Can't wait until fifty years from now, when people are complaining about "the music of today".. they'll probably even say "where are our Lady Gaga's!?"
What has modern, popular musical "art" given us to replace the beauty of the past? - Lady Gaga. Ugh! This song has been one of my favorites since I heard it 50+ years ago.
Someone below asked if this was available on cd---yes it is--there is an Irene Dunne CD called Irene Dunne Sings Kern and Other Rarities and it's available on Amazon. Just type in her name and click CD and it's the first one on offer. She has 2 versions of it on the CD. Beautiful. This sublime woman will be remembered as one of our most talented, diverse actresses as time passes. Her star is beginning to shine brightly again.
It is too bad that most people will probably only remember Irene Dunne as Granny on The Beverly Hillbillies. She was quite a talented lady and quite the looker in her day.
Irene Dunn was a multi talented lady. Are there any CD's of her movie musical soundtracks? She was a very gifted singer and I would love to just hear her.
@dunzaman To me, this is like THE standard against which all singing should be measured!!!!! I'm a 23 year old guy, and yet this is *EXACTLY* the style that I would follow if I were to sing a ballad such as this. What exactly do you dislike about "singing like this"?? I'm just curious, because to me this is the dictionary definition of exquisite singing. :)
Irene Dunne embodied excellence and was a remarkable vocalist. But if you can't tell the difference between this and Dinah Washington's version, your being purposefully obtuse. Irene's version hearkens back to an earlier time; Dinah's version is emulated today. If by dictionary definition you mean devoting oneself to excellence then yes, Irene Dunne's rendition meets that standard. But so do many modern artists that don't sound remotely like Irene.
@Uskathoth I wish Jerome Kern were still alive - so he could tell you that the only "obtuse" people are those who think Dinah Washington's version is on par with this in its own right. The "modern artists" you speak of should stick to the genres that actually befit their "style". Any amateur, aspiring 'singer' can render the song the way Dinah W does! I suppose you could call Dinah's rendition "excellent" - had she been singing it 'in character' as the Wicked Witch of the West or something!!
@Juliaflo Yes, Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach created something timeless and magical. :) And Irene Dunne is one of the *PRECIOUS* few singers to actually imbue the song with the *EMOTIONAL* resonance that the lyrics call for! Her performance should be made available not only to every singer, but also to every ACTOR! Very few actors and singers can evoke such strong emotions from the viewer/listener WHILE RETAINING the purely aesthetic beauty of the material, the way Irene does. *THIS* is Art!!!!
I've just returned from a weekend trip to Madison, Indiana (an hour's drive from where I live), which is Irene's birthplace. At their visitor's center is a huge painted mural of her and some other famous people from the area. BTW, I love this movie (Roberta). It's included in my Ginger Rogers & Fred Astaire DVD collection. For anyone who hasn't watched the movie, the 1935 fashions featured on it are incredible, plus there are a couple of other fabulous songs and dance numbers.
Agreed! Dunne is like a fine wine to be savored and appreciated with each performance...I didn't realize so many people are just daffy about her...From Back Street to this musical, Showboat and The Awful Truth, she is truly one of the most versatile actresses Hollywood ever produced. Her genteel lady persona never grows condescending or dated...Hope that this exposure will bring about a bigger revival of her work.
She looks like a painting here, beautiful headpiece.. I don't know a whole lot about Irene Dunne but i think i need to learn more now.. I had no idea she sang like this
She originally wanted to join the Metropolitan opera - great voice and personality.
There seems to be confusion on her B-day (at least on my part). Wiki has her born 12/20/1898, but her crypt (findagrave) is labeled 1901. She looks fantastic here for 37 if she was born '98.
A vocal style that will probably never be repeated in the age of highly produced and manipulated recording - it sounds foreign to the modern ear but as has been said below we should not let trends in music production sully our appreciation of music from an earlier era
This performance by Irene is very beautiful. She definitely represented her era just as Lady Gaga and others represent their era and their own generation whether we like them or not and for some people that is just too difficult to accept.
I don't know if the previous response was sent. Present media and music industry are much more manipulative and they give to masses what goes along with certain products etc. This society, from this movie, had aspirations of civilization which is not the case of the savage and vulgar image one can see in "music" today.
@LorentzElena32 You are so right. In today's popular culture, what has become of beauty, sensitivity, grace and nuance? A wit recently said "in today's music, it not enough to be merely bad". Bieber can only aspire to mediocrity, while Eminem, Gaga, and Black Eyed Peas are positively barbaric. Listening to them is like taking a slap in the face.
