I HAD to hear that enchanting music again. Buy the DVD, then look for the The Soundtrack Album (imported from Japan - I paid 23 dollars for mine, but it is worth every cent)! If you can't find the CD, there's music a-plenty on the DVD! Highly recommended!

I happened to catch this movie last night on AMC. I'd never heard of Eddy Duchin, now I'd like to hear more. The soundtrack to this movie is wonderful; you get the feeling you're watching George Gershwin (whom I initially thought the movie was about) during the moving, swinging piano and big band sequences. Tyrone Power was never better; he was a friend of Eddy Duchin in real life and sadly enough passed away 3 years after the filming of this movie. He was 45; Eddy Duchin was only 42 when he died. Tender love story that tells us all you can fall in love twice. But the music is what makes this film, Carmen Cavallaro does the dubbing of the piano and is terrific. a must see for any music fan!

There is a peculiar irony in the necessity of producing a movie depicting civilized culture during a time when culture was still civilized. It no longer is. The barbarians are no longer at the gates, they occupy the essential seats of power. This sensitive, riveting look at a real-life musician sensation is polished, enjoyable moviemaking at its best. It is the account of a gifted man pursuing The Good Life, only to find that attaining one's dreams/ambitions is only the first layer of real life - a layer that paradoxically must be shed if life's core is to be attained. The protagonist of this epic runs headlong into life's limitations laid on him by God, circumstance and his own limited vision of happiness and love.

"The Eddy Duchin Story" has a universal quality about it in its theme of recognizing, then reconciling oneself to, the "plot" of one's own mysterious life. And like another moving classic, "The Razor's Edge," Tyrone Power masterfully portrays the hero of an elusive chase for joy and meaning in life, and the discovery that mature happiness lay in wait for us beyond the shattered dreams of our youth. It helps that the protagonist really lived, so that we feel this film goes beyond mere idle artistic speculation. We also feel the intrinsic fascination toward a celebrity of soaring talent who has captured the acclaim of Society in his day.

The entertainment value of the film is fully equal to its message. The breathtaking popular music permeating the movie is anything but gratuitous, woven logically and elegantly into the story line. The casting, the beautiful uptown Manhattan setting, and the script are cobbled together well, and the generous length of the film is just right here - we want to spend time watching this plot sort itself out, yet the film never drags.

TRANSLATION: kick back for the night with the ones you love - I saw this one when my parents brought me to the theater as a young boy, and I in turn treated my family to it now - get a handkerchief ready at hand, turn out the lights, bring out the popcorn, plug in "The Eddy Duchin Story" ... and bring on Entertainment with a capital "E". Oh yes, and bring out the cliché, "They don't make 'em like they used to." In this case, sadly, "they" could not - this film was made shortly before America had lost its culture, and now it's a case of "all the king's horses..." Today's Hollywood could no more produce a heartfelt, cultured drama like "The Eddy Duchin Story" than today's music industry could yield another Mozart symphony. It is a singular cinematic treasure. We are fortunate to have it in our archives, if not in our active entertainment industry capabilities.

The movie was and is a definitive of the music of the time.I grew up listening to music from many eras and Eddy Duchin seems to have presented himself well for the time. Tyrone Power portrays what had to be a hard part to play. The loss of Mr. Duchin's wife and his early alienation of his son is well acted. I did not know much about the man but listening and watching this movie is more than a filling story.The music and storyline is well done. I'd like to see Hollywood look into more stories like this and even remakes of great stories portraying musicians that brought joy and music to all our ears.

If you love, a love story with fabulous music, then this is the video for you. The film was made in 1956 but watching the actors you would never realize this. The music will stay in your head for many years.....a must to see and please have many tissues near by, they will be needed!

This beautiful story in breathtaking Technicolor stars Kim Novak (fresh from her hot performance in Picnic) and Tyrone Power as the title role of the legendary 1930s pianist. The 1940s and 1950s produced some of the most visually beautiful movies ever made, and this (along with Picnic) are some of the best examples of it.

This movie was made in 1956 by Columbia, after Tyrone left his contract with Fox. So far, only one of his major titles, The Mark of Zorro, has been released. I'd like to see The Rains Came, Blood and Sand, The Black Swan, The Razor's Edge and Captain from Castile on DVD: Fox, enough of these 1950s CinemaScope titles that are in DeLuxe Color, evidently inferior to Technicolor! Let's release all of Tyrone Power's movies on DVD now! I don't care what the AFI says, but Tyrone Power is the greatest actor of the 20th century (WHY was he and Errol Flynn left out of the list in favor of Sidney Poitier and James Dean)?

I've watched this video over and over. The music in "The Eddy Duchin Story" comprises many of my all time favorites and includes a version of Chop-Sticks that you want to rewind and watch again. The story isn't bad either, it can drive you to tears. A great buy.
Beverly J Scott author of Righteous Revenge

Music in this movie is everything. It brings back memories of great Eddy Duchin (for those who remember him). However, Carmen Cavallaro does not attempt to imitate his unique piano style and plays his well known ornate style, so different from Duchin's. That creates sort of confusion, but interestingly - helps them both: Cavallaro becomes even more popular, while Duchin's legend goes on and results in growing interest in his own, original recordings. Unfortunately not many of them are available; his
mostly pre-war recordings with noisy orchestration do not allow
much to enjoy his pianistics as a soloist. Cavallaro's separate
recording from late 50's "CC Remembers Eddy Duchin" brings back
more tunes played by Duchin at Central Park Casino in NYC and
deserves to be popularized in CD form. This movie is a jewel for all popular music lovers from forgotten 1920-1930 era...

Do people actually clap at a movie screen?

In 1956, I experienced the tingling feeling of a full-house movie theatre audience reaction which has not repeated for me in these 49+ years since: it was a clapping, partially-standing ovation to the "Chopsticks" scene in THE EDDY DUCHIN STORY. People actually standing and/or clapping at a movie screen!

I've never forgotten that experience. A thoroughly enjoyable tear-jerker movie, with "Chopsticks" perhaps as the The Best Scene of All Time.

I have seen "The Eddy Duchin Story" over the years, and Tyrone Power delivered a great performance as the renowned pianist-bandleader who met an untimely death at age 42. I thought Kim Novak's role as Marjorie Olerich was a little convincing, although I was attracted to Victoria Shaw's Chaquita because of the great job she did with the British accent. What a great deviation for Ty (God Rest His Soul) from his swashbuckling, macho roles...Excellent. Now I want to know more about the "real" Eddy Duchin.