Words and Music - Warner Archive Collection

The songwriter bio craze was in full swing by the time MGM mounted Words and Music, its highly fictionalized tribute to composer Richard Rodgers and lyricist Lorenz Hart. Like its predecessors, Till the Clouds Roll By, Rhapsody in Blue, and Night and Day, this tuneful but often tedious screen treatment slathers on the schmaltz in between a cavalcade of delectable musical numbers showcasing Metro's formidable star stable. Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Lena Horne, June Allyson, and Vera-Ellen are only a few of the top-tier personalities who drop by to sing and dance (others include Cyd Charisse, Perry Como, Ann Sothern, Mel Tormé, and Betty Garrett), and their sublime contributions provide a welcome respite from the film's ponderous story.

Long before Rodgers teamed up with Oscar Hammerstein, he and Hart conquered Broadway with such sophisticated hits as Babes in Arms, The Boys from Syracuse, and Pal Joey. You may not remember the shows, but the songs are immortal: "Bewitched, Bothered, and Bewildered," "Where or When," "My Funny Valentine," "This Can't Be Love." Both men possessed inestimable talent, but whereas Rodgers was serious, disciplined, and - if you believe Fred Finklehoffe's screenplay - rather dull, Hart was a pint-sized firecracker. At just five feet tall, the witty, effete, cigar-puffing lyricist was always the life of the party, yet his outward gregariousness masked an insecure, turbulent soul, tortured by his homosexuality and physical shortcomings. Hart's urbane rhymes rivaled those of Cole Porter, but his pain and melancholy inspired brilliantly sardonic lyrics that added newfound depth to theatrical love songs of the 1920s and '30s. Sadly, alcohol soothed what poetry couldn't and slowly poisoned his spirit.

The real story of Rodgers and Hart would have made a good picture, but Hollywood's stringent moral code prevented MGM from exploring the more unsavory aspects of Hart's life. (Of course, even if given the go-ahead, it's doubtful the family-friendly studio - under the aegis of the notoriously prudish Louis B. Mayer - would have tackled it anyway.) Instead, an aspiring (and fabricated) singer named Peggy (Betty Garrett) sends Hart (Mickey Rooney) into a tailspin when she rejects his love, and after years of self-abuse - which strains his working relationship with Rodgers (Tom Drake) - he finally succumbs to one of those vague, nameless movie diseases. The maudlin script wallows in Hart's torment and also shifts around dates and shows, making it impossible to get a clear picture of the team's accomplishments. Like most musical biopics, truth comes at a premium in Words and Music, yet there's just enough of it to befuddle even those with a fair grasp of theater history.

The film's myriad inaccuracies are certainly frustrating, but let's be honest: How many of us sit down to watch Words and Music to learn about the ups and downs of Rodgers and Hart? An electrifying musical program is what we're really after and commercially conscious MGM obliges in spades. Not all the sequences shine (in fact, there are a couple of real clunkers), but the ones that do make plodding through the tiresome drama well worthwhile. (For those who don't even want to do that, Warner Archive blessedly provides a song menu so musical mavens can bypass the story and just revel in the numbers.) Though pleasant enough, the early musical interludes (with the exception of Rooney's charming rendition of "Manhattan") favor style over substance, but the mood markedly changes when perky June Allyson croons "Thou Swell." Ably assisted by the Blackburn Twins, Allyson dazzles in a dynamic dance routine that nicely complements her sugary vocals and boundless effervescence. It's tough to steal a movie from the likes of Garland, Kelly, and Horne, but with this winning performance - the finest of her MGM career - Allyson does.

Yet make no mistake; Judy, Gene, and Lena also acquit themselves well. Very well. The breathtaking Horne steps up first, raising our pulse rate (and the rafters) with a mesmerizing one-two punch beginning with the haunting ballad "Where or When" and climaxing with the chicly humorous "The Lady Is a Tramp." Both songs showcase Horne's impeccable phrasing, stage presence, and photogenic features and it's hard not to classify her no-holds-barred rendition of the latter tune as the definitive version. (Sorry, Sinatra.)

Not to be outdone, Garland first reunites with Rooney - five years after their final let's-put-on-a-show backyard musical - for a slick duet of the cleverly sarcastic "I Wish I Were in Love Again." The two stars enjoy a wonderful rapport, as Garland's class balances Rooney's clowning, and their mutual esteem is evident throughout. Preview audiences so loved the number, they demanded another Garland solo, and a few months later (and a few pounds heavier), Judy returned to the reassembled set to belt out a rip-roaring rendition of "Johnny One Note," a song perfectly suited to her powerful, vibrant voice.

Equally powerful and vibrant, "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue" pairs Kelly with Vera-Ellen in a jazzy ballet pantomime about a couple of streetwise New Yorkers who romantically connect in a seedy bar before violence and tragedy strike. As he did a few months earlier in The Pirate, Kelly executes the kind of virile, physically demanding dance routine that would soon change the direction of Hollywood choreography. Vera-Ellen, who combines grace, athleticism, and allure, partners him well, and though the two would make a bigger splash the following year in the iconic On the Town, their passionate, nuanced work here should not be overlooked.

Unfortunately, it's impossible to overlook the ill-conceived performances of Drake and Rooney, who drag the picture down just as it starts to soar. Few movie actors are as wooden as Drake; his bland personality may suit the bashful boy next door in Meet Me in St. Louis, but his monotonic line readings and disinterested demeanor turn Rodgers into a boring stiff. Although Rooney embraces Hart's mannerisms and exhibits an affecting vulnerability early on, he dives off the dramatic deep end during Hart's interminable decline. Watching the overdone display is both agonizing and embarrassing; we feel bad for Hart, but worse for Rooney, who can't seem to stop the histrionic hemorrhaging.

