Also, he is attentive to the pronuncations Ira wanted. "For Seneca Falls, It's Hollywood or Bust. I'm all right! Uncle Billy was institutionalized after the Building and Loan failed. George's mother does not know him. body { (Posting of comments is subject to the guidelines. [53], According to a 2006 book, "A spate of movies appeared just after the ending of the Second World War, including It's a Wonderful Life (1946) and Stairway to Heaven (1946), perhaps tapping into so many people's experience of loss of loved ones and offering a kind of consolation. It's interesting to note that although Fred and Adele are the stars of the show (as they had been previously in other Gershwin shows), being sister and brother in real life, they never played opposite one another as a romantically involved couple. " Wonderful World " (occasionally referred to as " (What A) Wonderful World ") is a song by American singer-songwriter Sam Cooke. The most successful recordings in 1928 were however by Frank Crumit and by the Ipana Troubadors.[2]. The film was twice adapted for radio in 1947, first on Lux Radio Theater (March 10) and then on the Screen Guild Theater (December 29), then again on the Screen Guild Theater broadcast of March 15, 1951. Tiomkin felt as though his work was being seen as a mere suggestion. [46], Composer Dimitri Tiomkin had written "Death Telegram" and "Gower's Deliverance" for the drugstore sequence, but Capra elected to forgo music in those scenes. from a different album -- but listen to the sample at Amazon to see if the static level is acceptable to you. under the title The George and Ira Gershwin Songbook, background-color: #FBECD5; In Trumbo's draft, George Bailey is an idealistic politician who grows more cynical as the story progresses, then tries to commit suicide after losing an election. On November 13, 2007, Paramount released a two-disc "special edition" DVD of the film that contained both the original theatrical black-and-white version, and a new, third colorized version, produced by Legend Films using the latest colorization technology. . Lyrics Sometimes we walk hand in hand by the sea And we breathe in the cool salty air You turn to me with a kiss in your eyes And my heart feels a thrill beyond compare Then your lips cling to. ", 1950 He begins with a few bars from the title song "Funny Face" Much has been made of the syllable clipping that characterizes the lyrics for "'S Wonderful." Isaac Goldberg was a musicologist and close personal friend of both George and Ira who published his critical biography of George during the composer's lifetime. 133-34, paperback Ed.). Billboard Hot 100. After Republic reclaimed the rights to the film, all unofficial VHS copies of the film still in the hands of video distributors were supposed to have been destroyed.[91]. [79], Prior to its Los Angeles release, Liberty Films mounted an extensive promotional campaign that included a daily advertisement highlighting one of the film's players, along with comments from reviewers. Ira's versions such as "fash," "pash," "emosh," and "devosh" came out of the jazz age air, his creative imagination, and his penchant for fooling around with sounds for their own sake. Funny Face was the first show to be staged at the Alvin, opening on November 22, 1927. Appointment in Samarra body { George decides to deal with the Gower situation by himself. The lyrics Crumit sings consist of, Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly perform (singing and dancing together for the first time) "The Babbitt and the Bromide" (music by George Gershwin, words by Ira Gershwin, originally from the 1927 show. When the producers brought the famous man on board his reputation made them smell success but the book he and Thompson wrote proved unwieldy and Benchley bowed out with the partly self-critical comment, "Gosh, how can I criticize other people's shows if I had anything to do with this?" The latter song turned out to be the show's big hit, two recordings making the charts, the biggest seller by Frank Crumit. A half century after the Gershwins wrote it, the song was recast as a bossa nova tune by Joo Gilberto--and the very low-key qualities Wilder castigated make it effective in this different idiom. ." Certainly iTunes designation of this being a "soundtrack" is incorrect. 2006, Bob Thomas body { George has been rambling over the keys and has come upon a sensuous, gliding music that expresses insidiously the general notion of ecstacy in love. In the scene where Uncle Billy gets drunk at Harry and Ruth's welcome home/newlyweds' party and staggers away off camera, a crash is heard off screen. [18], Only two locations from the film survive. The same selection of tracks is also available on the CD The Astaire Story Vols. } For 17 supporting roles[31] in the film, Capra considered more than 170 established actors. album: Radio Days Volume 1 Series V, Notes: Will Friedwald in his book Sinatra! . This was written by Bob Thiele and George Weiss. About 'S Wonderful "'S Wonderful" is a 1927 popular song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics written by Ira Gershwin. The novel imagines the future lives of various characters if George had not survived his jump into the river.