Amazon.com
There's little question that a remake of a successful film, even if inferior to the original (witness
Sabrina), can be well received by an audience. It's unfortunate that this highly entertaining film is often dismissed in the wake of its equally excellent and successful predecessor (
Ball of Fire, starring Gary Cooper and Barbara Stanwyck). Both films are directed by legend Howard Hawks, whose stamp on each film is evident but also gives each its own flavor and tone.
A Song Is Born is unique in that it was remade, not in the usual 20-plus years after the original, but a mere 7 years later.
A Song Is Born must be considered a stand-alone film--both Danny Kaye and frequent costar Virginia Mayo deliver topnotch musical-comedic-dramatic performances. The story centers on a group of anachronistic music academics who become involved with a nightclub singer (Mayo), who they hope will teach them about contemporary music, but who also happens to be the moll of a well-known gangster (another Kaye-Mayo costar, Steve Cochran).
This time around, Hawks makes full use of Technicolor (Ball was in black and white), and the richness of the film is a nice complement to the fun story and the great soundtrack. For the music fan--especially given the swing revival--there's plenty of eye candy, including Benny Goodman, Tommy Dorsey, Louis Armstrong, Lionel Hampton, Charlie Barnett, and Mel Powell. --N.F. Mendoza