So forget the made-up lives of Rodgers and Hart and concentrate instead on their very real and glorious words and music. Such a tack just might be the only way to really enjoy this glossy musical salute to one of the greatest songwriting teams in show business history.

Vital Disc Stats: The Blu-ray
Words and Music arrives on Blu-ray packaged in a standard case. Video codec is 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 and audio is DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono. Once the disc is inserted into the player, the static menu with music immediately pops up; no previews or promos precede it.

A brand new HD master struck from a 4K scan of the original nitrate Technicolor negatives yields a vibrant, lush  1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer that improves upon the very good 2007 DVD. Light grain preserves the film-like feel and faithfully honors the gorgeous cinematography of two-time Oscar-winner Charles Rosher and two-time Oscar-winner Harry Stradling Sr. Of course the meticulous color reproduction grabs the lion's share of attention, with the bright, vivid hues exhibiting excellent saturation while staying within realistic parameters. Bold reds, sunny yellows, verdant greens, and an array of perfectly pitched pastels dazzle the senses, top-notch clarity and contrast ensure we're able to absorb every opulent detail in the sets and costumes, and gorgeous close-ups showcase the beauty, glamor, and allure of Horne, Garland, Charisse, and a fresh-faced, 21-year-old Janet Leigh, who portrays Rodgers' wife Dorothy. Flesh tones appear natural, shadow delineation is strong, blacks are dense, and no age-related nicks, dirt, or scratches mar the pristine print. A couple of slightly soft shots pop up now and then, but they're mere blips on this transfer's crystal clear radar. If you're an MGM musicals fan, you'll definitely appreciate this impressive presentation.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track supplies robust sound, especially during the lively musical numbers.  A wide dynamic scale embraces all the brassy highs and weighty lows of the lush orchestrations and handles Garland's impressive belting without any distortion. Sonic accents like the cracking of walnuts, shattering china, and buckshot are distinct, all the dialogue and witty song lyrics are easy to comprehend, and no age-related hiss, pops, or crackle disrupt the purity of this high-quality track. The 2007 DVD offered up excellent sound, but this lossless track heightens fidelity and provides a lovely depth of tone, both of which really enliven the musical numbers.

All the extras from the 2007 DVD have been ported over to this Blu-ray release.

• Audio Commentary - Historian Richard Barrios sits down for a workmanlike commentary that lacks the pizzazz of the musical numbers he often describes. More of a primer than a master class, Barrios' discussion rarely provides the level of detail fans of the genre crave. On the plus side, he clarifies MGM's skewered chronology of Rodgers and Hart's professional lives, cites many inaccuracies in the script, and addresses the pair's frustrating tenure in Hollywood in the early 1930s. But he's also maddeningly vague about any unpleasant traits or events concerning both men (as if he fears more specificity would denote a lack of propriety), and repeats himself on more than a couple of occasions. Those new to Golden Age musicals will learn a lot, but diehard devotees might find the track a bit dull.

• Featurette: "A Life in Words and Music" (SD, 20 minutes) - This classy, forthright 2007 featurette provides a far livelier and more dimensional portrait of Rodgers and Hart than both MGM's sugarcoated biopic and Barrios' commentary. The well-produced piece illuminates the demons that eventually destroyed Hart and allows those who knew him a chance to reflect on his character and abundant gifts. Mary Rodgers, daughter of Richard Rodgers, calls Hart "a man of many moods, and he knew how to rhyme them all," and humorously remembers her family's initial reaction to Words and Music: "We all thought the movie was ridiculous." Various historians separate fact from fiction and analyze the duo's immense contributions to musical theatre, while Mickey Rooney touchingly recalls his last on-screen collaboration with Judy Garland.

• Vintage Short: Going to Blazes! (SD, 21 minutes) - This installment of MGM's Theatre of Life series not only honors the brave, dedicated men of the Los Angeles Fire Department, it also provides viewers with a firefighting tutorial and in-depth look at the intense training, preparation, and daily rigors these unsung heroes must endure. The film is chock-full of statistics, dire warnings, and platitudes, but also offers some wise preventative tips, many of which still apply today.

• Vintage Cartoon: The Cat That Hated People (HD, 7 minutes) - Far less preachy, this top-notch 1948 Tex Avery cartoon hilariously examines all the horrible treatment felines receive at the hands of humans.

• Unused Musical Numbers (HD, 14 minutes) - Two filmed outtakes from Words and Music will please fans of Perry Como. The first finds the crooner singing "Lover"...and Warner technicians have reconstructed the movie's opening to include the tune in its original slot. The second is a 10-minute collection of takes (four in all) of the touching ballad "You're Nearer."

• Audio Outtakes - Eight audio outtakes feature performances by Como (who warbles a lovely rendition of "My Heart Stood Still"), Gene Kelly, Lena Horne, the Blackburn Twins, and Betty Garrett.

• Theatrical Trailer (SD, 4 minutes) - The film's original preview completes the disc's supplements.

If you really want to learn about Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, hit the internet. But if you'd rather just revel in their marvelous music and see it performed by such legendary artists as Judy Garland, Lena Horne, and Gene Kelly, then Words and Music is right up your alley. The numbers alone make the disc worthy of a purchase, but the sluggish story prevents this lustrous all-star musical from scaling the lofty heights to which it aspires. Another top-notch Warner Archive transfer struck from 4K scans of the original nitrate Technicolor negatives will thrill the film's fans, as will the sparkling lossless audio that honors the legendary pipes of Garland and Horne. All the extras from the 2007 DVD cap off this long overdue release that salutes the enduring legacy of MGM musicals. Recommended.