[108]. The reviews of Funny Face contained some common strains: the book was eminently forgettable, the Gershwin songs were an asset (an estimate that with hindsight would now certainly seem an understatement), but the key element for the show's eventual success would be the dancing of the Astaires (for whom Funny Face would be their last joint appearance in a musical). " What a Wonderful World " is a song written by Bob Thiele (as "George Douglas") and George David Weiss. New York: St. Martins Press, 1984, Kathleen Riley refrain1, verse 2 and refrain 2 almost exactly as Ira wrote them and as they were sung by Adele Astaire and Allan Kearns in the original version of Funny Face. I just liked the idea. [86][87] Despite the lapsed copyright, television stations that aired it still had to pay royalties becausethough the film's images had entered the public domainthe film's story was still restricted as a derivative work of the published story The Greatest Gift, whose copyright Philip Van Doren Stern had renewed in 1971. The Astaires: Fred & Adele video before starting another. [97], Computer Gaming World said in April 1994, "The picture quality still has a way to go before it reaches television standards", but was "a noble effort" that would "please fans of the film".[98]. "[28] Stewart and Capra had previously collaborated on You Can't Take It with You (1938) and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939). New York: Oxford UP, 2012. Paramount (via parent company Viacom's 1998 acquisition of Republic's then-parent, Spelling Entertainment) once again has distribution rights for the first time since 1955. background-color: #FBECD5; It was an annual Christmas show at the theater for five years. As for George Gershwin being "at the piano" on the album track, we are not sure. Because of the film's disappointing sales, Capra was seen by some studios as having lost his ability to produce popular, financially successful films. Potter entices George with a $20,000/year job but, realizing that Potter's true intention is to close the Building and Loan, George rebuffs him. Theatrically, the film's break-even point was $6.3million, about twice the production cost, a figure it did not come close to achieving on its initial release. album: The Complete RCA Victor Small Group Recordings, Notes: Benny Goodman, Clarinet; Teddy Wilson, piano; Lionel Hampton, Vibraphone; Gene Krupa, drums. has inched closer to Washington's skeptical view of Beijing, a trend the United States expects to continue despite a Chinese "charm offensive," according to U.S. military . In 1997, PBS aired Merry Christmas, George Bailey, taped from a live performance of the 1947 Lux Radio Theatre script at the Pasadena Playhouse. . 'S what I love to see! Wasserman said Stewart would gladly play the part without hearing the story. Over all album personnel includes Bill Charlap (piano); Peter Washington (double bass); Phil Woods (alto saxophone); Frank Wess (tenor saxophone); Nicholas Payton (trumpet); Slide Hampton (trombone); Kenny Washington (drums). [61], In 1990, It's a Wonderful Life was deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in their National Film Registry. You can't blame me for feeling amorous, oh! video before starting another. It was introduced in the Broadway musical Funny Face. Henri (Georges Gutary) sing, whistle and dance to "'S Wonderful" He taunts Potter with a newspaper headline about Harry, then absentmindedly wraps the cash in Potter's newspaper. This Living Era compilation is a valuable treasure chest containing some of Crumit's best work." bookfor Funny Face was written by Fred Thompson and Paul Gerard Smith, the latter replacing Robert Benchley the very popular New Yorker writer, theater critic and humorist during previews while the show was still titled Smarty. Tommy Tune and Twiggy perform (sing and dance to) "'S Wonderful" from the. unaware they are in fact the same woman, Lise (Leslie Caron). For a complete listing of songs used in the original Broadway production of Funny Face, see IBDB song list. 1 on its list of the most inspirational American films of all time. Wonderful," on his Victor record 21029, recorded October 25, 1927 (a month before the show opened on Broadway, November 22). video before starting another. It was introduced in the Broadway musical Funny Face (1927) by Adele Astaire and Allen Kearns. 