Some history. This song was from the 1935 movie "Roberta" with Jerry Kern's music and Otto Harbach's lyrics. It was first a stage musical. And before that it was just a fast instrumental march used as closing music for a radio show with no name, originally. Drop dead gorgeous song. Another old standard "Yesterdays" was also in "Roberta." The Platters version sucked but called attention to the music at least. "Popular" music today has no class it severely sucks.
I don't think that Irene Dunne = love and gentleness, but that love and gentleness = Irene Dunne. I don't know how to explain it, but even when she acts or sings that is always what I take from her.
Irene Dunne was one of the finest women ever to grace the Hollywood stage.She was beautiful and had an amazing ability to project her character to an audience.Then she comes out with that wonderful singing voice and you think what else can she do?
@itsmylife1776 ---Irene Dunne is like a fine wine, as time passes, everything about her becomes better and better. With a basic trust in human nature, I believe she will be appreciated more tomorrow than she is today.
If you notice in Mad Men... John Hamm's chaacter says that (I Don't remember her name) Miss Holloway-I think- reminds her of Irene Dunne. Its on the episode were they are doing a campaign for bras and they compare women to either Marlyn Monroe or Jackie Kennedy and "Miss Holloway" asks the men wwho she reminds them of... Anyway... the first episode of Mad Men is called "Smoke gets in Your Eyes"... See the conection??
@luvindamusic91 She is entertaining her Russian aristocratic dining party but encounters her lover, who is angry with her. They fight and he leaves her. Briefly you see him (Randolph Scott) walking out while tipsy. Even though she argued with him, she's sorry to lose him.
@sarah20xoxo Dear you know nothing of Irenne Dunne do you! She was the original Magnolia in Showboat on Broadway. She auditioned at the Metropolitian! I am a violinist with perfect pitch and I find this performance enchanting!
@Rena1934 ---what a wonderful (and creative!) tribute you offer to the incomparable Dunne. She has cast a shadow that no one now, or for that matter since, has come close to filling.
To get the whole effect, see "Roberta", and the argument she has with her lover in the middle of the song that causes her tears. See if you appreciate the endearingly childlike way that Randolph Scott exclaims, "You did, too!"
Qué voz increible! mi madre me la ha mencionado algunas veces, de peliculas...pero es la priimera vez que escucho a esta cantante...envidiable! gracias x compartirla!
My father Harold O. Knudsen (God rest his soul) died July 4th, 2010. He was 91 and a half years old! He was a pilot, Master Sergeant, Gunner, Radio Operator, and Musician. He played piano for Irene Dunne for the troops one night when her pianist was to drunk! My dad was an amazing man, and I remember all the songs from the 40's...Irene was wonderful! I am lucky to have such a wonderful memory of my father's WWII tales!
This explains why my Mom and an aunt always spoke wistfully of Irene Dunne. I always thought this was a '50s song and now I know it came out in the mid-'30s.
Que beleza... Um clássico da música universal lindamente interpretado por esta fabulosa Irene Dunne culminando em seu fecchamento com a leveza sutil deste igualmente fenomenal Fred Astaire. Belo vídeo..Lindíssimo
Wow, she's got a lovely singing voice. I just discovered Irene Dunne, and I'm hooked. Most movies today is so lacking that I don't even bother to go to the movies anymore. I've been watching shows in the 60's - 50's and now am reaching back in time to the 40's-30's. I'm begining to think I was born in the wrong era.
@fantubelicious She really was both beautiful and gifted. She could superbly handle comedic and dramatic roles as an actress. She has that special presence that commands attention without ever asking for it. Special lady!
"Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did but backwards and in high heels."
This quote is originally from a 1982 Frank and Ernest comic strip written by Bob Thaves. It's often wrongly attibuted to Governor of Texas Ann Richards who used it at the 1988 Democratic National Convention.
This is wonderful, I love Irene Dunne and I think she is the only one who can sing this song the best. And Wow Ginger and Fred are wonderful, there is something different about it, but boy are they coordinated - wow! Excellent video!
This is one of the most beautiful songs ever written, but it shouldn't be sung by a soprano. It's really a song best intrepreted by a woman singing in a lower range; makes it more intimate and meaningful - not to mention sexier.
Of course, it's from an operetta, so that would explain the high register. Boy, those women had to be able to do everything, eh?....
