This musical from 1948 stars the immortal Danny Kaye with direct support from the beautiful and talented Virginia Mayo and an eclectic supporting cast that includes Tommy Dorsey, Benny Goodman, and Louis Armstrong, among others. The musical is an adaptation of an earlier film entitled Ball of Fire that many consider classic in its own right.
The film follows the antics of a group of professors working hard on a grant-funded encyclopedia of music history. The twist is that this encyclopedia will contain an audio companion (which is largely where Dorsey, Goodman, and Armstrong come in). Along the way though a woman infiltrate’s their ranks, causing dissention, confusion, and chaos. And that’s BEFORE the professors figure out she is mixed up with some shady characters. Mayo is brilliant in her role, pulling you into the myth before you even realize what is actually happening to her emotionally.
And the music? Wow. I’m flabbergasted that Kaye and Mayo weren’t a long running winning combination, and that’s without even mentioning the legendary artists that offer their pieces as well. As someone who is primarily familiar only with the more-well known musical productions out there, I was blown away by A Song Is Born. This is an absolutely excellent musical film that is impossible not to enjoy. If Mayo doesn’t win you over, Kaye will. It’s a shame it took so long to get to DVD but thankfully it’s arrived and now we can all smile a little and sing along.
Reviewed by Mark Fisher