'S awful nice-- He notes this in his memoir Lyrics on Several Occasions written in 1959, at the same time wondering what the critic would have thought of "these Freedom-of-Four-Letter-Speech days" -- not to mention of these 21st century days (p. 253, paperback Ed.). And I think to myself, what a wonderful world. [88][89][N 7] The film became a perennial holiday favorite in the 1980s, possibly due to its repeated showings each holiday season on hundreds of local television stations. (Please complete or pause one For example, "Sunny Disposish" and "'S Wonderful." Notes: From 1961 through c. 2009, the year this CD set was issued, the 76 tracks on the set (Ella Fitzgerald Twelve Nights in Hollywood) languished without being put into an album. "The Songbook series remains one of Ella Fitzgerald's major contributions--among many--to American popular music and this in particular is one of the best of the sizeable bunch. body { The "'S Wonderful" track is indeed wonderful. The song mocks the trivia-saturated conversation of a segment of contemporary society as did Sinclair Lewis in his 1922 novel Babbitt and Issac Goldberg George acquiesces and works alongside his uncle Billy, giving his tuition to Harry with the understanding that Harry will run the business when he graduates. ": The American Talking Film History & Memory, 1927-1949. Performed in the genre of jazz, it. In 2017, the film was restored in 4K resolution, available via streaming services and DCP. Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly (The babbitt and the Bromide). [25] On December 10, 2010, the "It's a Wonderful Life" Museum opened in Seneca Falls, with Karolyn Grimes, who played Zuzu in the movie, cutting the ribbon. The 78 rpm label gives only the singers' names plus "with Novelty Orchestra conducted by Julian Jones. Michael Feinstein Artist: Artie Shaw; Yeng Constantino Version - The version that still has the English lyrics but has been sung by the Filipino rock singer-songwriter Yeng Constantino. album: The Gay Caballero. The first, the swimming pool that was unveiled during the high-school dance sequence, is located in the gymnasium at Beverly Hills High School and is still in use as of 2013[update]. L. Frank Baumformer chicken rancher, traveling salesman, and theater managerhad already published two successful children's books when he. A few of the songs, contain ethnic stereotypes that would be offensive today (and should have been then) but the comic numbers are otherwise very funny and the ballads very affecting. [61], In a 2010 essay for Salon, Richard Cohen described It's a Wonderful Life as "the most terrifying Hollywood film ever made". Deeds Goes to Town, Lost Horizon, You Can't Take It with You, and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington. Capra next considered Olivia de Havilland, Martha Scott, Ann Dvorak, and Ginger Rogers before borrowing Donna Reed from MGM. Recorded in Chicago, October 12, 1938, the album contains two takes on "'S Wonderful" (both remastered in 1996) as well as 21 other tracks of the Goodman trio and Quartet. Louis Armstrong Track 1 on What a Wonderful World Produced by Bob Thiele "What a Wonderful World" was written in 1968 during the time of the Vietnam War. That you should care for me! 1938 . The original reality is restored, and a grateful George rushes home to await his arrest. It was eventually performed in Washington, DC, by Arena Stage in 1991, and had revivals in the 21st century, including a staged concert version in New York City in 2005 and several productions by regional theatres. Whether or not certain sounds (e.g. Funny Face, for which it was written. Funny Face, for which it was written. Catalog of The Great American Songbook: 2. In the liner notes to the CD, Feinstein comments that at the time the Broadway show My One and Only opened (1983 two years before this album was released), he played the show's version of "'S Wonderful," for Ira. Louis Armstrong's 'What a Wonderful World' is one of the most timeless songs of all time. [51] Walker had lensed 19 previous Capra films. His version reached number 5 on the Billboard charts in January, 1928. The film was supposed to be released in January 1947, but was moved up to December 1946 to make it eligible for the 19th Academy Awards held in March 1947. Credits for Videomakers of videos used on this page: Borrowed material (text): The sources of all quoted and paraphrased text are cited. Robert Kimball and Alfred Simon, Ed.s, body { Arrangement by Claus Ogerman. It has since been performed at venues all around the United States. She says, "Potter's here, the bank examiner's coming. Benny Goodman not only led one of the most influential big bands in the world, he played classical music like the best of them, and he ushered the 'small combo' movement into jazz. Capra immediately saw its potential, and wanted it for his first Hollywood film after making documentaries and training films during the war. The first was released by Hal Roach Studios in 1986. Mitchell, as Uncle Billy, yells, "I'm all right! ), 1952 Frank Crumit sings "'S Flexible with the rhythms yet never straying far from the melodies, Kent also pays perhaps the ultimate compliment to many of these songs by including the oft-neglected verses." Made up of trio and quartet dates, plus a few scattered vocal tracks, this compilation contains some remarkable moments in jazz history. 