A big budget musical drama from 20th Century Fox, a studio not known for their skill in making musicals. Alexander's Ragtime Band really shows how popular taste in film has changed since the late 30's when this was released.
The film his directed by Henry King in the most pedestrian fashion possible. King was a good reliable studio director throughout his career but getting a handle on this film seemed beyond his reach. The musical numbers are strictly lock the camera down and let the actors perform like they were on the stage.
As the leader of Alexander's Ragtime Band, Tyrone Power announces, "I love ragtime music," and does he ever. The film has a lot of Irving Berlin's songs. Berlin wrote around 1500 songs during his lifetime and I think they performed almost everyone of them in this film.
The dramatic elements in this story are by the numbers, Tyrone Power's Aunt wants him to have a career in classic music, he wants to play ragtime music. Power meets Alice Faye, who Don Ameche is in love with. Faye becomes a famous Broadway star, Power and Ameche join the army and fight in World War I. Who will Alice Faye choose, third credit name Don Ameche or first credit name Tyrone Power?
Alexander's Ragtime Band is an opportunity to see Alice Faye who was a very popular star in the 1930's and 40's. Faye was what you would call a "full figured gal." She was a pretty good vocalist. Tyrone Power was one of Fox's biggest stars. A pretty boy who it turned out actually had some talent.
Alexander's Ragtime Band was a big hit when it was released but is fairly unwatchable today.
106 minutes.
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