Review of Torch Song (1953) by Chris V — 27 Jun 2008

An oddly downbeat musical love story starring Joan Crawford, not quite convincing as a Broadway musical actress.

Rehearsing for a new Broadway show Jenny Stewart (Crawford) is not happy - her dancing partner doesn't know his steps, she doesn't like her costumes and is clashing with her musical director who jumps ship to be replaced by a new pianist (Michael Wilding) who has been blinded in the war. Stewart is rankled that here is one person she cannot browbeat but finds herself drawn to this withdrawn man.

Crawford certainly gives an unwaivering performance as the star who gets what she wants but totally swamps the film with her grim determination. She has few opportunities to soften the edges of her character, these usually in scenes with her mother (Oscar-nominated Marjorie Rambeau) and Maidie Norman as her assistant - Norman later played Crawford's protective cleaner in WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE?

The film has entered the obvious realms of Camp thanks to Crawford's take-no-prisoners performance, her colourful wardrobe - this is Technicolor turned up to 11 - and two her two big dance routines: one with the director Charles Walters as the hapless dance partner and, most mind-boggling of all, blacked-up in a big production number "Two-Faced Woman". The bizarre thing is that this last number was originally performed by Cyd Charisse in "The Band Wagon" but was cut in post-production. Charisse had been dubbed by India Adams so when the track was re-assigned to TORCH SONG, Adams also had to dub Crawford's wavery vocals. Suffice to say the number should have remained dropped.