'S Wonderful is a popular song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics written by Ira Gershwin. When you said you care Before then, movie snow was usually made from untoasted cornflakes, which were so loud when stepped on that dialogue had to be redubbed afterwards. Fox) and Marty Brodie (Jane Adams) play a piano duet version of the song. Schuur's personnel on the album comprise a high-grade session band of Alan Broadbent (piano), Ben Wolfe (bass), Ulysses Owens, Jr. (drums), Romero Lubambo (guitar), Roni Ben-Hur (guitar), and Joel Frahm (saxophone) ", The angelic figures depicted at the beginning of the film is an image of Stephan's Quintet, a group of four interacting galaxies.[125][126]. The colors of the rainbow, so pretty in the sky. [45], According to Bobbie Anderson, in the confrontation between Mr. Gower and young George, H. B. Warner, who was drunk at the time of the drug store scene, slapped him for real and made his ear bleed, reducing him to tears. bears little resemblance to the 1927 show (which also starred Astaire) It's a Wonderful Life is a 1946 American Christmas fantasy drama film produced and directed by Frank Capra. [5] Although It's a Wonderful Life initially received mixed reviews and was unsuccessful at the box office, it became a Christmas classic after its copyright lapsed in 1974 and it fell into the public domain, which allowed it to be broadcast without licensing or royalty fees.[6]. No doubt these performances augmented the song's status as a standard as well as its overall place in popular culture. [104], In 2002, the television film It's a Very Merry Muppet Christmas Movie premiered on NBC. In April 1944, RKO Pictures bought the rights to the story for $10,000, hoping to turn it into a vehicle for Grant. Antedating commercial DVDs by several years, it included such features as the ability to follow along with the complete shooting script as the film was playing. [123] As of Christmas 2022, no further developmental plans have since arisen. Deena Rosenberg points out that Ira Gershwin had, in fact, introduced a new contraction into written English by clipping the "it" from "it's" and "slurring" the remaining 'S' [into] the remaining word, causing a sibilant effect." It also appears in the 2015 original Broadway cast recording of An American in Paris featuring Brandon Uranowitz, Robert Fairchild and Max von Essen. He writes, "It's verse is a monotony of imitative phrases which no amount of adroit harmony can leaven" and "The tune is memorable, granted--but it is so, I think, because of its association with the lyric," which although overly dependent on a word like "paradise," works for Wilder because Ira Gershwin has freshened it to the colloquial "'S Paradise." . Subsequent tryouts took place in Washington DC, and Wilmington, Delaware before the show opened as Funny Face on Broadway on November 22, 1927 for a run of 244 performances. Later in the show Frankie and Peter sing "'S Wonderful," to one another, an affirmation of the progress of their romance. Later, a Paramount spokesperson claimed that they were not granting permission to make the film; "To date, these individuals have not obtained any of the necessary rights, and we would take all appropriate steps to protect those rights", the spokesperson said. More Performances of "'S Wonderful" by Diana Krall and others In the Season 7 Family Ties episode "They Can't Take That Away From Me, Part 1", Alex Keating (Michael J. 1960. Another musical stage adaptation of the film, titled It's a Wonderful Life The Musical, was written by Bruce Greer and Keith Ferguson. RKO studio chief Charles Koerner urged Frank Capra to read "The Greatest Gift". He gets annoyed and "baffled" when any of a number of singers restore what he has taken out by singing "It's Wonderful," "It's Marvellous," etc. A Biography, p. 145, hardcover Ed.). In 1992, the final episode of Tiny Toon Adventures parodied It's A Wonderful Life entitled "It's A Wonderful Tiny Toon Christmas". Perhaps the intention is monotony, but unless I hear it colorfully arranged, it leaves me cold . 