Product Description

Light bio-pic of American Broadway pioneer Jerome Kern, featuring renditions of the famous songs from his musical plays by contemporary stage artists, including a condensed production of his most famous: Showboat.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #57577 in DVD
• Released on: 2006-04-25
• Rating: NR (Not Rated)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Original recording remastered, Subtitled, NTSC
• Original language: English
• Subtitled in: English, Spanish, French
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 130 minutes

Customer Reviews

The Official DVD!
First off this is Warner Brothers DVD release I am talking about for my review. Warner Brothers has finally released Till The Clouds Roll By on DVD! The movie is about the life and career of Jerome Kern. Robert Walker protrays Jerome Kern. This movie isn't exactly accruate but it has many great numbers from the MGM stars of the time. Some of the highlights include a mini verison of Show Boat, How'd You Like to Spoon with Me?, and Judy Garland singing some numbers. Most of the MGM stars are in this movie including, Judy Garland, June Allyson, Kathryn Grayson, Lena Horne, Van Johnson, Tony Martin, Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra, Gower Champion, Cyd Charisse, Angela Lansbury, Ray McDonald, Virginia O'Brien, and Lucille Bremer. As for the numbers, here is a list and a mini description:

Mini version of Show Boat- The movie opens up here at the opening night of the show. Tony Martin sings "Where's the Mate for Me." "Make Believe" is sung by Tony Martin and Kathryn Grayson. Kathryn Grayson would later appear in the 1951 film "Show Boat" as the same character, Magnolia. Virginia O'Brien sings "Life Upon the Wicked Stage." The lovely Lena Horne sings "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man." Then the chorus sings "Old Man River."

How'd You Like to Spoon with Me?- A very young Angela Lansbury sings this number. A personal favorite!

They Didn't Believe Me- Some girl sings this song and I have no idea who she is!

Till the Clouds Roll By- This is sung and danced by Ray McDonald, June Allyson and a Chorus. A great number. I think this one is my favorite out of the movie!

Leave It to Jane / Cleopatterer- This is also sung and danced by Ray McDonald and June Allyson.

Look for the Silver Lining- Judy Garland sings this great number. Another favorite!

Who?- Judy Garland sings and dances again. Another favorite. Judy Garland was actually pregnant during the filming of this movie. So she may look a little bigger. Months later Liza Minnelli was born! That's another story though!

One More Dance- Lucille Bremer sings this number but, she's really dubbed.

I Won't Dance- Van Johnson sings and dances this with Lucille Bremer.

She Didn't Say Yes- A quick number but this twin sister act sings it.

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes- A chorus sings this lovely tune while Cyd Charisse and Gower Champion dance to it.

The Last Time I Saw Paris- Dinah Shore sings this lovely song.

The Land Where the Good Songs Go- Lucille Bremer sings this song.

Yesterdays- A chorus sings this song as well.

Long Ago (And Far Away)- The lovely Kathryn Grayson sings this song.

A Fine Romance- Virginia O'Brien sings this song.

All the Things You Are- Tony Martin sings this song.

Why Was I Born?- Once again the lovely Lena Horne sings this song.

Ol' Man River- This is the finale and a young Frank Sinatra sings this. No offensive but I don't he should have sang this number.

As for extras on the DVD,

New featurette Till the Clouds Roll By: Real to Reel
Vintage Fitzpartick Traveltalk short Glimpses of California
Classic MGM Tex Avery cartoon Henpecked Hoboes
Two musical outtake sequences: Judy Garland performing D'Ya Love Me? and Music in the Air (I've Told Ev'ry Little Star/The Song is You) performed by Kathryn Grayson and Johnny Johnston
Theatrical trailer
Languages: English & Fran?ais
Subtitles: English, Fran?ais & Espa?ol (feature film only)

Till the Clouds Roll By is a nice film but in my opinion it seems to drag on more than it should. Some of it is too made up for Hollywood as well. The real Jerome Kern was technical advisor on this film, but he died before the film was completed. On a final note, if you enjoy the MGM musicals I say watch it but, if your looking for an accurate movie this isn't it.

MGM Stars In Their Glory
TILL THE CLOUDS ROLL BY has never been considered one of MGM's greatest musicals. The film is a somewhat syrupy biographical account of the life of Jerome Kern. In some ways this cannot be seen as a criticism. The film begins with the opening night of SHOWBOAT. After the performance Kern gets in a taxi and tells the driver his life story. Of course if he's telling the story it's going to be a nice account. And Robert Walker, who plays Kern, presents Kern as a likable guy and a hero we want to root for and hope will succeed.

More than likely MGM didn't release this film to tell the story of Jerome Kern. If anything, it was just an excuse to showcase it's stars and as viewers have discovered, it is a showcase of MGM's great talent. Musical numbers include Judy Garland as Marilyn Miller performing on of Garland's showpieces "Who?" The SHOWBOAT sequence at the beginning is probably one of the film's greatest moments and includes Kathryn Grayson as Magnolia, a role she'd reprise a few years later when MGM released a newer version of SHOWBOAT. It's interesting to note that the staging of SHOWBOAT in this film is less stereotypical than the later version released by MGM and has Lena Horne as Julie Laverne, a far more accurate casting (no offense to Ava Gardner). Dinah Shore and Angela Lansbury appear as well as do MGM favorites June Allyson, Virginia O'Brien, Gower Champion, Lucille Bremer and a young Cyd Charisse. It also has a finale that showcases the talents of many of the major players and includes an appearance by Frank Sinatra.

My guess is that most people who purchase this film will watch it in its entirety once or twice, but it will not sit on the shelf and get dusty. With remote in hand, people will put this film in the player and watch their favorite clips over and over again and will be entertained time and time again. Sat least that's what I've done and I'm sure will continue to do.

Enjoy!

Till the Clouds Roll By 1946
Till the couds Roll by begins with a glorious , musical-within-a-musical recreation of 1927 opening of Jerome Kern (1885-1945)
Broadway smash "Show boat" and bookeds itself with a grand finale that has Frank Sinatra (1915-1998) singing "ol' man river" , the show boat number ol'blue eyes would reprise throughout his career . From start to finish , this glittery biopic about renowed stage-and-screen composer kern , played by Robert Walker (1918-1951) features 25 stars and nearly equal number of kern tunes . Judy Garland (1922- 1969) ask "who" to a beavy top-hatted admires : Dinah Shore (1916-1994) hautingly recalls "The Last Time I saw Paris 1954" and Lena Horne (1917 - ) just "Cant Help Lovin 'dat man" . So many great stars , So many great songs . Cant help loving them all . High Quality Transfer . Features not Remastred . Recommended