Alexander's Ragtime Band (film)

Alexander's Ragtime Band
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Henry King
Produced by	Darryl F. Zanuck
Written by	Irving Berlin Richard Sherman
Starring	Tyrone Power Alice Faye Don Ameche Ethel Merman
Music by	Irving Berlin Alfred Newman
Cinematography	J. Peverell Marley
Editing by	Barbara McLean
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date(s)	August 16, 1938 (1938-08-16)
Running time	106 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English

Alexander's Ragtime Band (1938) is a film released by Twentieth Century Fox that takes its name from the 1911 Irving Berlin (1888-1989) song "Alexander's Ragtime Band" to tell a story of a society boy who scandalizes his family by pursuing a career in Ragtime instead of in "serious" music. The film generally traces the history of Jazz music from the popularization of Ragtime in the early years of the 20th century to the acceptance of Swing as an art form in the late 1930s using music composed by Berlin. The story spans more than two decades from the 1911 release of its name-sake song to some point in time after the 1933 release of "Heat Wave," presumably 1938. It stars Tyrone Power, Alice Faye, Don Ameche, Ethel Merman, Jack Haley, and Jean Hersholt. Several actual events in the history of Jazz music are fictionalized and adapted to the story including the tour of Europe by Original Dixieland Jass Band, the global spread of Jazz by U.S. soldiers during World War I, and the 1938 Carnegie Hall performance by The Benny Goodman Orchestra.

The story was written by Berlin himself, with Kathryn Scola (1891-1982), Richard Sherman (1905-1962), and Lamar Trotti (1900-1952). It was directed by Henry King (1886-1982).

Cast

• Tyrone Power — Alexander
• Alice Faye — Stella Kirby
• Don Ameche — Charlie Dwyer
• Ethel Merman — Jerry Allen
• Jack Haley — Davey Lane
• Jean Hersholt — Professor Heinrich
• Helen Westley — Aunt Sophie
• John Carradine — Taxi Driver
• Paul Hurst — Bill
• Wally Vernon — Himself
• Ruth Terry — Ruby
• Douglas Fowley — Snapper

Songs

Alexander's Ragtime Band features several hit songs by Irving Berlin including "Heat Wave", "Some Sunny Day", "Blue Skies", "Easter Parade", "A Pretty Girl Is Like a Melody", and, of course, "Alexander's Ragtime Band". Previously-released songs were re-arranged and used in conjunction with new songs written by Berlin for the film.

Reception

From l-r, Jack Haley, Alice Faye, Don Ameche, Tyrone Power

Alfred Newman won an Academy Award for Best Music, Scoring. The film was also nominated for:

• Best Picture
• Story - Irving Berlin
• Song - Irving Berlin for "Now It Can Be Told"
• Art Direction - Bernard Herzbrun and Boris Leven
• Film Editing - Barbara McLean

External links

• Alexander's Ragtime Band at the Internet Movie Database
• Alexander's Ragtime Band at the TCM Movie Database
• Alexander's Ragtime Band at AllRovi