While watching "Roberta" the other night on TCM, my daughter pointed out, quite rightly, that Ginger does everything Fred does, only backwards and in heels.
This bit of trivia probably has been posted, and my apologies if so. The altar of St. Therese of Lisieux at Hollywood's Church of the Blessed Sacrament was built with funds donated by Miss Dunne. Not only was she a talented actress, but a humanitarian.
Irene Dunne (unfortunatley whose voice is out of sync with the movement in the film) followed by Fred & Ginger doing Smoke Gets in Your Eyes....Ah, nostalgia for what can never be replicated! And since no one mentioned it the movie clips are from "Roberta". TCM just showed this movie last week on its Oscar month.
Those who are familiar with the movies of Irene Dunne are well aware of her versatility. Another special aspect of her acting talent is her consistency. Reviewing Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide, for instance, one finds, even when the movie is not highly regarded, almost without exception, Dunne's performance is.
Irene Dunne was born in Louisville, Kentucky 1898.After her father died she moved with family to Madison, Indiana. She graduated from Madison High School 1916. After voice training in Indianapolis and Chicago, began singing professionally. Won lead in road show of Florenz Ziegfeld's Show Boat 1929. Began Hollywood career 1930. She was in 42 films! nominated for five Academy Awards.
She sings this song with so much emotion. Near the end of the song when Irene's sings, "So I Smile an Say", you can feel a woman yearning so deeply in those words. She is really amazing! She never considered herself being famous as a singer - so she admits on the "What's My Line" interview. I think she has a tremendously beautiful singing voice!
I love this rendition of a great song...but also realize Dunne's highly polished approach was old fashioned even for 1934. It doesn't bother me at all that this is true...I just make the observation. But note how very different it is from Roger's and for that matter, Astaire's informal performances in the other F&G musicals.
followthefleet, At the beginning of her career, Irene Dunne wanted to be an opera singer. She trained as a pianist and singer. She was not a "jazz" singer as was Ginger Rogers. I agree this is a great rendition. All the emotion comes through.
Just had to mention, also, how many of her films have been remade(which shows her popularity but unfortunately kept these eight films out of circulation for years:
Such incredible, diverse talent. Singing in musicals-ROBERTA-SHOWBOAT, crying in melodramas-BACK STREET, MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION, PENNY SERENADE, strong willed in psychological dramas-SILVER CORD, ANN VICKERS, hilarious in comedies-AWFUL TRUTH, MY FAVORITE WIFE, THEODORA GOES WILD, magnificent in wartime-WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER, GUY NAMED JOE, and sublime in ANNA AND THE KING OF SIAM, I REMEMBER MAMA, LIFE WITH FATHER. Truly versatile, she could do anything. So glad she lived a long life(age 91).
View her work, observe her talent, witness her life: it becomes very obvious that NO female 'star' of our time comes close to the true stardom personified so brilliantly by Irene Dunne!
@ForRoy from today's stars perhaps, but women at large and singers in general isn't true. Some women singers, out of the beaten paths, have great talent. And women's qualities migrate through all generations and lands...... some of what commercialization has done away with is still flourishing elsewhere my friend :-)
I've always thought this was one of the most difficult to sing of all the great popular songs. On her remarkable new album Barbra Streisand tries to wrestle it to the ground but I'm not sure who wins, her or the song. The range required is Olympian, but beyond that the gorgeous melody on the reprise can easily sound monotonous. And of course no one ever knew what "so I chaffed them" means. I think Dunne's version has always been the most brilliant.
Thanks for uploading this video. Irene Dunne was one of my dad's favorite actress. She's a great actress & singer. Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers were superb dancers. They were all magnificent. We cannot find these quality stars anymore in these days. Thanks to Turner Classic & AMC that we still able to watch these movies.
@titanicpiano14 only insofar as stars are concerned. I worked in music biz for a while and discovered a lot of talented and classy women, if lesser known...
One of the better known ones would be Loreena McKennitt. It's obviously not the same style, but talking about voice, talent and class, one can't deny she has all 3
Still some good women out there folks! Just not on the charts ;-)
@WEIR4EVER I actually ADORE Loreena McKennitt's work, and I too usually have to default to the women of the 20s and 30s to find music I enjoy. You're right, Loreena is different, but she is of the same high caliber. I think the world of her. I'm glad to hear that those who work with her have the same opinion.
