Herzen im Fieber (1953)
23KHerzen im Fieber: Directed by Charles Walters. With Joan Crawford, Michael Wilding, Gig Young, Marjorie Rambeau. A tough but unhappy Broadway star re-evaluates her life when she crosses paths with a blind pianist.
“This is an unusual romance drama with musical numbers that features Joan Crawford (in Technicolor!) in a role that couldnu0026#39;t have been too hard for her to play – a difficult to work with, abrasive, headstrong star that alienates everyone around her on a personal and professional level at least until she meets someone who reads her all too well and wonu0026#39;t put up with her antics.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe u0026#39;twistu0026#39; in this one is that the man who u0026#39;seesu0026#39; her for what she is – a frightened stage musical starlet who lashes out at others because of her loneliness – is a blind man who was formerly an art critic played by Michael Wilding.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eDirected by Charles Walters, who received his only recognition from the Academy (a Best Director nomination) that same year for Lili (1953), itu0026#39;s a story that was written by I.A.R. Wylie and adapted by John Michael Hayes and Jan Lustig. Marjorie Rambeau (Primrose Path (1940)), who plays Crawfordu0026#39;s devoted yet financially dependent mother received her second Best Supporting Actress nomination.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eGig Young plays Jenny Stewartu0026#39;s (Crawford) attractive boy toy; he drinks to salve his situation. Harry Morgan plays her long suffering stage director, and Paul Guilfoyle is Jennyu0026#39;s frequently abused agent.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eCrawfordu0026#39;s singing voice was dubbed by India Adams and the most memorable musical numbers include a dance sequence u0026quot;Two-Faced Womanu0026quot; (with all the performers in blackface) that was originally intended for Cyd Charisse in The Band Wagon (1953) and a rendition of u0026quot;Tenderlyu0026quot;. Maidie Norman plays Jennyu0026#39;s assistant, the only one who seems to have a tolerable relationship with Jenny until pianist Tye Graham (Wilding) cracks her tough exterior.”
