Song of Love (1947 film)
Song of Love is a 1947 biopic starring Katharine Hepburn, Paul Henreid, Robert Walker, and Leo G. Carroll, directed by Clarence Brown and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The screenplay was co-authored by Ivan Tors, Irma von Cube, Allen Vincent, and Robert Ardrey, based on a play by Bernard Schubert and Mario Silva.
| Song of Love | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Clarence Brown |
| Produced by | Clarence Brown |
| Screenplay by | Ivan Tors Irma von Cube Allen Vincent Robert Ardrey |
| Based on | Song of Love, the Life of Robert and Clara Schumann play by Bernard Schubert Mario Silva |
| Starring | Katharine Hepburn Paul Henreid Robert Walker |
| Music by | Robert Schumann Johannes Brahms Franz Liszt |
| Cinematography | Harry Stradling Sr. |
| Edited by | Robert Kern |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release date |
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Running time | 119 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $2,696,000[1] |
| Box office | $2,737,000[1] |
Plot summary
Fictionalized romance set in the 19th century, focussing on musicians Clara Wieck Schumann (Katharine Hepburn), Robert Schumann (Paul Henreid) and Johannes Brahms (Robert Walker).
Clara takes a break from her thriving career as an acclaimed concert pianist to devote herself to her struggling composer husband Robert and their seven children. Johannes Brahms, Schumann's best student, takes a place in their home but falls in love with Clara and eventually realises he must move out.
Schumann works on his opera "Faust" but has no success with interesting producers in it. Unable to cope with disappointment and failure, Robert eventually has a breakdown while conducting a performance. He later dies in an asylum. Brahms proposes marriage to Clara but she rejects him saying she will always love Robert. She devotes the rest of her life to preserving his music and his memory.[2]
Cast
- Katharine Hepburn as Clara Wieck Schumann
- Paul Henreid as Robert Schumann
- Robert Walker as Johannes Brahms
- Henry Daniell as Franz Liszt
- Leo G. Carroll as Professor Wieck
- Elsa Janssen as Bertha (as Else Janssen)
- Gigi Perreau as Julie
- 'Tinker' Furlong as Felix
- Ann Carter as Marie
- Janine Perreau as Eugenie
- Jimmy Hunt as Ludwig
- Anthony Sydes as Ferdinand
- Eilene Janssen as Elise
- Roman Bohnen as Dr. Hoffman
- Ludwig Stössel as Haslinger (as Ludwig Stossel)
Production notes
Hepburn trained intensively with a pianist so that she could be filmed playing the piano.[3] When Henreid is playing piano, the hands of Ervin Nyiregyházi are seen.[4] The soundtrack for the picture was recorded by Arthur Rubinstein.[3]
Reception
The film earned $1,469,000 in the US and Canada and $1,268,000 elsewhere resulting in a loss of $1,091,000.[1]
Variety listed the film as earned $3.1 million in US rentals.[5]
References
- "The Eddie Mannix Ledger". Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study{{inconsistent citations}} Cite journal requires
|journal=(help). - http://www.allmovie.com/movie/song-of-love-v75821
- Chandler, Charlotte (2011). I Know Where I'm Going: Katharine Hepburn: A Personal Biography. Applause. p. 164.
- Bazanna, Kevin (2007). Lost Genius: The Curious and Tragic Story of an Extraordinary Musical Prodigy. Toronto: McClelland & Stewart; New York: Carroll & Graf; Cambridge: Da Capo Press. p. 205.
- "Top Grossers of 1947", Variety, 7 January 1948 p 63