Clarence Brown directed Song of Love, a biopic starring Katharine Hepburn, Paul Henreid, Robert Walker, and Leo G. Carroll.
The screenplay was co-authored by Ivan Tors, Irma von Cube, Allen Vincent, and Robert Ardrey, based on a play by Bernard Schubert and Mario Silva.
Grade: C+ (** out of *****)
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The film is a fictionalized romance set in the 19th century, focusing on musicians Clara Wieck Schumann (Katharine Hepburn), Robert Schumann (Paul Henreid) and Johannes Brahms (Robert Walker).
Clara takes a break from her thriving career as an acclaimed concert pianist to devote herself to her struggling composer husband Robert and their seven children. Johannes Brahms, Schumann’s best student, takes a place in their home but falls in love with Clara and eventually realizes he must move out.
Hepburn trained with a pianist so that she could be filmed playing the piano. When Henreid is playing piano, the hands of Ervin Nyiregyházi are seen. The soundtrack for the picture was recorded by Arthur Rubinstein.
A commercial flop, the film earned $1,469,000 in the U.S. and $1,268,000 elsewhere resulting in a loss of $1,091,000.
Cast
Katharine Hepburn as Clara Wieck Schumann
Paul Henreid as Robert Schumann
Robert Walker as Johannes Brahms
Henry Daniell as Franz Liszt
Leo G. Carroll as Professor Wieck
Elsa Janssen as Bertha (as Else Janssen)
Gigi Perreau as Julie
‘Tinker’ Furlong as Felix
Ann Carter as Marie
Janine Perreau as Eugenie
Jimmy Hunt as Ludwig
Anthony Sydes as Ferdinand
Eilene Janssen as Elise
Roman Bohnen as Dr. Hoffman
Ludwig Stössel as Haslinger (as Ludwig Stossel)
Credits:
Directed by Clarence Brown
Screenplay by Ivan Tors, Irma von Cube, Allen Vincent, Robert Ardrey based on Song of Love, the Life of Robert and Clara Schumann play by Bernard Schubert and Mario Silva
Produced by Clarence Brown
Cinematography Harry Stradling Sr.
Edited by Robert Kern
Music by Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms, Franz Liszt
Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Release date: October 9, 1947
Running time: 119 min.
Budget $2,696,000
Box office $2,737,000