Irene Dunne was so versatile - she could sing (Exhibit A here), she could do comedy. She was an excellent actress. She could even dance a little bit (in Show Boat, 1936). And yeah, she ain't look bad either!
Irene Dunne, Barbara Stanwyck, Ginger Rogers, Doris Day...who else? these ladies were already great and talented at something else beyond the cinema. Irene, was so versatile...she could appear very romantic and sweet but she could even spread a foxy beauty.
are you kidding me, there were less triple threats before and there are more triple threats than ever today. the keys keep getting higher, the dancing becomes more challenging because people get bored with the previous trends as the eras progress. there are far less johnny one notes today compared to the pre-80's
@malibulanlan - First off, name a few of these "triple threats" your talking about? I really can't think of many in the superstar status of today. But there are a lot of trained "triple threats" being produced now but many lack something very important, raw talent and individuality they can sing, dance, and halfway act but they come out of a cookie cutter school that teacher everyone to sing, dance, and act the same! There was only one Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly.... and so forth.
Irene Dunne is another confirmation that once these leading leadies in cinema were already great at doing something else before landing on the big screen rather than mere photoshoots posers like nowadays. Dunne was a great soprano indeed.
In according with her bio, when mrs Dunne resolved to retire from the scene nobody could make change her mind. For instance she refused a big role in Minnelli's comedy "Gigi".
Really nice, Many people know of this song from the Platters' wonderful 1959 cover, but few know of this gem. I have a recording of this song from a year prior to this (1934) somewhere, but I forget where.
I love Irene Dunne; what a beautiful and talented woman she was -- and such a delightful personality. And yeah -- hearing her sing this song (the way it was meant to be heard) gives me chills.
A TRUE STAR, NO ONE LIKE HER BEFORE NOR AFTER!!! i WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS A CD FROM THE SOUND TRACK OF THE 1935 VERSION OF ROBERTA?? HAVE CHECKED AND GOOGELED EVERYWHERE...
can someone explain the context of this song to me? from what I know, john leaves her for sophie. but i don't get why she's talking about how "they" knew it wasn't going to work out and now everyone's in "i told you so" phase. i haven't seen this musical, so i'm just wondering.
In the context of the movie, it is just a song she is singing for her friends and family, it has no personal significance. Coincidentally they break up during the song, but she bravely decides to finish the song. The break up and the lyrics "when a lovely flame dies, smoke gets in your eyes" prove too much for her at the end of the song (she knows the lyrics now to be true) and she starts to cry.
they = the people, everyone, is about the typical situation, when everyone knows or think they know more about your situation than yourself. And you know what, in most cases is true, because they are looking the relationship from outside, with no feelings involved. That´s why the song says "Oh, when your heart's on fire You must realize..." is like: understand me please, i´m in love... (sorry for my english).
Very nicely done! Thanks for sharing this.
lucagrella 3 weeks ago
Can't wait until fifty years from now, when people are complaining about "the music of today".. they'll probably even say "where are our Lady Gaga's!?"
cmcconnaughy 1 month ago
great song
1940semochild 1 month ago
What has modern, popular musical "art" given us to replace the beauty of the past? - Lady Gaga. Ugh! This song has been one of my favorites since I heard it 50+ years ago.
chanteamoi 1 month ago in playlist 1930s movies
My Grandma said her mom use to sing this song to her when she was little.
michellekwan483 2 months ago
There is a wonderful video tribute to Irene Dunne here on youtube. Just type in 20 years without Irene Dunne in the search bar.
This person obviously put a lot of work into making the tribute of video clips. Watch some of her films and you will become addicted as I have...
ancestralvoices1 3 months ago
Someone below asked if this was available on cd---yes it is--there is an Irene Dunne CD called Irene Dunne Sings Kern and Other Rarities and it's available on Amazon. Just type in her name and click CD and it's the first one on offer. She has 2 versions of it on the CD. Beautiful. This sublime woman will be remembered as one of our most talented, diverse actresses as time passes. Her star is beginning to shine brightly again.
ancestralvoices1 3 months ago
I was in Madison, Indiana last week and saw her name in several places - she really loved that little town and they loved her too.
vcoonrod 3 months ago
She's so beautiful. But really, I think I'll have to pick the Platter's version. :)
Debsflicks 3 months ago
ausgezeichnet!
henrygrove100 4 months ago
Perfect.
nicholasstorey1 4 months ago
@controversyking dude you are racist
ColtonBrassie 4 months ago
such class, so lovely . love this song ,sung so beautifuly thank you for sharing (Aurora)
cooligalgirl 4 months ago 2
It is too bad that most people will probably only remember Irene Dunne as Granny on The Beverly Hillbillies. She was quite a talented lady and quite the looker in her day.
