January 11 - A Song to Remember

This biographical movie has a scene that happens today – January 11. I hope you will enjoy this film and watch it tonight.

A SONG TO REMEMBER     

Frederic Chopin is a piano prodigy and Polish patriot. He becomes involved in the secret underground anti-Russian Polish resistance, while his piano teacher wants him to move to Paris. After Frederic insults the Russian governor, he has to flee and move to Paris. After arriving in Paris, Frederic begins performing and meets the great pianist Franz Liszt and female author George Sand.  Frederic is very upset to learn that two of his friends in Poland were arrested and executed for helping him escape.  George Sands arranges a performance where in a darkened room everyone thinks they are listening to Liszt, but it is actually Chopin playing. Frederic and George go on a holiday to Majorca, where he writes many outstanding works. Frederic and his teacher Józef Elsner become estranged. Even though he is ill, and in spite of the opposition of George Sand, Frederic goes on a concert tour of Europe. On January 11, 18__ he plays in Berlin.[1:42:17 to 1:42:36] The money he earns is used to pay bribes to get imprisoned Polish patriots out of prison.  The strain of the tour causes Frederic’s health to collapse and he dies. 

An almost completely fictional biography having very little to do with Chopin’s real life. It is an entertaining story however. If you regard it as entertainment and not history it is a very enjoyable film. 

The date is given at 1:42:20 on a poster.

Producer - B. F. Zeidman

Director - Charles Vidor

Screenplay -   Sidney Buchman

Runtime – 1 hour 53 minutes

Released – January 18, 1945

Starring –

Cornel Wilde as Frédéric Chopin

Paul Muni as Józef Elsner

Ivan Triesault as Nicolas Chopin

Nina Foch as Constantia

Stephen Bekassy as Franz Liszt

Merle Oberon as George Sand

George Coulouris as Louis Pleyel

Howard Freeman as Friedrich Kalkbrenner