“Alexander was nominated for six Academy Awards. Irving Berlin won for best score.”
Irving Berlin deserved to win a dozen Oscars at least, but from what I’ve heard he only ever won one, for White Christmas.
This review is spot on in saying that the music, and musical presentation, was the best part of the film. Alice Faye is spellbinding and then, of course, there was the young Ethel Merman. Quite a combination.
Irving Berlin was one of the very few composers who provided every note of music for the films he worked on and I’m pretty sure its safe to say that he had more films like that than anyone else. Apart from anything else, he had the clout to insist on it.
There was one cut I wish they’d taken back, a sudden closeup of Ethel Merman looking very manic. It was downright startling.
Right you are. I erred. Alfred Newman won the Oscar for scoring the movie. With 26 Berlin songs performed I don't know how there was any time left for a score. I'll learn soon enough. I have it queued up on Netflix.