The Eddy Duchin Story (1956)

Let's be realistic.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

There's no way, even suspending reality to the Nth degree, that Tyrone Power is in any way, shape or form "believable" as a fresh faced graduate of the Massachusetts School of Pharmacy. The deep, unforgiving wrinkles around his eyes make him look more like the DEAN of the school! I know that Hollywood had a bad habit (still does) of casting people up to the age of forty as teens and young adults, but Tyrone doesn't look at all "young" in this role--he was just too doggone old.And like every picture made in the era, there's no accuracy when it comes to make-up or hairstyles, either. It's a shame, too, because the costumes aren't horrible, and good hair and make-up would have helped immeasurably. Kim Novak looks like she dropped in from the Technicolor fifties! Still and all, for a schlocky, sentimental, typical-of-the-era film, it's not awful--it'll pass the time if you're in an escapist mood.

In the 1920s, post-collegiate pianist Tyrone Power (as Eddy Duchin) arrives at New York City's "Central Park Casino" expecting to be employed by big band leader Leo Reisman. At first, the job doesn't pan out, but Mr. Power's "sweet" piano-playing style eventually takes Manhattan (and the world) by storm. He receives ample feminine support from beautiful blonde socialite Kim Novak (as Marjorie Oelrichs), who quickly becomes "Mrs. Duchin". But, on their wedding night, Ms. Novak has a nightmarish premonition of tragedy. And, if you know anything about how these biographical films go, you're already expecting a great tragedy… "The Eddy Duchin Story" is highly fictionalized. However, an Internet search for biographical information on the real Mr. Duchin shows not only his remarkable string of hit recordings, but also that the two tragedies occurring in this film really happened. It's like Mr. Duchin's life was tailor-made for one of these tear-jerking biography movies.Power, who is a little too old for the early years, nevertheless does an excellent job in the role. He begins to look vaguely like Duchin, obviously worked hard on his characterization, and really makes the story work. Playing like a pro, young son Rex Thompson (as Peter Duchin) is a chip off the old block. And, when Novak takes her bow, up-and-coming Victoria Shaw (as "Chiquita" Wynn) sexily fills the screen. Producer Jerry Wald, director George Sidney, and the "Columbia" team make it a beautiful-looking and sounding picture, with the cinematography and music positively hitting the senses on both cylinders.******** The Eddy Duchin Story (6/13/56) George Sidney ~ Tyrone Power, Rex Thompson, Kim Novak, Victoria Shaw

A popular branch of the musical genre during the 1940s and 1950s was the biopic of composers (of both classical pieces and popular tunes), singers or musicians/bandleaders; this belongs to the latter category. I can't say I was familiar with Duchin's history or style and, in any case, despite numerous musical numbers (where star Tyrone Power's piano-playing is obviously dubbed by a professional), the film seems much more concerned with the man's turbulent and tragic life. Ironically, both the star and his subject would suffer an untimely death – for the record, when Power's passing was announced, the film under review was (belatedly) on general release locally! He does O.K. in eliciting both Duchin's wholesomeness (which endeared him to audiences) and his ambivalent feeling towards a son he blamed for the death of beloved first wife Kim Novak. Nudged by manager James Whitmore, however, Duchin's ready to make it up to the boy following his war service in the Pacific; here, he also meets, falls for and marries young war orphan Victoria Shaw (following some initial sparring when Duchin Jr. is seen preferring her company!). Just when it seems that his domestic problems could be surmounted comes a fatal blow: he's diagnosed with a neurological condition which even curtails his career. At the end of the day, THE EDDY DUCHIN STORY is far from a highlight of its subgenre or, for that matter, the filmography of its matinée idol star; nonetheless, it was deemed serviceable enough to garner 4 Oscar nominations (not to mention landing director Sidney a surprising DGA nod).

I saw this movie for the first time when I was a teenager in 1956. I loved the music and had to have the album. "Manhattan" and "Brazil" are still my favorites. I just watched the movie again on TV (TCM). I enjoyed it again. It appears that Peter is born on or about Christmas and is still in the hospital when his mother dies. In reality, Peter Duchin was born in July 1937. Why the discrepancy? The movie does not explain the cause of the mother's death; only that it was not caused by Peter's birth. Kim Novak didn't even look tired when she died. Eddie Duchin looked pretty good too, except for a "sore" hand.Leukemia was never mentioned in the movie. Why?