The consummate actor José Ferrer had already shown his dramatic talents in Cyrano de Bergerac and Moulin Rouge. He even showed his comedic side in the bittersweet romance Anything Can Happen, but Deep in My Heart is his real tour-de-force. He sings, he dances, he conducts, he falls in love, he ages decades, he goes from rags to riches, he has sorrows, and he is hilarious. The Hot Toasty Rag board members would have loved to give him the newspaper trophy for Best Actor, but it was such a contentious year. With such heavy performances in The Country Girl and A Star Is Born, Joe didn't win.
If you want to see him letting his hair down and having the time of his life, you'll join him in having a blast. He plays composer Sigmund Romberg, and from his early days writing ragtime numbers to his later years of The Desert Song, countless numbers are performed in this lengthy biopic. Tons of major stars flocked to be included, and you'll get to see Gene Kelly (and his brother Fred), Rosemary Clooney, Howard Keel, Cyd Charisse, Ann Miller, Russ Tamblyn, Tony Martin, Vic Damone, and Jane Powell performing. They each get their five minutes of stage time, but it's really Joe who steals the show. He's so delightful! In one incredible sequence, he performs an idea he has for a show, acting out all the parts and singing song after song until finally, in a spontaneous burst of energy, he literally leaps out the window.
Helen Traubel, an opera singer and non-actress, is also wonderful in the film. She plays a singer, but also a longtime friend to Joe. She has a fun-loving energy and appears completely comfortable in front of the camera, and when the moment calls for it, she has great emotional depth and can make the audience reach for their hankies. This is her only movie, so enjoy her while you can.
Merle Oberon plays Romberg's lyricist, producer, and dear friend Dorothy Donnelly. She stands by Joe through all his ups and downs, ages alongside him, and supports him personally (through his marriage to Doe Avedon) and professionally (as he gains attention from Walter Pidgeon and Paul Henreid, as J. J. Hubert and Florenz Ziefield, respectively). Merle has a lot of class and really fits into the time period well, and even though her character could have faded into the background, she made herself memorable. You'll also see Paul Stewart and Jim Backus in supporting roles.
I absolutely recommend this movie, unless you really hate singing and dancing. But if you like good acting, biopics of musicians, old movies, musicals, or any of the cast members, you'll enjoy it. It makes you laugh, cry, and smile, all with the charm of the 1950s Golden Age.
If you want to see him letting his hair down and having the time of his life, you'll join him in having a blast. He plays composer Sigmund Romberg, and from his early days writing ragtime numbers to his later years of The Desert Song, countless numbers are performed in this lengthy biopic. Tons of major stars flocked to be included, and you'll get to see Gene Kelly (and his brother Fred), Rosemary Clooney, Howard Keel, Cyd Charisse, Ann Miller, Russ Tamblyn, Tony Martin, Vic Damone, and Jane Powell performing. They each get their five minutes of stage time, but it's really Joe who steals the show. He's so delightful! In one incredible sequence, he performs an idea he has for a show, acting out all the parts and singing song after song until finally, in a spontaneous burst of energy, he literally leaps out the window.
Helen Traubel, an opera singer and non-actress, is also wonderful in the film. She plays a singer, but also a longtime friend to Joe. She has a fun-loving energy and appears completely comfortable in front of the camera, and when the moment calls for it, she has great emotional depth and can make the audience reach for their hankies. This is her only movie, so enjoy her while you can.
Merle Oberon plays Romberg's lyricist, producer, and dear friend Dorothy Donnelly. She stands by Joe through all his ups and downs, ages alongside him, and supports him personally (through his marriage to Doe Avedon) and professionally (as he gains attention from Walter Pidgeon and Paul Henreid, as J. J. Hubert and Florenz Ziefield, respectively). Merle has a lot of class and really fits into the time period well, and even though her character could have faded into the background, she made herself memorable. You'll also see Paul Stewart and Jim Backus in supporting roles.
I absolutely recommend this movie, unless you really hate singing and dancing. But if you like good acting, biopics of musicians, old movies, musicals, or any of the cast members, you'll enjoy it. It makes you laugh, cry, and smile, all with the charm of the 1950s Golden Age.