TuberOnTheLoose 4 months ago
@TuberOnTheLoose Irene Ryan played Granny on The Beverly Hillbillies
Wynbis 4 months ago
@TuberOnTheLoose CORRECTION -- that was the actress Irene Ryan
patbowie 4 months ago
Irene Dunn was a multi talented lady. Are there any CD's of her movie musical soundtracks? She was a very gifted singer and I would love to just hear her.
intelegentable 5 months ago
fantastic
SuperFallingleaves 5 months ago
beautiful ... beautiful
foxy237 5 months ago
Each to his own, but I for one, am glad people quit singing like this.
dunzaman 6 months ago
@dunzaman To me, this is like THE standard against which all singing should be measured!!!!! I'm a 23 year old guy, and yet this is *EXACTLY* the style that I would follow if I were to sing a ballad such as this. What exactly do you dislike about "singing like this"?? I'm just curious, because to me this is the dictionary definition of exquisite singing. :)
Rapture1987 6 months ago
@Rapture1987
Irene Dunne embodied excellence and was a remarkable vocalist. But if you can't tell the difference between this and Dinah Washington's version, your being purposefully obtuse. Irene's version hearkens back to an earlier time; Dinah's version is emulated today. If by dictionary definition you mean devoting oneself to excellence then yes, Irene Dunne's rendition meets that standard. But so do many modern artists that don't sound remotely like Irene.
Uskathoth 6 months ago
@Uskathoth I wish Jerome Kern were still alive - so he could tell you that the only "obtuse" people are those who think Dinah Washington's version is on par with this in its own right. The "modern artists" you speak of should stick to the genres that actually befit their "style". Any amateur, aspiring 'singer' can render the song the way Dinah W does! I suppose you could call Dinah's rendition "excellent" - had she been singing it 'in character' as the Wicked Witch of the West or something!!
Rapture1987 5 months ago 2
@Rapture1987 I totally second that, and I am slightly older than you are. Props to Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach for creating a superstandard.
Juliaflo 6 months ago
@Juliaflo Yes, Jerome Kern and Otto Harbach created something timeless and magical. :) And Irene Dunne is one of the *PRECIOUS* few singers to actually imbue the song with the *EMOTIONAL* resonance that the lyrics call for! Her performance should be made available not only to every singer, but also to every ACTOR! Very few actors and singers can evoke such strong emotions from the viewer/listener WHILE RETAINING the purely aesthetic beauty of the material, the way Irene does. *THIS* is Art!!!!
Rapture1987 5 months ago
@Rapture1987 This is THE version I would sing in a recital. (In fact, I am developing such a recital).
Juliaflo 6 months ago
@Juliaflo I'm holding both my thumbs up for you!!!!!! Show them how it's done. :) :)
Rapture1987 5 months ago
One of my favorite singers. People don't remember her enough these days for her singing. Great comedienne, great singer, great actress.
akarpowicz 6 months ago
I've just returned from a weekend trip to Madison, Indiana (an hour's drive from where I live), which is Irene's birthplace. At their visitor's center is a huge painted mural of her and some other famous people from the area. BTW, I love this movie (Roberta). It's included in my Ginger Rogers & Fred Astaire DVD collection. For anyone who hasn't watched the movie, the 1935 fashions featured on it are incredible, plus there are a couple of other fabulous songs and dance numbers.
Smalltowngal29 6 months ago
Agreed! Dunne is like a fine wine to be savored and appreciated with each performance...I didn't realize so many people are just daffy about her...From Back Street to this musical, Showboat and The Awful Truth, she is truly one of the most versatile actresses Hollywood ever produced. Her genteel lady persona never grows condescending or dated...Hope that this exposure will bring about a bigger revival of her work.
cinephile30 6 months ago
Fred and Ginger weren't half bad? ... pardon me while I gag and expire laughing.
fringelily 6 months ago
????!!!!!!! *******!