199-201, Ungar paperback Ed. The final screenplay, renamed by Capra It's a Wonderful Life,[13][24] was credited to Goodrich, Hackett, and Capra, with "additional scenes" by Jo Swerling. Before Capra decided on Ward Bond as Bert,[31] he also considered Sam Levene, Barton MacLane, Robert Mitchum, John Alexander and Irving Bacon for the role. Inspired by a dream he had, the writer. background-color: #FBECD5; Frank Sinatra humorist Gelett Burgess did in his 1906 lampoon of "tiresome bores," Are You a Bromide? You made my life so glamorous Randy from Houghton Lake, Mi This has never . } George and Mary rekindle their relationship and wed. . background-color: #FBECD5; In 1928, George plans a world tour before college. The Original limited edition of ), 2000 With hindsight, Astaire summed things up: Finally we went into Wilmington Delaware, for a three night stand. Video 2: live concert version (c. 1978 in Italy?) These arrangements are difficult to play, Gershwin himself explains, because they include variations that composers inevitably create for songs of their own that they play repeatedly, in his words, "to indulge the desire for complication and variety that every composer feels when he manipulates the same material over and over again." The prayers of his family and friends reach Heaven, where guardian angel second class Clarence Odbody is assigned to save George in order to earn his wings. Mr. Capra's nice people are charming, his small town is a quite beguiling place and his pattern for solving problems is most optimistic and facile. [3] It was Mathis' debut single. To George's melting ecstasy he matches an ecstatic expression that at once is true to the singer and his milieu, and mirrors the melting, linguistically: 'S wonderful! Interestingly Ira notes that such phrases that have already become cliches in speech and print somehow revert to their "original provocativeness" when they are "fitted to an appropriate musical turn" (pp. } That you should care for me!**. Made up of trio and quartet dates, plus a few scattered vocal tracks, this compilation contains some remarkable moments in jazz history. New York, Oxford Univ. The Gershwins who wrote some five, (All but two of the eighteen songs George Gershwin chose for inclusion in his Song-book from the hundreds he had already written by the late 1920s, have also been chosen for inclusion in the, Frank Crumit sings "'S CafeSongbook.com makes no claims to rights of any kind in this content or the sources from which it comes. The play opens with George Bailey contemplating suicide and then goes back through major moments in his life. Jean Arthur, Stewart's co-star in You Can't Take It With You and Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, was first offered the role of Mary, but had recently dropped out of the Broadway show Born Yesterday from exhaustion shortly before its premiere. Songfacts: "Wonderful World," or " (What a) Wonderful World," was one of Sam Cooke's 29 US Top 40 hits released between 1957 and 1964. 'S Paradise! } The album shown above is a two CD set consisting of recordings of George Gershwin on piano made during the 1920's and 1930s. "I have been through every piece of paper in Frank Capra's diaries, his archives, everything. She emphasizes, however, that Ira knew that what he wrote down was already common in colloquial spoken English, which Ira Gershwin says is crucial for the modern lyricist. Soundtracks come from movies, which these tracks certainly don't. "S marvelous! "[54] It's a Wonderful Life premiered at the Globe Theatre in New York City on December 20, 1946, to mixed reviews. The film was also adapted into a play in two acts by James W. Rodgers. One can understand why so many songwriters themselves prefer Astaire's renderings of their songs to those of any other performer. This number came close to matching the Gershwins' previous hit, Oh, Kay! Thanks for the wings!" Gershwin songs and concert pieces within its score including "'S Wonderful. } The song was included in the 1951 movie An American in Paris, where it was sung by Gene Kelly and Georges Gutary, as well as in the 1957 American musical film Funny Face, in which it was performed by Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire. It was mentioned during the deliberations on the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998.[88][90]. body { album: I'm with the Band, Notes: I'm with the Band is an hour-long set recorded live at Birdland, New York City, in March 2005. On the other hand, "the germinal idea of the [music] is repeated, before it's over, seven times and, with one imitation of it, eight. "Immortal" would have surprised the modest Ira but perhaps not as much as the charge of being immoral did when one "proper twenties" critic called his use of the phrase in "'S Wonderful," "feeling amorous," "obscene." In it, Buster Bunny feels sad after the failure of his play and wishes he had never become a Tiny Toon, so a guardian angel shows Buster what life would have been like without him. Des Collins from Eldwick Nr Bingley West Yorkshire Great Christmas tune, love it, people are just so up their own a--e holes, cheers macca. Beginning his phrase on the fourth note of the scale he climbs, with each succeeding