A Song to Remember

US (1945): Musical/Biography

A portrait of a famous romance is featured in this biopic that plays fast and loose with the story of the most beloved composer of the Romantic era, Frederic Chopin (Cornel Wilde). After fleeing Poland with his teacher (Paul Muni) for refusing to play for the Czarist governor, Chopin settles in Paris, becomes a fashionable composer, runs away to Majorca with writer George Sand (Merle Oberon). Muni attempts to coax the prodigy back to touring, and Oberon encourages him to stay with her and write. Wilde's patriotism wins out and he returns to the stage to raise money for Polish revolutionaries. Wilde and Oberon make a dashingly romantic pairing, so who cares if the story doesn't match the history books? First-rate music by famed pianist José Iturbi, who dubbed the playing for Wilde. (Iturbi could not be credited in the film because he was under contract to MGM at the time, but his version of the "Polonaise" actually hit the charts.) Charles Vidor directs for Columbia. (amctv.com)

 View a clip from this film on YouTube.com.

6 nominations