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Actors: Danny Kaye, Virginia Mayo, Steve Cochran
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| Review Summary and Plot Commentary about A Song is Born |
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Seven odd musical professors have been locked away for nine years researching the history of music in order to write a definitive encyclopedia. Unfortunately, to conduct their study, they have removed themselves from modern society and do not know that music has changed. When they are introduced to strange music such as swing, jive, and re-bop, they realize that their encyclopedia will not be complete without study of these musical styles. Professor Hobart Frisbie (Danny Kaye) bravely ventures out into the world. At one of the nightclubs, he listens to singer Honey Swanson (Virginia Mayo). He goes backstage to ask her to help him out, but she has no interest in his project. Therefore, he is surprised when she comes late that night and says she wants to help out. What he doesn't know is that Honey is using him and the other professors as a hiding place. Her boyfriend Tony Crow has been accused of murder, and the police are looking for her so she can testify against him. What Frisbie does know, however, is it is highly irregular for a woman to spend the night with seven men! Honey won't take no for an answer and uses her feminine wiles to convince the others to override him. She joins great musicians such as Louis Armstrong and Tommy Dorsey to help teach the professors how to be hip. Things get complicated when Frisbie finds himself falling in love with her. And, there is still the matter of Tony Crow. Frisbie and the others are in for a ride they'll never forget.
This is a musical remake of the 1941 movie Ball of Fire. The legendary Benny Goodman plays one of the professors who has never heard of this strange "swing" music.
--Angela Tircuit, Resident Scholar
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| Analysis of A Song is Born |
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Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about
books by breaking them down into many different literary
elements, all of which are searchable (click here). |
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
Comedy, primarily
Yes
Time/era of movie:
- 1930's-1950's
Romance/Love/Hugging
Yes
Kind of romance:
- romance (general)
Kind of comedy
- musical
Lover is...
- not quite a crook, but doing something bad
How much humor v. drama
- Mostly humor, but some serious drama
Main Character
Identity:
- Male
Profession/status:
- teacher/professor
Age:
- 20's-30's
Eccentric:
Yes
- eccentric
Is this an ordinary person caught up in events?
Yes
Hair color?
- red
Hair type
- (man) short/standard wavey
Body type
- (man) average
Events of movie makes character more...
- tougher
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor?
- Mostly serious with occasional humor
Intelligence
- Very much smarter than other characters
Physique
- healthy but a geeky weakling
Secondary Main Character
Identity:
- Female
Hair color
- blonde
Hair style
- (woman) medium/shoulderlgn straight
Body type
- (woman) average
How much in movie?
- 80%
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
Main Adversary
Identity:
- Male
Age:
- 20's-30's
Profession/status:
- accused criminal
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in:
- 40%
Hair color
- brunette (Black)
Hair type
- (man) short/standard straight
Body type
- (man) average
Ethnicity/Nationality
- White (American)
How sensitive is this character?
- middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence
- Average intelligence
Physique
- average physique
Setting
United States
Yes
Style
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
Movie makes you feel...
- very happy
Any profanity?
- None
If lots of song/dance...
- lot of singing
If soundtrack VERY NOTICEABLE...
- Jazz/r&b
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Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
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