kevinastraw 7 months ago
I enjoyed the instrumental reprise. Those dancers weren't half bad, I hope they made some other fiims. ;)
impCaesarAvg 8 months ago
@impCaesarAvg They sure did. Astaire and Rogers. Look them up. They made it look so easy
nmvince 7 months ago
@impCaesarAvg They were pretty good, weren't they? I could watch Fred & Ginger do their thing all day long..... :) This is a great y-t upload. :)
BeeCeereeus 6 months ago
love her
Robertmars09 8 months ago
She looks like a painting here, beautiful headpiece.. I don't know a whole lot about Irene Dunne but i think i need to learn more now.. I had no idea she sang like this
Cnat123 8 months ago
@Cnat123 ---A truly wonderful talent. Irene Dunne was what is often termed "a natural". What is most striking is that she was an even better person.
sjjcws 8 months ago
Golden days of Hollywood when music played a very important role in every movie! Thank you for sharing it!
StarlightClassics 9 months ago
She originally wanted to join the Metropolitan opera - great voice and personality.
There seems to be confusion on her B-day (at least on my part). Wiki has her born 12/20/1898, but her crypt (findagrave) is labeled 1901. She looks fantastic here for 37 if she was born '98.
myrtlebox 9 months ago
In the original Broadway production, this song was performed by a Russian singer known as Tamara. She sang on stage alone, playing a balalaika.
rnigma 10 months ago
she is so good and her and i have the same last name
cassiedunne1 10 months ago
A vocal style that will probably never be repeated in the age of highly produced and manipulated recording - it sounds foreign to the modern ear but as has been said below we should not let trends in music production sully our appreciation of music from an earlier era
shiftaling 11 months ago 2
She should received an Oscar! Nominated so many times
myrnaloysboy 11 months ago 2
just listen to those lyrics ...when your heart's on fire, You must realize, Smoke gets in your eyes ... absolutely marvelous
decca003 11 months ago 2
Her voice is way too high for this.. you can barely even hear the words she's singing.
mlc2005 11 months ago
@mlc2005 What??????!!!!!!! Get a hearing aid! No, on second thought, get a lobotomy. The rest of us can hear every word.
ian1856 8 months ago
This performance by Irene is very beautiful. She definitely represented her era just as Lady Gaga and others represent their era and their own generation whether we like them or not and for some people that is just too difficult to accept.
6silhouette5 1 year ago
@6silhouette5
I don't know if the previous response was sent. Present media and music industry are much more manipulative and they give to masses what goes along with certain products etc. This society, from this movie, had aspirations of civilization which is not the case of the savage and vulgar image one can see in "music" today.
LorentzElena32 9 months ago
@LorentzElena32 ---So true.
sjjcws 9 months ago
@LorentzElena32 You are so right. In today's popular culture, what has become of beauty, sensitivity, grace and nuance? A wit recently said "in today's music, it not enough to be merely bad". Bieber can only aspire to mediocrity, while Eminem, Gaga, and Black Eyed Peas are positively barbaric. Listening to them is like taking a slap in the face.
copernicus633 8 months ago
@copernicus633 Well said!
licentia1963 8 months ago
Some history. This song was from the 1935 movie "Roberta" with Jerry Kern's music and Otto Harbach's lyrics. It was first a stage musical. And before that it was just a fast instrumental march used as closing music for a radio show with no name, originally. Drop dead gorgeous song. Another old standard "Yesterdays" was also in "Roberta." The Platters version sucked but called attention to the music at least. "Popular" music today has no class it severely sucks.
Glinkaism1 1 year ago
always thought the platters did this first,,,wow..beautilfully sung
wiganer12 1 year ago
I don't think that Irene Dunne = love and gentleness, but that love and gentleness = Irene Dunne. I don't know how to explain it, but even when she acts or sings that is always what I take from her.
Emily94Grace 1 year ago
Not a happy song, but one of the greats, sung by a master.
ChristophePhilippe 1 year ago
Irene Dunne was one of the finest women ever to grace the Hollywood stage.She was beautiful and had an amazing ability to project her character to an audience.Then she comes out with that wonderful singing voice and you think what else can she do?
itsmylife1776 1 year ago
@itsmylife1776 ---Irene Dunne is like a fine wine, as time passes, everything about her becomes better and better. With a basic trust in human nature, I believe she will be appreciated more tomorrow than she is today.
sjjcws 1 year ago 17
@sjjcws i agree. i love her. god bless you and family
davidandcleo 5 months ago
If you notice in Mad Men... John Hamm's chaacter says that (I Don't remember her name) Miss Holloway-I think- reminds her of Irene Dunne. Its on the episode were they are doing a campaign for bras and they compare women to either Marlyn Monroe or Jackie Kennedy and "Miss Holloway" asks the men wwho she reminds them of... Anyway... the first episode of Mad Men is called "Smoke gets in Your Eyes"... See the conection??
madamewho 1 year ago
@madamewho in mad men the girl he compares Irenne dunne with is called margaret "peggy"olson. there's defenitevely a connection!
lagurrolea 1 year ago
i thought i was old fashioned cause I like "The Platters" version of this song,this lady is from the 1930's,amazing song!
