Deep in My Heart (1954 film)

Deep in My Heart

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Stanley Donen
Produced by Roger Edens
Written by Leonard Spigelgass
Elliott Arnold
Starring José Ferrer
Helen Traubel
Merle Oberon
Music by Sigmund Romberg
Cinematography George J. Folsey
Edited by Adrienne Fazan
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release dates
  • December 9, 1954
Running time
 132 minutes
Country United States
Language English
Budget $2,504,000[1]
Box office $3,978,000[1]

Deep in My Heart is a 1954 MGM biographical musical film about the life of operetta composer Sigmund Romberg, who wrote the music for The Student Prince, The Desert Song, and The New Moon, among others. Leonard Spigelgass adapted the film from Elliott Arnold's 1949 biography of the same name. Roger Edens produced, Stanley Donen directed and Eugene Loring choreographed. José Ferrer played Romberg, with support from soprano Helen Traubel as a fictional character and Merle Oberon as lyricist Dorothy Donnelly.

The film, which takes its title from "Deep in My Heart, Dear," a song from "The Student Prince," primarily consists of a series of cameo turns by nearly every significant singer or dancer on the MGM lot at the time. These include dancer Cyd Charisse (dubbed by Carol Richards), Rosemary Clooney (Ferrer's wife), Vic Damone, Howard Keel, Gene Kelly and his brother Fred Kelly (their only on-screen appearance together), Tony Martin, Ann Miller, James Mitchell, Jane Powell, Joan Weldon, and the ballerina Tamara Toumanova (dubbed by Betty Wand). Robert Easton, Russ Tamblyn, Susan Luckey, and Ludwig Stössel make uncredited appearances.

Cast

Musical numbers

Box Office

According to MGM records the film earned $2,471,000 in the US and Canada and $1,507,000 elsewhere, resulting in a loss of $435,000.[1]

Reception and distribution

The film was not a critical success. According to the reviewer for the New York Times, Deep in My Heart "calls for a strong digestive system and a considerable tolerance for clichés."[2]

However, the film is rich with the music of Sigmund Romberg. Romberg's songs are performed not only by stars José Ferrer and Helen Traubel, but also by a plethora of MGM stars giving delightful cameo performances. Music lovers will enjoy the film and walk away singing Romberg's tunes.

Although the film is out of print in VHS and laserdisc formats, it has been released on DVD.[3] The soundtrack, earlier released on LP, was made available on iTunes in 2006. The film has been shown on Turner Classic Movies.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
  2. ↑ Bosley Crowther, "The Screen in Review; Romberg Film, Mostly Music, at Radio City" (10-12-1954). Retrieved 15-07-2007.
  3. ↑ "Deep In My Heart - 1954 - VHS - Reviews & Prices @ Yahoo! Shopping". Shopping.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2012-02-13.

Further reading

External links

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