It's a Wonderful World (1956)
Two aspiring songwriters finally manage to sell a tune by claiming that it was composed by a reclusive musical genius. When the tune hits the top of the charts, they find themselves having to produce the "real" composer.
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It's no definitive masterpiece but it's damn close.
After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.
The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.
This is a dark and sometimes deeply uncomfortable drama
Two struggling songwriters in London make friends with a struggling French wannabe chanteuse. To make money the boys invent a avant-guarde composer by playing swing music backwards and transcribing the result. They succeed in fooling the critics and the music is performed. The girl gets an audition with one of their songs and is a hit. She finds out about the boys' scam and everyone lives happily ever after.Warner Brothers used the same situation endlessly in the 30s (usually with Dick Powell and Ruby Keeler as the stars) and this is a pale imitation of those streamlined, production line classics.The songs are instantly forgettable and the production numbers cheap. The standard roll call of British character actors of the time do their stuff with their usual professionalism. Notable amongst them is John Pertwee (he of Dr. Who fame) doing a passable imitation of Danny Kaye conducting the orchestra.There is an amazing amount of smoking in this movie by today's standards. Everone smokes, in bed, at work, even while singing. Incredible. Not recommended viewing if you are trying to give up.