Stars and Stripes Forever

UPC: 024543771838

Studio: 20th Century Fox

MPAA Rating: NR   Contains:[Suitable for Children]

Summary: Stars and Stripes Forever is the highly fanciful filmed biography of "march king" John Philip Sousa. Clifton Webb does a fine job as Sousa, while Ruth Hussey is equally good in the less-demanding role of Sousa's wife. The problem faced by screenwriter Lamar Trotti (who adapted the film from Sousa's autobiography Marching Along) was that, outside of Sousa's early travails in organizing his own band after leaving the Marine Corps, there just wasn't much drama in the great composer's life. Thus, a secondary (and wholly fictional) romance involving young musician Willie (Robert Wagner) and ex-chorus girl Lily (Debra Paget) is given special emphasis. Willie invents the Sousaphone on behalf of his mentor, and upon returning from the Spanish American War minus one of his legs, Willie makes an inspirational solo appearance with the Sousa band. The best scenes include Sousa's ongoing efforts to break free from the "march king" onus and write romantic ballads, and Lily's high-kicking rendition of the music-hall ballad "Father's Got 'Em." When first telecast on NBC's Saturday Night at the Movies in 1962, Stars and Stripes Forever was accompanied by a short newsreel clip of the real John Philip Sousa in action. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Category: Drama

Awards: Best Picture - Musical or Comedy – null Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or – null New Star of the Year - Male – null New Star of the Year - Male – Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture - Musical or – Hollywood Foreign Press Association Best Picture - Musical or Comedy – Hollywood Foreign Press Association

Features: Disc 1 - From Our National March To The Silver Screen
John Philip Sousa's Contribution To American Music
Pressbook, Advertising and Still Galleries
Original Theatrical Trailer

Disc 2 - DVD
Stars And Stripes Forever

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Stars and Stripes Forever

Format: Blu-ray

Release Date: 12/13/2011

Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Academy Apeture, 1.37:1 Academy Apeture

Audio: DHMA null, DD2 Dolby Digital Stereo

Runtime: 89 Minutes

Sides: 2

Number of Discs: 2

Language(s) English,Spanish

Subtitles: English,Spanish,French

Region: USA & territories, Canada

Chapters: Disc #1 -- Stars And Stripes Forever
1. Main Titles/Gloves [:00]
2. Private Little [:00]
3. New Ballad [:00]
4. Concert Invitation [:00]
5. Den of Iniquity [:00]
6. Private Performance [:00]
7. Semper Fidelis [:00]
8. Leaving the Corps [:00]
9. Auditions [:00]
10. Sousa's Band [:00]
11. The March King [:00]
12. Lily Seeks Advice [:00]
13. The Two-Step [:00]
14. Look the Other Way [:00]
15. Southern Hospitality [:00]
16. Battle Hymn of the Republic [:00]
17. A Household Name [:00]
18. When It's Springtime in New York [:00]
19. War [:00]
20. Inspiration [:00]
21. A Letter from Willie [:00]
22. Home From the War [:00]
23. Stars and Stripes Forever [:00]
24. Dedicated to Our Men [:00]

Craig Butler

Though it falls short of biography -- and what Hollywood biopic doesn't? -- Stars and Stripes Forever succeeds marvelously as a spirited and tuneful musical film. The plots -- one involving both famed composer John Philip Sousa and his wife, the other involving a fictional "young love" couple -- are predictable and, truth be told, fairly trite; but their stories are told with conviction and professionalism. They're also told swiftly, allowing Stars to dispense with them as often as necessary to get to the real business of the film -- Sousa's music, especially his marches. Stars does pay lip service to its subject's oft-stated desire to have his ballads more appreciated, but it's the marches that really make the film come alive, and they're delivered impeccably under musical director Alfred Newman's precise supervision. There are also a couple of non-march numbers that stand out, especially Debra Paget's rollicking, high-energy "Father's Got 'Em." Holding the picture together is Clifton Webb as Sousa; the part doesn't require a tremendous range, but Webb makes an asset of that, enjoying the chance to explore new ways to deliver a wisecrack or to combine bewilderment and disdain in one quick glance. Paget is simply gorgeous and adorable, and Robert Wagner is handsome and engaging; as Sousa's wife, Ruth Hussey has too little to do, but does it so well that she seems to play a much bigger role than she actually does. The costumes are lovely, the color is yummy, and Henry Koster directs as if this were simply the nicest Fourth of July picnic in existence -- which it pretty much is. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi

Cast and Crew: Jack Rice  Actor 
Frank Ferguson  Actor 
Nicholas Koster  Actor 
Thomas Brown Henry  Actor 
Henry Koster  Director 
Alfred Newman  Composer (Music Score) 
Lamar Trotti  Producer 
Lamar Trotti  Screenwriter 
Ernest Vajda  Screenwriter 
Clifton Webb  Actor 
Debra Paget  Actor 
Robert Wagner  Actor 
Ruth Hussey  Actor 
Finlay Currie  Actor 
Benay Venuta  Actor 
Roy Roberts  Actor 
Lester Matthews  Actor 
Maudie Prickett  Actor 
Erno Verebes  Actor 
Richard Garrick  Actor 
Romo Vincent  Actor 
Florence Shirley  Actor 
Delos Jewkes  Actor 
Norman Leavitt  Actor 
Roy Gordon  Actor 
Helen Van Tuyl  Actor 
Walter Woolf King  Actor 
Roger Moore  Actor 
Thomas E. Jackson  Actor 
Maude Wallace  Actor 
William Vedder  Actor 
Olan Soule  Actor 
Aileen Carlyle  Actor 
Paul Maxey  Actor 

Country: USA