ShangLuda Admirable film.

Griff Lees Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

Abegail Noëlle While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

Kimball Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

HotToastyRag Usually, musical biopics from the 1940s and 1950s aren't that great, but Words and Music isn't that bad. It's the history of the partnership between Richard Rodgers, played by Tom Drake, and Lorenz Hart, played by Mickey Rooney. It's chalk-full of over a dozen of their greatest hits, sung by a dozen different stars, so not only is it a treat for audiences to see an all-star cast together in one movie, but it's a sweet way for many singers to honor their legacy.Most of the movie focuses on Mickey Rooney, and if his characterization was true-to-life, I feel very sorry for Larry Hart, who had a sad and lonely life. If it weren't for the lovely songs, the movie might feel like too much of a downer. But, when Mickey Rooney sings "Manhattan," Judy Garland joins him for "I Wish I Were in Love Again," and Lena Horne performs "The Lady Is a Tramp" and "Where or When," it's hard to feel sad for very long.An extra treat is the dance number "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue," from the musical On Your Toes performed on an elaborate stage set by Gene Kelly and Vera-Ellen. I'm a huge fan of both, and while I've always thought Vera-Ellen was beautiful, cute, and had an incredible figure, she wasn't really known for having much sex appeal. In this dance number, she must have taken lessons from Gene, because they are absolutely smoldering together. Her costume almost shows too much, and they seem connected by an invisible string as they give audiences a particularly boundary-pushing dance. Robert Alton's choreography more than makes up for June Allyson's song-I think the person who first told her she could sing must have been deaf-"Thou Swell."

SnoopyStyle Larry Hart (Mickey Rooney) is an energetic songwriter. Herb Fields brings in Richard Rodgers to play his song and becomes his writing partner. The movie is told through Rodgers' eyes. Hart is taken with singer Peggy Lorgan McNeil. Fields gains some success and brings in his friends for a new Broadway show. Rodgers proposes to older leading actress Joyce Harmon but she turns him down.This is a fictionalized account of the music writing duo. The real story is nowhere to be found and shouldn't be expected especially during that era. It does feel scattered following both guys. Tom Drake doesn't have quite the charisma. Rooney and Garland have a final pairing. It's old fashion including the musical performances. At least, it has the songs. It's old fashion in many different ways.

wes-connors Even when you consider how these whitewashed Hollywood musical biopic extravaganzas usually play out, "Words and Music" is embarrassingly ill-conceived. MGM might have been wiser to borrow Abbott & Costello from Universal for the roles of Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers. But, the movie is beautifully produced at all times, by Arthur Freed and the studio. And, the musical numbers range from terrific to indispensable. For a song, listen to Mel Tormé doing "Blue Moon"; it's one of the most beautiful renditions of that standard, and became a Capitol hit for Mr. Tormé. For a dance, observe Gene Kelly and Vera-Ellen doing "Slaughter on 10th Avenue"; it's a superbly performed and choreographed vignette, and belongs with the best of Mr. Kelly's work.****** Words and Music (12/9/48) Norman Taurog ~ Mickey Rooney, Tom Drake, Gene Kelly

morgana-31 I first saw this movie on TV in 1963. I was only 13 years old. What caused me to sit down and watch was the mention of Mel Torme in the opening credits. I had only just become favorably aware of this man's music but had never seen as much as a photo of him.This was my first experience of 'The Musical' genre of film and I was enchanted from beginning to end. Well apart from the Mel Torme bit. I think we got more of Larry Hart looking miserable, and his mother looking out of the window (no doubt wondering when this party was going to end. It's 4am and she probably needed her beauty sleep) than we did of Mel.I was stunned by the brilliant 'Slaughter On 10th Avenue' sequence. There was stuff like this available and yet kids my age were listening to the Beatles? What on earth was wrong with the world? And Lena Horne's out-standing performance of The Lady Is A Tramp just blew me away.Plot? OK it was sanitized but I didn't know that at the time. Homosexuality was never mentioned back then. I just figured that anyone who would write a song like 'My Funny Valentine' would never score with the ladies."Your looks are laughable - unphotographable" Come on. You can't be serious? I finally found this on DVD a few days ago and couldn't believe my luck. I had wanted to see it again ever since reading in Mel Torme's autobiography that he and Richard Rodgers had had a falling out over how to handle the vocals on 'Blue Moon'. Mel had wanted to go with the meaning of the lyrics, example 'you heard me saying a prayer... (pause) for someone I really could care for.Rodgers had insisted that he stick with the rhyme, example you heard me saying a prayer for (pause) someone I really could care for.Sorry, Dick, but I'm with Mel on that one.