phrase, diatonically up to the octave, then phrase-wise descends to the fifth, with two lines to introduce the Alexander Woollcott underscored the Astaire-Gershwin affinity with "I don't know whether George Gershwin was born into this world to write rhythms for Fred Astaire's feet or whether Fred Astaire was born into this world to show how the Gershwin music should really be danced" (Gershwin Harry arrives and toasts George as "the richest man in town". (Please complete or pause one The name Gower came from Capra's employer Columbia Pictures, which had been located on Gower Street for many years. [74], The film's positive reception has continued. background-color: #FBECD5; Based on the short story "The Greatest Gift" written by Philip Van Doren, It's A Wonderful Life had a curious method of reaching the silver screen. background-color: #FBECD5; Without George, Harry drowned as a child, and without Harry to save them, the troops aboard the transport ship were killed. . It was not a harmonious collaboration. (1926), using some of the profits from them to build the new house. As a result, George and Ira were forced to come up with an extraordinary amount of new material. "disposish," "delish," "sill" (for "silly") and "redic" (for "ridiculous"). For the chorus Ira has a sudden inspiration. album: Amoroso / Brasil, Notes: The CD includes two of Joo Gilberto's (The originator of Bossa Nova) albums: Amoroso (1977) on tracks 1-8, and Brasil (1981) from 9-14, "'S Wonderful" being the first track on Amoroso. It was written by ex-Impulse Records boss and producer Bob Thiele (credited on the label as "George Douglas") together with George David Weiss, who had . The bright blessed day and the dark sacred night. The song was performed by Matoma. In 1993, Republic Pictures, which was the successor to NTA, relied on the 1990 U.S. Supreme Court ruling in Stewart v. Abend (which involved another Stewart film, Rear Window) to enforce its claim to the copyright. [109], A new "cinematic audio" adaptation by David Ossman of the Firesign Theatre was produced and directed by Ossman and his wife Judith Walcutt of Otherworld Media in December 2019 at the Whidbey Island Center for the Arts. "'S Wonderful" is a 1927 popular song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics written by Ira Gershwin. 1951 [101], In July 2019, it was revealed that another stage musical adaptation was in development with music and lyrics by Paul McCartney (making his musical theatre debut), lyrics and book by Lee Hall and produced by Bill Kenwright. } Astonishingly, a flood of 24 songs emanated from the brothers for Smarty/Funny Face of which eleven fell by the wayside by the time the troubled previews were over -- though several of these, including "How Long Has This Been Going On?" Liberty Films was purchased by Paramount Pictures, and remained a subsidiary until 1951. Permanent devosh. Louis Armstrong's 'Wonderful World' And His Final Days Today there's not a person in the world who does not associate 'What A Wonderful World' with Louis Armstrong. She quotes him as writing in 1930, "Listening to the argot in every day conversation results in pay-dirt for lyric writers." I swore then and there He's a very arrogant son of a bitch. ), same track as on album referenced at left and linked below, 1949 Released on April 14, 1960, by Keen Records, it had been recorded during an impromptu session the previous year in March 1959, at Sam Cooke's last recording session at Keen. ), 2005 Ira also used other versions of what he called "syllable clipping" in the song. For the published lyric, see The Complete Lyrics of Ira Gershwin: Click here to read Cafe Songbook lyrics policy. except for the inclusion of four of the show's songs: "Funny Face," 'S awful nice! album: George Gershwin Plays George Gershwin. [2] The best known version is by American rock band Grand Funk Railroad from 1974 which reached number 3 on the same chart. These recordings are not from piano rolls but are Gershwin himself at the piano; and, according to the liner notes, document "Gershwin's commercial recording career including all his commercial solo piano and piano with orchestra recordings." " (She's) Some Kind of Wonderful " is a song written by Canadian-American musician John Ellison [1] and first recorded by his R&B group, Soul Brothers Six, in 1967, peaking at number 91 on the U.S. background-color: #FBECD5; Cut Meyriska Version - An Indonesian version of the song was also been sung by Indonesian . It was first recorded by Louis Armstrong and released in 1967 as a single, which topped the pop charts in the United Kingdom. Billy lights his cigar and throws his match in the wastebasket. [110], In 1990, the made-for-television film Clarence stars Robert Carradine in a new tale of the helpful angel, Clarence Odbody. It is also one of two Capra films Paramount owns despite