Not yet thirty, composer Richard Rodgers (with lyricist Lorenz Hart), had been writing hit B’way scores for over a decade when Hollywood came calling. ‘Talkies’ needed tunes; his last few shows hadn’t clicked; who says no to a three pic deal in the Depression? (Note: Ten Cents a Dance; Ship Without a Sail; I’ve Got Five Dollars (Everything I’ve Got Belongs To You); Spring Is Here; With a Song in My Heart – all future American Songbook standards, all from those recent ‘disappointments.’) But in Hollywood, composers only had clout if they were Irving Berlin, everyone else (even George Gershwin) just an employee, answerable to musically clueless movie execs.* Hence, Rodgers watched from the side as this wan little Labor Guy meets Society Dame romance went into production. With one of four songs dropped (the best one); musical comedy star Marilyn Miller replaced by the unknown Ona Munson; and class divide/social gap issues reduced to HIS Chop Suey Joint vs. HER Weekend Party at the Family Estate. Walter Pidgeon is relaxed & naturally commanding as the jilted fiancé, but has little to do. Everything else charmless and forgettable.
WATCH THIS, NOT THAT: With HEIRESS a huge a flop, Warners gladly let Rodgers out of the last two contracted films. So, he & Hart hied off to Paramount, director Rouben Mamoulian and an early film musical masterpiece: LOVE ME TONIGHT/’32. Rodgers & Hart returned to social issues in the intriguing, if not completely successful HALLELUJAH, I’M A BUM!/’33.
LINK: *Lorenz Hart wrote the classic movie exec putdown in a lyric from PAL JOEY where two rivals in love diss the womanizing Joey by comparing him to one, singing ‘I know a movie executive who’s twice as bright!’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJ7tvBmYOjc
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