Music in the Shadows: Noir Musical Films

225 Pages·2014·2.15 MB·English

by  Sheri Chinen Biesen

Music in the Shadows
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Music in the Shadows
Noir Musical Films
sheri chinen biesen
Johns Hopkins University Press
Baltimore
© 2014 Johns Hopkins University Press
All rights reserved. Published 2014
Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper
2 4 6 8 9 7 5 3 1
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21218-4363
www.press.jhu.edu
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Biesen, Sheri Chinen, 1962–
Music in the shadows : noir musical films / Sheri Chinen Biesen.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-1-4214-0837-8 (hardcover : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-4214-
0838-5 (pbk. : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-1-4214-0839-2 (electronic) —
ISBN 1-4214-0837-6 (hardcover : alk. paper) — ISBN 1-4214-0838-4
(pbk. : alk. paper) — ISBN 1-4214-0839-2 (electronic) 1. Musical
films—United States—History and criticism. 2. Film noir—United
States—History and criticism. 3. Jazz in motion pictures. I. Title.
PN1995.9.F54B535 2014
791.43'657—dc23 2013027717
A catalog record for this book is available from the British Library.
Special discounts are available for bulk purchases of this book.
For more information, please contact Special Sales at 410-516-6936
or [email protected].
Johns Hopkins University Press uses environmentally friendly book
materials, including recycled text paper that is composed of at least
30 percent post-consumer waste, whenever possible.
For my grandmother, uncle, and family of writers, artists,
and musicians who continue to inspire my fascination
with film noir and the musical
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Contents
List of Illustrations ix
Acknowledgments xi
1 The Noir Musical 1
2 Preludes to the Noir Musical 10
3 Blues in the Night: The Noir Musical on the Brink of World War II 20
4 Smoky Melodies: Jazz Noir Musical Drama 39
5 Le Rouge et le Noir: From The Red Shoes to A Star Is Born 76
6 Dark Musical Melodrama: From Young at Heart to West Side Story 118
7 The Legacy of the Noir Musical 145
Notes 177
Index 203
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Illustrations
Blues in the Night publicity still 27
Blues in the Night publicity still 33
Jammin’ the Blues publicity still 45
Dead Reckoning publicity still 47
Cover Girl publicity still 51
To Have and Have Not publicity still 54
Phantom Lady publicity still 56
Christmas Holiday publicity still 57
Gilda publicity still 59
Gilda publicity still 61
Black Angel publicity still 63
The Man I Love lobby card publicity 66
The Red Shoes publicity still 81
The Red Shoes publicity still 83
Words and Music publicity still 89
Young Man with a Horn lobby card publicity 94
The Band Wagon publicity still 102
A Star Is Born publicity still 111
A Star Is Born publicity still 113
Young at Heart publicity still 120
Love Me or Leave Me publicity still 124