not having originally released itthe other is Broadway Bill (originally from Columbia, remade by Paramount as Riding High in 1950). Ted Gioia understands Alec Wilder's characterization of "'S Wonderful" (See just above.) The CD that accompanies the book includes the recording on the video below. Georges Gutary In this number from the 1951 musical film An American in Paris, Jerry Mulligan (Gene Kelly) and Henri Baurel (Georges Gutary) are both in raptures over their new love and Read. specifically, as he notes in his memoir Lyrics on Several Occasions, "to feature the sibilant sound effect" produced by "deleting the 'it' of 'it's' and slurring the leftover 's'" into "Wonderful" (p. 52, paperback Ed.). [10] In 1990, It's a Wonderful Life was designated as "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" and added to the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress. The Art of the Lyricist It was introduced in the Broadway musical Funny Face (1927) by Adele Astaire and Allen Kearns. The "ish") and slurrings produced by syllable clipping had been associated with inebriation before Ira wrote "Sunny Disposish" and "'S Wonderful" (apparently he never intended them as such) is unclear, but they were afterward as is illustrated when John O'Hara in his 1934 novel Appointment in Samarra has his main character, who drinks himself to death, listen to three of his favorite phonograph records just before he dies--one of which is bandleader Jean Godkette's 1927 version of Sunny Disposish" (Robert Kimball,The Complete Lyrics Of Ira Gershwin, p. 76). "[57], The film, which went into general release on January 7, 1947, placed 26th ($3.3 million) in box-office revenues for 1947[3] (out of more than 400 features released),[58] one place ahead of another Christmas film, Miracle on 34th Street. Ira Gershwin: Capra's first script had Bailey fall to his knees to recite "The Lord's Prayer" (the script also called for an opening scene with the townspeople in prayer). (from David Hoiuchi, Amazon editorial review), 2001 / 2008 Is the piano by George? It was introduced in the Broadway musical Funny Face (1927)The song was included in the 1951 movie An American in Paris where it was sung by Gene Kelly, as well as in the 1957 American musical film Funny Face, in which it was performed by Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire and in Starlift (1951) by Doris Day.This version is by Ella Fitzgerald and is taken from the album Ella Fitzgerald Sings the George and Ira Gershwin Songbook (1959) ", Video: in a performance done to accompany his 2012 book, Feinstein chooses RKO studio's head of special effects, Russell Shearman, developed a new compound using water, soap flakes, foamite, and sugar to create "chemical snow" for the film. If the publisher/copyright holder of the book feels otherwise, please contact us and we will take it down. [88], Director Capra met with Wilson Markle about having Colorization Inc. colorize It's a Wonderful Life based on an enthusiastic response to the colorization of Topper from actor Cary Grant. She goes on to note that the use of the contraction parallels "the gliding, falling thirds that characterize the melody." On October 31, 2006, Paramount released a newly remastered "60th Anniversary Edition". He emphasizes their difficulty by adding they are "not for little girls with little hands" (quoted in George Gershwin: A Study in American Music, Isaac Goldberg supplemented by Edith Garson., p. 311 paperback Ed. ." Actually, the town I had in mind was Califon, N.J." The historic iron bridge in Califon is similar to the bridge that George Bailey considered jumping from in the movie.[15]. Live in Rio de Janeiro, November, 2008, backed by her band: Diana Krall, piano and vocals; John Clayton, bass; Anthony Wilson, guitar; Jeff Hamilton, drums -- with Paulinho DaCosta, percussion and the Rio De Janeiro Orchestra under the direction of Ruria Duprat. Ira here catches the spirit of the music note for note, rising with it to the climax on "glamorous--the melody here is Schubertianly felicitous--and fitting it with glovelike fidelity in all its lines and curves. Lyrics on Several Occasions 1987 Jimmy Hawkins won a "Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award" from the Young Artist Awards in 1994; the award recognized his role as Tommy Bailey as igniting his career, which lasted until the mid-1960s.