Till The Clouds Roll By [DVD]

In 2006, Warner Brothers fully restored and subtitled this glorious movie. And this 2008 version is the very same movie. Till the Clouds Roll By has a large cast of well-known musical stars of the day who appear performing Kern's songs. It was the first in a series of MGM biopics about Broadway's composers; it was followed by Words and Music (Rodgers and Hart, 1948), Three Little Words (Kalmar and Ruby, 1950), and Deep in My Heart (Sigmund Romberg, 1954). The movie was intended to be a biography of composer Jerome Kern, however, it is not. (Because, according to a bonus feature (in this DVD) it seems that Kern's life was bland and simple. So, Hollywood added drama and excitement to it). Robert Walker as Kern, and Van Heflin as his arranger James Hessler are good, but this film is all about the music and the singers. Musical numbers include: Excerpt from "Showboat", "Can't Help Loving that Man of Mine" with Lena Horna. "Howja Like to Spoon Me" from the "London Gaieties" with Angela Lansbury. "They'll Never Believe Me", Dinah Shore. "Till the Clouds Roll By" from "Oh Boy" with Ray McDonald. "Leave it to Jane" with June Allyson and Ray McDonald. "Look for the Silver Lining" from "Sally" with Judy Garland. "Who" from "Sunny" with Judy Garland. "I Won't Dance" with Lucille Bremer and Van Johnson. "Smoke gets in Your Eyes" from "Roberta" with Cyd Charisse. "The Last Time I Saw Paris" with Dinah Shore. "The Land Where Good Songs Go" with Lucille Bremer. "Yesterdays" by the chorus. "Cleopatterer" with June Allyson. "Long Ago and Far Away" with Kathryn Grayson. "A Fine Romance" with Virginia O'Brien. "All the Things You Are" with Tony Martin. "Why Was I Born ?" with Lena Horne. "Old Man River" with Frank Sinatra.