Berlin also included some of his finest, and now iconic songs for the film, including “Ragtime Violin” (1911), “That International Rag” (1913), “This Is The Life” (1914), “When the Midnight Choo-Choo Leaves for Alabam’” (1912), “For Your Country and My Country” (1917), “I Can Always Find a Little Sunshine in the Y.M.C.A.” (1918), “Oh! How I Hate to Get Up in the Morning” (1918), “We’re On Our Way to France” (1918), “Say It with Music” (1921), “A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody” (1919), “Lazy” (1924), “Blue Skies” (1927), “Pack Up Your Sins and Go to the Devil” (1922), “What’ll I Do” (1924), “My Walking Sticka” (1938), “Remember (1925), “Everybody Step” (1921), “All Alone” (1924), “Marie” (1928), “Cheek to Cheek” (1935), “Easter Parade” (1933), “Heat Wave” (1933), “Marching Along with Time” (1938), “Some Sunny Day” (1922), and “In My Harem” (1913). The romantic ballad “Now It Can Be Told” (1938), a new song written by Berlin for the film, serves as the Love Theme for Alex and Stella. There is an irrepressible confidence and optimism in the piece, which embodies Alex personally, and by extension, his band. The march-like titular song “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” (1911) serves as the Main Theme. ![]() In terms of themes, Newman used two of Berlin’s song melodies to unify the film’s musical narrative. ![]() Most impressive is how they masterfully updated and orchestrated the various song styles, which included dixieland, fox trot, café orchestra, swing band and jazz. Irving Berlin composed and selected the songs, while Newman and his team of orchestrators were responsible for weaving the many songs into a seamless, unified musical narrative. Lauded by critics, the film secured six Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, Best Story, Best Art Direction, Best Film Editing, and Best Song, winning one for Best scoring.Īlfred Newman was director of music at 20th Century Fox, and customarily handled all of Zanuck’s passion projects. The film was a huge commercial success, the studio’s highest grossing film of the 1930s, earning a profit of $3.6 million. He and Stella are separated by WWI and after the war he meets her at a concert where he discovers she has married his best friend Roger. Yet he is controlling and stifles her career as a soloist fearing he would lose her. He achieves success, and by chance falls in love with his lead singer Stella. Roger Grant, who has trained as a concert violinist, disappoint his parents, and his teacher when he abandons a career as a concert performer, and instead creates a jazz band. The story is set in New York City in the pre-WWI era. Joining them would be Tyrone Power as Alexander, Don Ameche as Charlie Dwyer and Jack Haley as Davey Lane. The cast would be anchored by singers Ethel Merman as Jerry Allen, and Alice Faye as Stella Kirby. Zanuck took personal charge of production, hired Kathryn Scola and Lamar Trotti to write the screenplay, and tasked Henry King with directing. He agreed, collaborated with screen writer Richard Sherman, and their story was accepted. Zanuck pivoted and asked him if he could instead write a story, which could feature his greatest songs. Berlin balked, believing such a story would be too intrusive. Zanuck to write a biopic about his life to be called “Alexander’s Ragtime Band, which would showcase some of his greatest songs. In 1937 composer Irving Berlin was solicited by 20th Century Fox studio executive Darryl F.
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