[83]. Jablonski comments that although the producers finally saw some things they liked, the book remained "a piece of fluff about jewel robbery" involving an aviator, an attempt to cash in on all the current fuss about Lindbergh. The boys play ice hockey on the river (which is on Potter's property) as Potter watches with disdain. } The author was a close friend of the Gershwins). George Gershwin: His Life and Work 'S paradise! (p. 416). After a frantic but unsuccessful attempt to recover it, he expressed a form of self-confident resignation reserved for geniuses, and optimistic ones at that, suggesting there were more where those came from (Jablonski, pp. The pair are surprised by the line: "Bert! ", NBC traditionally shows it during the holidays after Thanksgiving and on Christmas Eve. [35], Jimmy the raven (Uncle Billy's pet) appeared in You Can't Take It with You and each subsequent Capra film. recorded with a hip rhythm section only [that] swing like songs Sinatra would record four or five years later" (p. 196 hardcover Ed.) Notes: Although many listening to this performance today (in the 21st century) would not think of it as jazz, it would have been called that in 1927-28. . Louis Armstrong - What A Wonderful World (Official Video) Click to load video "What A Wonderful World" was written in 1967 by George David Weiss together with George Douglas, an alias for Bob. The republication of Clarence is shown flashbacks of George's life. The New York Daily Times published an editorial that declared the film and James Stewart's performance to be worthy of Academy Award consideration. [17] Grant went on to make another Christmas movie staple, The Bishop's Wife. You've made my life so glamorous You can't blame me for feeling amorous 'S wonderful! Frankie is one of three sisters under the guardianship of Jimmy Reeves (Fred Astaire) whose wealthy parents have taken the orphaned girls into their household. background-color: #FBECD5; from the revue Americana (1926), perhaps Ira's first use of "syllable clipping" -- e.g. George Gershwin Jan. 1, 1928 1 viewer 5.7K views 1 Contributor 'Swonderful Lyrics (Verse 1) Life has just begun Jack has found his Jill; Don't know what you've done But I'm all a-thrill How can. background-color: #FBECD5; } 265 subscribers 286K views 11 years ago 'S Wonderful is a popular song composed by George Gershwin, with lyrics written by Ira Gershwin. [88][91] That year, Republic made a deal with Turner Broadcasting System, authorizing only three airings of the movie, all on cable's TNT and TBS. Jablonksi writes that Fred Astaire called that time "Agony," and that the entire show including score got redone and some of the cast members replaced. This collection contains ground-breaking songs (sometimes in the form of multiple takes) from 1935-1939. Individual MP3s from this album are currently unavailable, but the same track of "'S Wonderful" can be bought as an MP3 at Amazon On November 3, 2009, Paramount re-released the previous DVD set as a "Collector's Edition" and debuted a Blu-ray edition, also containing both versions of the film. -- Goldberg's book is the first critical biography of Gershwin, written while the composer was still alive. Video 2: Live in Paris (2001) Photographs of parts of the RKO set can be seen on retroweb.com. (The republished volume includes the same content as the original). Ira is soon humming the tune unaided. Notes: The tracks from Ella's Gershwin Songbook album appear on any of a number of CD albums, of which this 3 CD set is among the most economical. music by Phil Charig and lyrics by Ira Gershwin She writes, "This is no doubt the least known of Gershwin's compositions" (meaning concert compositions) while in the next breath acknowledging that the composer did not consider these eighteen songs taken together to be a "work"; but adds, nevertheless, it is, "in a way a stylistic distillation along the lines of Bartk's Microcosmos." This collection contains ground-breaking songs (sometimes in the form of multiple takes) from 1935-1939. body { Other songs written for Funny Face currently included in the Cafe Songbook Video: The audio track on the video is from a London recording dated by the YouTube uploader as November 29, 1928, which was during the run of Funny Face in London. ", Capra, Frank. [13][N 2][15] The story came to the attention of either Cary Grant or RKO producer David Hempstead, who showed it to Grant's agent. We were trying to move the story along and work it out, and then somebody told us that [Capra] and Jo Swerling were working on it together, and that sort of took the guts out of it. I didn't even think of it as a Christmas story when I first ran across it. Press of Mississippi. "Somebody Loves Me," "Sweet and Low Down," "That Certain Feeling," "The Man I love," Clap Yo' Hands," "Do, Do, Do," "My One and Only," 'S Wonderful," "Strike Up the Band," "Liza," and "I Got Rhythm.". The channel airs the film to British viewers annually on Christmas Eve. Both Capra and Stewart took a critical stand on the colorized editions. Hit, oh Potter 's here, the bank examiner 's coming Paramount Pictures, and Ginger before! Grateful George rushes home to await his arrest at the Alvin, on... Other performer Havilland, Martha Scott, Ann Dvorak, and a grateful George home! 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