CRTM1971 1 year ago
Her Tiara is magnificent!
myrnaloysboy 1 year ago
what is the dramatic situation of this piece? Like why is she singing it in the show? Please help me!!
luvindamusic91 1 year ago
@luvindamusic91 She is entertaining her Russian aristocratic dining party but encounters her lover, who is angry with her. They fight and he leaves her. Briefly you see him (Randolph Scott) walking out while tipsy. Even though she argued with him, she's sorry to lose him.
SSArcher11 1 year ago
Lovely video
Elihulove 1 year ago
fantastic edit job man. Where my violin??Congrats!
buddyeagle 1 year ago
Total class from start to finish
myrnaloysboy 1 year ago 2
Excallente!
HollandProjects 1 year ago
this is just MY opinion, but god what an awful voice! i love the platters version though.
sarah20xoxo 1 year ago
@sarah20xoxo Dear you know nothing of Irenne Dunne do you! She was the original Magnolia in Showboat on Broadway. She auditioned at the Metropolitian! I am a violinist with perfect pitch and I find this performance enchanting!
Macmerrill 1 year ago 2
@sarah20xoxo me too lol
shirtrippa47 1 year ago
@sarah20xoxo haha an awful voice? you obviusly know nothing about music. I am sorry for you
Rena1934 1 year ago
@Rena1934 ---what a wonderful (and creative!) tribute you offer to the incomparable Dunne. She has cast a shadow that no one now, or for that matter since, has come close to filling.
sjjcws 1 year ago
@sarah20xoxo Of course, this is just silly! You shouldn't let post-sixties pop culture degrade your perceptions.
princeandrey 1 year ago
this is absolutely marvellous
selmep 1 year ago 2
To get the whole effect, see "Roberta", and the argument she has with her lover in the middle of the song that causes her tears. See if you appreciate the endearingly childlike way that Randolph Scott exclaims, "You did, too!"
SSArcher11 1 year ago
@SSArcher11
Haha Randy was so cute :)
irinagarbo 1 year ago
"smoke gets in my eyes" knowing ther is no more grace and class left in this world
APolaris 1 year ago 6
@APolaris There will always be grace and class left in this world when people refuse to let it die.
licentia1963 3 months ago 4
Lovely
WEIR4EVER 1 year ago
Thanks for editing and posting it, great work!
leoyoungster 1 year ago
now theres a voice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
SuperMrduncan 1 year ago
Good stuff! Irene Dunne was very talented!
zbaby82 1 year ago
Qué voz increible! mi madre me la ha mencionado algunas veces, de peliculas...pero es la priimera vez que escucho a esta cantante...envidiable! gracias x compartirla!
Viyvin 1 year ago
What a lovely voice! Makes me feel relaxed. Would love to have this on CD
daytimetexas 1 year ago 3
My father Harold O. Knudsen (God rest his soul) died July 4th, 2010. He was 91 and a half years old! He was a pilot, Master Sergeant, Gunner, Radio Operator, and Musician. He played piano for Irene Dunne for the troops one night when her pianist was to drunk! My dad was an amazing man, and I remember all the songs from the 40's...Irene was wonderful! I am lucky to have such a wonderful memory of my father's WWII tales!
sophymarichelle 1 year ago 2
This explains why my Mom and an aunt always spoke wistfully of Irene Dunne. I always thought this was a '50s song and now I know it came out in the mid-'30s.
Etnecserc 1 year ago
if i ever have a kid i think i'll name the girl Irene :) its really pretty
moviegurl16 1 year ago
Que beleza... Um clássico da música universal lindamente interpretado por esta fabulosa Irene Dunne culminando em seu fecchamento com a leveza sutil deste igualmente fenomenal Fred Astaire. Belo vídeo..Lindíssimo
Iranthe 1 year ago
Wow, she's got a lovely singing voice. I just discovered Irene Dunne, and I'm hooked. Most movies today is so lacking that I don't even bother to go to the movies anymore. I've been watching shows in the 60's - 50's and now am reaching back in time to the 40's-30's. I'm begining to think I was born in the wrong era.
fantubelicious 1 year ago
@fantubelicious She really was both beautiful and gifted. She could superbly handle comedic and dramatic roles as an actress. She has that special presence that commands attention without ever asking for it. Special lady!
emerging2012 1 year ago 2
Is this Irene Dunne singing, or is it dubbed?
