Starring José Ferrer as Sigmund Romberg, Deep in My Heart was the final film of four MGM biopics based on composers, including Till the Clouds Roll By (Jerome Kern, 1946), Words and Music (Rodgers and Hart, 1948), and Three Little Words (Kalmar and Ruby, 1950).
Grade: C+ (** out of *****)
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Theatrical release poster
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Romberg wrote the music for many popular operettas that are still produced today, The Student Prince, The Desert Song, and The New Moon, among others.
Leonard Spigelgass’s script, adapted from Elliott Arnold’s 1949 biography, is rather shallow and full of cliches about showbusiness, but the movie, as a whole, is elevated by the glorious music.
Taking its title from “Deep in My Heart, Dear,” a song from The Student Prince, the biopic consists of cameo turns by every major singer and dancer on the MGM lot.
These include dancer Cyd Charisse (dubbed by Carol Richards), Rosemary Clooney (Ferrer’s wife), Vic Damone, Howard Keel, Gene Kelly and brother Fred Kelly (their only on-screen appearance together), Tony Martin, Ann Miller, James Mitchell, Jane Powell, Joan Weldon, the ballerina Tamara Toumanova (dubbed by Betty Wand).
Robert Easton, Russ Tamblyn, Susan Luckey, and Ludwig Stössel make uncredited appearances.
Despite mixed reviews, the movie was popular with audiences, earning $2,471,000 in the U.S. and $1,507,000 elsewhere, resulting in profit of $1,474,000.
Cast
José Ferrer as Sigmund Romberg
Merle Oberon as Dorothy Donnelly
Helen Traubel as Anna Mueller
Doe Avedon as Lillian Harris Romberg
Walter Pidgeon as J. J. Shubert
Paul Henreid as Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr.
Tamara Toumanova as Gaby Deslys
Betty Wand as Gaby Deslys (singing voice)
Paul Stewart as Bert Townsend
Isobel Elsom as Mrs. Harris
David Burns as Lazar Berrison, Sr.
Jim Backus as Ben Judson
Credits:
Directed by Stanley Donen
Screenplay by Leonard Spigelgass, Elliott Arnold (book)
Produced by Roger Edens
Cinematography George J. Folsey
Edited by Adrienne Fazan
Music by Sigmund Romberg
Production: MGM
Distributed by Loew’s, Inc
Release date: Dec 9, 1954
Running time: 132 minutes
Language English
Budget $2,504,000
Box office $3,978,000
Musical numbers
“Overture” — Orchestral and choral medley:
“One Kiss” (1928 operetta The New Moon, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II)
“Desert Song” (from 1926 operetta The Desert Song, lyrics Oscar Hammerstein II and Otto A. Harbach)
“Deep in My Heart, Dear” (1924 operetta The Student Prince, lyrics by Dorothy Donnelly)
“You Will Remember Vienna” (from 1930 film Viennese Nights, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II)
“You Will Remember Vienna” — Helen Traubel (1930 film Viennese Nights, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II)
“Leg of Mutton” — José Ferrer and Helen Traubel (turkey trot with lyrics added by Roger Edens)
“Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise” — Betty Wand (dubbing for Tamara Toumanova) (from 1928 operetta The New Moon, lyrics Oscar Hammerstein II)
“Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise” — Helen Traubel (from 1928 operetta The New Moon, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II)
“Mr. & Mrs.” — Rosemary Clooney and José Ferrer (from 1922 musical The Blushing Bride, lyrics by Cyrus D. Wood)
“I Love to Go Swimmin’ with Wimmen” — Gene Kelly and brother Fred Kelly (from 1921 musical Love Birds, lyrics by Ballard MacDonald)
“Road to Paradise”/”Will You Remember (Sweetheart)” — Vic Damone and Jane Powell (from 1917 musical Maytime, lyrics by Rida Johnson Young)
“Girls Goodbye” — José Ferrer (lyrics by Dorothy Donnelly)
“Fat Fat Fatima” — José Ferrer (1921 musical Love Birds, lyrics by Ballard MacDonald)
“Jazza-Dada-Doo” — José Ferrer (from 1921 musical Bombo, lyrics by Harold Atteridge)
“It” — Ann Miller (from 1926 operetta The Desert Song, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and Otto A. Harbach)
“Serenade” — William Olvis (from 1924 operetta The Student Prince, lyrics by Dorothy Donnelly)
“One Alone” — Carol Richards (dubbing for Cyd Charisse) and James Mitchell (from 1926 operetta The Desert Song, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and Otta A. Harbach)
“Your Land and My Land” — Howard Keel (from 1927 musical My Maryland, lyrics by Dorothy Donnelly)
“Auf Wiedersehn” — Helen Traubel (from 1915 musical The Blue Paradise, lyrics by Herbert Reynolds)
“Lover, Come Back to Me” — Tony Martin with Joan Weldon (1928 operetta The New Moon, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II)
“Stout-Hearted Men” — Helen Traubel (1928 operetta The New Moon, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II)
“When I Grow Too Old to Dream” — José Ferrer (from 1935 film The Night Is Young, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II)
