The Eddy Duchin Story (1956)

Undescribable Perfection

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.

The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.

Copyright 1956 by Columbia Pictures Corp. New York opening at the Radio City Music Hall: 21 June 1956 (ran seven weeks). U.S. release: 28 May 1956. U.K. release: 13 August 1956. Australian release: 14 February 1957. Sydney opening at the State. 11,104 feet. 123 minutes.SYNOPSIS: The time is the late 1920s. Eddy Duchin, a recently graduated pharmacist from Boston, comes to New York to try his hand at becoming a professional musician, and with the help of Marjorie Oelrichs (Kim Novak), a pretty socialite he has met at a party, he secures a job at the celebrated Central Park Casino as pianist with the orchestra of Leo Reisman (Larry Keating). Duchin's distinctive playing wins him rapid fame and his new found stature in society circles makes it convenient for him to romance the girl who got him his first break. Their love affair culminates in marriage, but their bliss is short-lived as Marjorie dies in child birth on Christmas Eve. Heartbroken, Duchin blames his baby son, Peter, for Marjorie's death and refuses to have anything to do with him. NOTES: Harry Stradling was nominated for an Oscar for his Color Cinematography, losing in this category to Lionel Lindon's "Around the World in 80 Days". Also receiving Academy Award nominations: Leo Katcher for his story ("The Brave One"), John Livadary for sound recording ("The King and I"), Morris Stoloff and George Duning for Scoring of a Musical Picture ("The King and I").With a domestic rentals gross of $5.3 million, number 6 at U.S./Canadian ticket windows for 1956. The movie was not nearly so successful in Great Britain, but proved a resounding hit in Australia, coming in at fourth position for 1957, beaten only by "Around the World in 80 Days", "The King and I", and "Anastasia". Hollywood debut of Australian film actress, Jeanette Elphick.COMMENT: Carmen Cavallaro makes a brave attempt to emulate the Duchin distinctive style with moderate success (one mustn't be too hard on the film, otherwise I would probably never have heard of Duchin, let alone play his records with such pleasure), and the acting is all very earnest throughout, but it is Kim Novak that keeps the film alive. Once she goes, it becomes a very boring, very tedious, unbelievably soap opera affair. Lush production values and very capable direction cannot make up for corny, padded dialogue and plot developments that are telegraphed miles ahead. Drastic trimming (young Peter, Shepperd Strudwick and a lot of James Whitmore should go) would help tremendously.

In the late 20's, the talkative newly graduated in pharmacy and aspirant piano player Eddy Duchin (Tyrone Power) comes from Boston to New York expecting to play with the orchestra of Leo Reisman (Larry Keating) at fancy New York's Central Park Casino. However he had misunderstood the invitation of the maestro and while leaving the place, he meets the wealthy socialite Marjorie Oelrichs (Kim Novak) that asks Leo Reisman to give a chance to Eddy. He plays in the intermission and becomes a successful piano showman. Two years later, Marjorie and Eddy get married and in the Christmas, Marjorie has a baby, Peter, but she dies after the delivery. Eddy rejects Peter blaming him for the death of Marjorie and only five years later he meets his son. With the World War II, Eddy Duchin breaks up his band and enlists to fight in the war. With the end of the war, Eddy returns to New York with the intention of getting closer to Peter but he sees the boy connected to his friend Chiquita (Victoria Shaw). When Eddy discovers that he has a terminal disease, he proposes Chiquita and they get married. When we see the biography of a personality by Hollywood, we are never sure that it is a true story or a fairy tale created by the cinema industry. Despite of that, the melodramatic "The Eddy Duchin Story" is a nice story of a man's life surrounded by music, beautiful ladies and tragedies. The forty-two year-old Tyrone Power has good performance and he really seems to be playing the piano, but it is funny to see him in the role of a newly graduated man. Kim Novak shines with her beauty, elegance and her sweet voice. Victoria Shaw is also gorgeous. The cinematography and the music score are awesome and deserved the nomination to the Oscar. My vote is seven.Title (Brazil): "Melodia Immortal" ("Immortal Melody")

One of the "Beautiful People" of the 1930s,golden boy Eddy Duchin was no particular shakes as a pianist but he was handsome,agreeable and extremely marketable.Like his spiritual heir Liberace he could knock off a few flashy party pieces but was otherwise workmanlike rather than inspired.He became quite the thing for fashionable New York society but his personal life was certainly no bed of roses. This is the ground covered by George Sidney's splendidly rococo "The Eddy Duchin Story" with Mr Tyrone Power and Miss Kim Novak in the lead roles. This is what we wanted to see in the 1950s,good - looking stars,lashings of Brilliantine and Max Factor,glossy colour,nice music and a jolly good weep.I was personally delighted to see that New York was in fact exactly as I'd always dreamed it to be and Miss Novak as extraordinarily beautiful as her photos in "Picturegoer". If you like good old - fashioned Hollywood glitz you will find "The Eddy Duchin Story" exactly to your taste.Made by people who loved their craft in an age when movies had to be big to wrench people from their televisions,it is gloriously larger than life.

I only discovered this film fairly recently, rather surprisingly as I DO like music biopics and already possess the Glenn Miller and Benny Goodman stories ! Still, this DVD is unknown in Europe for some strange reason and has to be purchased from the USA.I am fond of Tyrone Power, having been impressed by his performance in "Witness for the Prosecution" and as for Kim Novak I was bowled over and full of emotion before here loving character as his wife, so different from the common ugly personage she portrays in "Of Human Bondage". Indeed I had watery eyes throughout the film, from shortly after the beginning right up until the end as the film distills so much emotion, happy and sad, throughout its whole length .... from his first meeting with Kim Novak, through the problems he has in communicating with his son and finally to his meeting with Chiquita. I cried even more on learning that the poor actress who played the part of Chiquita actually died very young !! The music of the film is fantastic both in its arrangements, choice of tunes and recording quality. I am most annoyed that this soundtrack seems to be available anywhere on a CD, as I would have thought it was an obvious choice for issue on CD. It should be noted that the soundtrack was played by Carmen Cavallaro and not Duchin himself, indeed, Cavallaro's playing is better than that of Duchin's and not quite the same style. After seeing the film, I bought a couple of CD's of Duchin to check out the music but CC is definitely better so on that score one could accuse the film of over-glorifying Duchin's musical prowess but there it is. If you like romance, tenderness, sweetness and good music then see this film, I can guarantee that you will NOT be disappointed !!!!