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).
Review of The Eddy Duchin Story
