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A Song Is Born (1948)

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All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 5.2/10
Reviews Counted: 6
Fresh: 3 | Rotten: 3

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Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 1
Fresh: 0 | Rotten: 1

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Average Rating: 3.9/5
User Ratings: 826

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Movie Info

A Song is Born is a musical remake of the 1941 comedy Ball of Fire, with the same producer (Sam Goldwyn) and director (Howard Hawks) at the helm. It will be recalled that the original film, co-scripted by Billy Wilder, was an amusing spin on "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," wherein seven pedantic professors, working on a dictionary of slang, "adopted" an authority on the subject, breezy burlesque dancer Sugarpuss O'Shea. In the remake, the septet of scholars are working on an encyclopedia of

Unrated, 1 hr. 53 min.

Musical & Performing Arts, Classics, Comedy

Directed By: Howard Hawks

Written By: Harry Tugend

In Theaters: Oct 19, 1948 Wide

On DVD: Apr 7, 2009

RKO Radio Pictures

Cast

Danny Kaye
Prof. Robert Frisbee
Virginia Mayo
Honey Swanson
Benny Goodman
Prof. Magenbruch
Hugh Herbert
Prof. Twingle
Steve Cochran
Tony Crow
J. Edward Bromberg
Dr. Elfini
Louis Armstrong
Himself
Felix Bressart
Prof. Gerkikoff
Ludwig Stossel
Prof. Traumer
O.Z. Whitehead
Prof. Oddly
Esther Dale
Miss Bragg
Mary Field
Miss Totten
Howland Chamberlain
Mr. Setter
Paul Langton
Joe
Sidney Blackmer
Adams
Peter Virgo
Louis
Tommy Dorsey
Himself
Lionel Hampton
Himself
Charlie Barnet
Himself
Mel Powell
Himself
The Golden Gate Quartet
Shirley Ballard
Louis Bellson
Drums
Buck and Bubbles
Lane Chandler
Policeman at Inn
Ben Chasen
Ben
Joseph Crehan
District Attorney
Joe Devlin
Gangster
Robert Dudley
Justice of the Peace
Jack Gargan
Stenotypist
Karen X. Gaylord
William Haade
Will Lee
Waiter
Russo and the Samba Kings
Jeffrey Sayre
Irene Vernon
Patricia Walker
Photographer at Dorsey ...
Ben Welden
Monte
Barbara Hamilton
Diana Mumby
Muni Seroff
John Impolito
Marjorie Jackson
Martha Montgomery
Alice Wallace
Donald Wilmot
Susan George
Cigarette Girl
Gene Morgan
Page Cavanaugh Trio
The Samba Kings

Critic Reviews for A Song Is Born

All Critics (9) | Top Critics (2) | Fresh (5) | Rotten (3) | DVD (2)

The whole picture, which is done in color (we don't know why), reflects the tedium resulting from the restriction of Mr. Kaye.

March 25, 2006 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Bosley Crowther

New York Times

Top Critic

This comedy with jazz music is uneven, but it has rich production values and likable numbers.

July 7, 2010 Full Review Source: Classic Film and Television

| Comment

Michael E. Grost

Classic Film and Television

So-so musical based on the brillaint "Ball of Fire" -- see that one instead.

August 2, 2005 Comment

Nell Minow

Movie Mom at Yahoo! Movies

Musical remake of Ball of Fire. Better than you'd think.

August 24, 2003 Comment

Ken Hanke

Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

the original Ball of Fire is 10 times better.

June 20, 2003 Comment

Bob Bloom

Journal and Courier (Lafayette, IN)

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Audience Reviews for A Song Is Born

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snow white and the seven musical genius hermits. not only one of the best musicals ever made, but one of my favorite films of all time. virginia mayo shows us again why she was one of the most beautiful women of her time, and dany kaye puts in a stellar performance. the appearances and music of two of the greatest

October 31, 2008

danny d

Super Reviewer

Remake of "Ball of Fire" may not be quite as good, but Kaye and Mayo hold it together. Jazz subplot and Louis Armstrong help a bit.

May 21, 2008

Anthony Valletta

Super Reviewer

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