A SONG IS BORN

US, 1948, 113 minutes, Colour.
Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, Hugh Herbert, Steve Cochran, Felix Bressart, J. Edward Bromberg, Mary Field, Ludwig Stossel, Louis Armstrong, Charlie Barnet, Benny Goodman, Lionel Hampton, Tommy Dorsey, Mel Powell.
Directed by Howard Hawks.

A Song Is Born is almost a direct remake of Ball of Fire. Most of the sequences are the same, the dialogue very similar, camera positions also. However the film is in colour, was made after World War Two as a vehicle for Danny Kaye and Virginia Mayo who had appeared in Up In Arms and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. Danny Kaye's comic persona is more restrained and tentative than that of Gary Cooper. Virginia Mayo has Barbara Stanwyck's style. The names of the main characters were changed but they are all the same as the original. The film has the added bonus of a multitude of musical talent of the time and they all come together for making music. The film does not have quite the impact of the original, but is entertaining in itself.

1. An entertaining film? Comedy pleasures? A piece of '40s Americana? Theme of men, the group, the woman in the group? Their enterprise, culture and reality? The world of the gangsters, the nightclubs, the law? Guns and violence? Intellectual attitudes towards life, instincts? Romance?

2. The reputation of Howard Hawks and his action style? His comedies? Remaking his Ball of Fire? Billy Wilder's films, writing and direction and the sardonic satirical touch? The theme of the group, the group being changed? Culture? Comedy? The film and its relationship to the Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs story?

3. Production values: colour photography, the mansion, the night club? The visual impact of New York and New Jersey in the '40s? The sounds, verbal, songs? The leading stars and their complementary styles?

4. The establishing of the situation: the professors returning from lunch, getting to work, their isolation, the mansion, their expertise? The respect for their job - and the satire on its ivory tower style? The range of personalities, musical icons of the 40s, Louis Armstrong, Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman and their styles, interaction? Types? Secluded bachelors, plus one widower!

5. The crisis in the writing of the encyclopaedia? Miss Totten and her lawyer? The warnings and confrontation? Hobart and his ability to charm Miss Totten?

6. The man with the quiz questions and his interrogation? His use of slang and the professors' shock and their insular knowledge, learning only from out-of-date books? Hobart’s decision to go out? His tour and checking vocabulary? His fascination with Honey? Her song? His interrogation and leaving his card? The establishing of Potts as a Danny Kaye style? Nice, quiet, with some go? A romantic type without knowing it?

7. The introduction of Honey? Virginia Mayo’s vivacity, her nightclub song, getting the people to join in the boogie-woogie song? The crooks arriving, warning her to leave, her love for Tony Crow? The decision to hide, the arrival of the police, the escape in the taxi, the card and her decision to use the professors?

8. The reaction of the musicians to her arrival? awkwardness, fuss, giving their rooms, wanting their trousers ironed? Landlady and her hostile reaction? Honey teaching them how to dance? Their romantic sides coming out? Her helping in the details of research?

9. Hobart and his encounter with her, her using him to stay the night? Participating in the work? The recordings, Hobart’s fascination and falling in love? Landlady’s confrontation? The Bragg's ultimatum and the taxi for her? The breakfast sequence and Hobartm proposing, the ring?

10. The phone call from Daddy and Honey’s getting away, Hobart talking to his prospective father-in-law with the ironic comedy? The set up for Honey’s escape? Honey and the paper and her punching and locking up the landlady?

11. The group's reaction to the engagement? all engaged and kissing the fiancee? The preparations, the car, being held up by the police, the old-fashioned driving ? without a renewed licence? The accident?

12. The sentiment in the variation on the bucks' party? Hobartm and the mistaken room? His speech to and Honey's response?

13. Tony and company, the plans, the arrival, the telling of the truth, Hobart sending away the police? Honey’s' apology and the blank page without excuse?

14. The return home, disillusionment, hearing her on the record? The invasion by the gangsters? The device of Miss Totten and the lawyer arriving? Their all being involved? The high-falutin' talk and the tricking of the gangsters? Their shooting up the house, mindless violence?

15. Honey and her stalling the marriage, her hostility to Tony?

16. The musicians and Hobart getting the guns, going to the rescue? Hobart and the fighting manual and his being knocked out? Instinct and fighting Tony? The persuasion to marry Honey: the musicians and all their arguments? The Yum Yum kiss?

17. The happy ending? Themes of men and women? Romance? Intellect and heart? Culture? Change?