Song of the Open Road
Encyclopedia
Song of the Open Road is a 1944 musical
comedy film
directed by S. Sylvan Simon
, from a screenplay by Irving Phillips and Edward Verdier.
, tired of her life being run by her stage mother, runs away from home and tries to lead a "normal" life at a Civilian Conservation Corps
camp. When a crop needs picking, Powell enlists the help of some celebrity friends. It was W. C. Fields
's next-to-last film; he is one of several performers playing themselves in the production. In the film, Fields—who began his career as an accomplished juggler—juggles some oranges for a few moments. He remarks "This used to be my racket". Then, missing a catch, he drops the oranges and walks away muttering "used to be my racket, but it isn't anymore!".
Although Fields often made fun of singers and singing in general, he had a fondness for the promising young singer Jane Powell and even referred to her (as "little Janie Powell") on one of his CBS radio broadcasts (preserved on transcription discs). Powell sang several songs in the film and made such an impression that MGM signed her to a contract to make a number of musical comedies for them, through the mid-1950s. Powell's real name was Suzanne Burce, but prior to the release of this film, MGM assigned her the stage name "Jane Powell", the name of the character she portrays in this film.
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
comedy film
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by S. Sylvan Simon
S. Sylvan Simon
S. Sylvan Simon was an American stage/film director and producer. He began his film career at Warner Bros. in 1935, directing screen tests. In 1937, he moved to MGM, where he worked on the Marx Brothers' The Big Store, supervising many of the slapstick sequences...
, from a screenplay by Irving Phillips and Edward Verdier.
Overview
Child film star Jane PowellJane Powell
Jane Powell is an American singer, dancer and actress.After rising to fame as a singer in her home state of Oregon, Powell was signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer while still in her teens...
, tired of her life being run by her stage mother, runs away from home and tries to lead a "normal" life at a Civilian Conservation Corps
Civilian Conservation Corps
The Civilian Conservation Corps was a public work relief program that operated from 1933 to 1942 in the United States for unemployed, unmarried men from relief families, ages 18–25. A part of the New Deal of President Franklin D...
camp. When a crop needs picking, Powell enlists the help of some celebrity friends. It was W. C. Fields
W. C. Fields
William Claude Dukenfield , better known as W. C. Fields, was an American comedian, actor, juggler and writer...
's next-to-last film; he is one of several performers playing themselves in the production. In the film, Fields—who began his career as an accomplished juggler—juggles some oranges for a few moments. He remarks "This used to be my racket". Then, missing a catch, he drops the oranges and walks away muttering "used to be my racket, but it isn't anymore!".
Cast
- Jane PowellJane PowellJane Powell is an American singer, dancer and actress.After rising to fame as a singer in her home state of Oregon, Powell was signed to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer while still in her teens...
as Jane Powell - Bonita GranvilleBonita GranvilleBonita Granville was an American film actress and television producer.-Early life:Born in Chicago, Illinois, Granville was the daughter of stage actors, and made her film debut at the age of nine in Westward Passage...
as Bonnie - Peggy O'Neill as Peggy
- Jackie Moran as Jack Moran
- Bill Christy as Bill
- Reginald DennyReginald Denny (actor)Reginald Denny was an English stage, film, and television actor. He was once an amateur boxing champion of Great Britain.-Acting career:...
as Director Curtis - Regis ToomeyRegis ToomeyJohn Regis Toomey was an American film and television actor.-Early life:Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he was one of four children of Francis X. and Mary Ellen Toomey and attended Peabody High School...
as Connors - Rose HobartRose HobartRose Hobart was an American actress.-Career:Born in New York City, her father was a cellist in the New York Symphony...
as Mrs. Powell - Sig ArnoSig ArnoSig Arno was a German-Jewish film actor who appeared in such films as Pardon My Sarong, and The Mummy's Tomb...
as Spolo - Edgar BergenEdgar BergenEdgar John Bergen was an American actor and radio performer, best known as a ventriloquist.-Early life:...
as Himself - W.C. Fields as Himself
- Sammy Kaye and His OrchestraSammy KayeSammy Kaye , born Samuel Zarnocay, Jr., was an American bandleader and songwriter, whose tag line, "Swing and sway with Sammy Kaye", became one of the most famous of the Big Band Era.-Biography:...
- Frank, Harry and Steve CondosSteve CondosSteve Condos was an American tap dancer. He was a member of the Condos Brothers, with siblings Nick and Frank....
as Condos Brothers (Dance Specialty) - The Lipham Four as The Lipham Four
- Irene TedrowIrene TedrowIrene Tedrow was an American character actress in stage, film, television and radio. Tedrow is also the mother of actress Enid Kent.-Career:...
as Miss Casper
Production
Director S. Sylvan Simon had terrible difficulty filming scenes with W. C. Fields due to Fields' alcoholism. After lunch hour he was often nowhere to be found. This problem was solved by luring Fields into his truck early in the day and removing the ladder. Fields would often rant and complain before eventually falling asleep.Although Fields often made fun of singers and singing in general, he had a fondness for the promising young singer Jane Powell and even referred to her (as "little Janie Powell") on one of his CBS radio broadcasts (preserved on transcription discs). Powell sang several songs in the film and made such an impression that MGM signed her to a contract to make a number of musical comedies for them, through the mid-1950s. Powell's real name was Suzanne Burce, but prior to the release of this film, MGM assigned her the stage name "Jane Powell", the name of the character she portrays in this film.
Award nominations
| Year | Result | Award | Category | Recipient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1945 | Nominated | Academy Award | Best Music, Original Song ("Too Much in Love") | Walter Kent Walter Kent Walter Kent was a Jewish American composer who wrote the music for songs including the Christmas standard "I'll Be Home for Christmas", and the wartime hit " The White Cliffs of Dover", co-written with fellow American Nat Burton. He died at the age of 82-External links:... (Music) & Kim Gannon (Lyrics) |
| 1945 | Nominated | Academy Award | Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture | Charles Previn |