mark.waltz Musical biographies of famous composers and singers are a mixed bag. For singers, look at Al Jolson, then compare that with a film about Eddie Cantor. Grace Moore got a mixed bag, while dancer Marilyn Miller's silver lining was slightly invisible. Doris Day scored highly as roaring 20's sob sister Ruth Etting. Like Etting, for the story on Jane Froman, Hollywood got it right, creating a story where the heart is as big as the area Froman toured, entertaining the troops after her own serious accident almost destroyed her career.Susan Hayward struck gold for the role of the ambitious, but generally nice Jane Froman, rising to the top of radio simply just through her talent. Singing advertisements during the radio show commercials brought her to frequent guest star, then to recording star, and finally, appearing in films and on Broadway. Marriage to a nice guy (David Wayne) she probably doesn't love but still feels loyalty towards proves how decent she was. Then, war rolls around, and Jane is off to entertain the troops. Tragedy intervenes and after a difficult recovery period, she is back on her feet, sadly in crutches, and becomes the darling of the camp shows, deservedly winning their loyalty.Utilizing Froman's voice for the soundtrack, Hayward acts out each song as if she were singing it herself. She is radiant in a rousing "Get Happy!", opera-like in the elaborately staged title song, and a true star with "On the Gay White Way". Hiding her crutches, she entertains a group of soldiers (including a very handsome Robert Wagner) and later goes off to the camps where she once again encounters Wagner, now very different than the first time she saw him. When he asks her to sing "I Walk Alone", there is a profound irony to the sequence that will most likely drench you in tears.One of the major musical highlights of the film is a salute to the American spirit that goes all over the map. "Texas?", she shouts vigorously to one spirited soldier, "Never heard of it!". While Jane's body may be crippled, her spirit wasn't, and that's what makes this film exciting and totally memorable. She singles out the quiet soldier in the wheelchair who has followed her from camp to camp with the response to his request, "For you, anything." Hayward was known for tough girls hiding their hearts of gold, but in this film, her heart is on her sleeve, and it is obvious that Hayward took this part into her own heart as well. The very same year, Froman also recorded the Vivienne Segal songs for the revival cast album of "Pal Joey", and years later, there was a double C.D. of both this movie and that cast album that is a must buy if you can find it.Thelma Ritter has a major role as the nurse who is instrumental in helping Hayward recover, and one sequence has her standing up to the frustrated patient by letting her know in no uncertain terms will she put up with her self-pity. This is why during the 1950's, Ritter was nominated for an Oscar practically every year. Her own heart of gold was laced with truth, and that's what makes her special. Una Merkel is also memorable in a small role as a kindly nun who encounters Hayward and Ritter in the hospital and encourages her recovery through her singing. Helen Westcott has a profound smaller role as a woman Hayward encounters on her overseas plane ride, while funny man Max Showalter is amusing in his few scenes as Wayne's former vaudeville partner.There are so many wonderful moments in this all time fabulous musical that I could never list them all. This is a story that remains timely today, and with all of the old musicals being revised for Broadway, this would be a perfect story. Hayward would have another success as a real-life singer (Lillian Roth) in the profound "I'll Cry Tomorrow", but there, it was the tough Susan Hayward in control, not the softer, more vulnerable one. This is the one I prefer.

billpappas-1 I saw this movie as a kid when it came out and there were so many memorable scenes even though I didn't get all the intricacies of the plot such as the love triangle. I was just a kid.First. I didn't know who Jane Froman was and still don't know her well.Second. I've always loved Susan Hayward, perfect for this film. Her lip syncing was flawless and if I didn't know, I'd think it was her.Third. I'm now watching it on TCM, shown there for the first with Robert Wagner as guest. They discussed how his 2 short scenes with little dialogue made him a star. I knew that when I saw it at about 7 years old and remember how moving those scenes were. Wagner was impossibly appealing and the director knew what he was doing.Fourth. It was so beautifully photographed. My grandparents had the original 10inch 78rpm record album with Susan on the cover in the brightest red dress I've ever seen. I played "I'll Walk Alone" many times. That song still gives me goosebumps.And, finally. Sure it looks dated but that's how things looked in the early 50s. It has people you really care about, especially Froman, who went on to entertain the troops despite her problems. You gotta love people like that.

Lawson Musicals aren't quite as impressive when one has the knowledge that the lead's singing has been dubbed, in this case Susan Hayward, by the singer she portrays, Jane Froman. Essentially though, that means Hayward may as well have received her Oscar nomination for excellent lip-syncing, since there isn't much to her character, a goody-two-shoes who suffered tragic injuries in a plane crash, and her supposedly remarkable imitation of Froman is lost in this day and age when not many people remember even Hayward, much less Froman.Thankfully, Thelma Ritter comes to the rescue once again, and she also receives an Oscar nomination for bringing her trademark brand of tough love to the story as Hayward's nurse. It is somewhat to Hayward's detriment though, since her more dramatic scenes involve her recuperation but Ritter almost always outshines her (or at least, out-talks her).Otherwise, this movie is pretty uninteresting, though it probably meant more to people back then who actually knew Jane Froman was or could appreciate a pretty standard overcoming-adversities story. Nice outfits though, and young Rory Calhoun was pretty hot.You should probably only watch this if you're a fan of Hayward or Ritter (or the even rarer Jane Froman fan).

Lechuguilla Jane Froman was a popular radio personality in the 1930s and 40s. Millions of listeners enjoyed her beautiful operatic voice. By the time television came around, Froman's career was beginning to wind down. In the early 1940s, she was severely injured in a plane crash en route to Europe. But her popularity soared after that incident, because although disabled, she continued to entertain American troops. In effect, she became a symbol of American optimism and perseverance during WWII."With A Song In My Heart" is Froman's story, from the time that she became well known as a singer. The film is factual, but mostly it is inspirational. Susan Hayward plays Froman, and lip-syncs to Froman's actual singing voice. Although technically this film is not a musical, there are plenty of songs.The film begins with her singing to an enamored audience. Most of the rest of the plot is a flashback to her rise to stardom, the crash, and the difficulties she endured afterwards. The plot then returns at the end to the film's opening performance.Susan Hayward does a fine job as she imitates Froman's gestures, and animates Froman's optimism, showmanship, and verve. All of the songs and music predate rock-n-roll, and therefore have a dream-like quality. Many of her performances are formal, complete with big chandeliers and wavy, silky curtains. Costumes range from glamorous before the accident, to informal in later years. David Wayne and the always reliable Thelma Ritter are convincing in secondary roles.The music in this film is totally from another era, very orchestral and idealized. I could not identify with any of it. That's not a criticism, just an observation. My one complaint about this film is that the tone is just a tad too upbeat and reassuring. Whatever warts the woman might have had are conveniently left out of the film. Indeed, the film tends to deify Froman. She seems imbued with superhuman goodness. But that's how cinematic bios were made in those days."With A Song In My Heart" is a fine biography of a woman who truly had a talent for singing. Just be aware that the story and the film may seem a tad antiquated by today's standards.