MrRedFredSaid 1 year ago
@MrRedFredSaid ---Irene did all her singing in all her movies. Her original aspiration was to be a singer, not a movie actor.
sjjcws 1 year ago
This is from the 1935 film Roberta........starring Irene Dunne, Fred Astaire,and Ginger Rogers. Truly a great treasure.
nancyfloressantos 1 year ago 2
Sim, uma perfeição dos ano 30!! Belissimo
paulomenezes2005 1 year ago
Utterly brilliant thank you so much. Irene Dunne is a charm, now in the heavens. Thank you so much Miss Dunne. xxx
myrnaloysboy 1 year ago
"Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did but backwards and in high heels."
This quote is originally from a 1982 Frank and Ernest comic strip written by Bob Thaves. It's often wrongly attibuted to Governor of Texas Ann Richards who used it at the 1988 Democratic National Convention.
aldiboronti 1 year ago
that was so good I think some smoke got in my eye also.
SuperMrduncan 1 year ago 3
This is wonderful, I love Irene Dunne and I think she is the only one who can sing this song the best. And Wow Ginger and Fred are wonderful, there is something different about it, but boy are they coordinated - wow! Excellent video!
Bariebel 1 year ago
Fred and Ginger remind me of ice dancing couples!
Coupal1 1 year ago
irene dunne was simply incredible. an immortal.
scrunchify 1 year ago 2
This is one of the most beautiful songs ever written, but it shouldn't be sung by a soprano. It's really a song best intrepreted by a woman singing in a lower range; makes it more intimate and meaningful - not to mention sexier.
Of course, it's from an operetta, so that would explain the high register. Boy, those women had to be able to do everything, eh?....
cqsallie 1 year ago
i tend to listen to the song and then watch the dance so it being out of sync isnt a problem
katandbaby 1 year ago
MARVELOUS!!
SilverScreenLee 1 year ago
the dance reprise is also pretty wonderful, people rave about the romance in dances like cheek to cheek but for me this is more special
katandbaby 1 year ago
While watching "Roberta" the other night on TCM, my daughter pointed out, quite rightly, that Ginger does everything Fred does, only backwards and in heels.
mlhardin1 1 year ago
@mlhardin1, your daughter is a plagiarist.
paultoes 1 year ago
@mlhardin1 That's been said so many times by others
BuyBenco 1 year ago
This bit of trivia probably has been posted, and my apologies if so. The altar of St. Therese of Lisieux at Hollywood's Church of the Blessed Sacrament was built with funds donated by Miss Dunne. Not only was she a talented actress, but a humanitarian.
maxtpierce 1 year ago
Not only was she a talented actress and humanitarian but, more importantly, she was faithful and devoted to her Church and its teachings.
sjjcws 1 year ago
I think BILLY EPSTEIN Does it better, but her acting is killer!
mydeardiaries 1 year ago
Irene Dunne (unfortunatley whose voice is out of sync with the movement in the film) followed by Fred & Ginger doing Smoke Gets in Your Eyes....Ah, nostalgia for what can never be replicated! And since no one mentioned it the movie clips are from "Roberta". TCM just showed this movie last week on its Oscar month.
GazelleDZ 1 year ago 2
I love how Irene Dunne can be such a riot in movies like "The Awful Truth" and then break your heart with a song like this! What a lady!
vintagefan92 2 years ago 15
I REMEMBER MAMA
mydeardiaries 1 year ago 2
Absolutely jaw-dropping! Irene Dunne captures the emotion so perfectly - because she does, this rendition of the song is unparalleled.
vintagefan92 2 years ago 3
Those who are familiar with the movies of Irene Dunne are well aware of her versatility. Another special aspect of her acting talent is her consistency. Reviewing Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide, for instance, one finds, even when the movie is not highly regarded, almost without exception, Dunne's performance is.
sjjcws 2 years ago
Irene Dunne was born in Louisville, Kentucky 1898.After her father died she moved with family to Madison, Indiana. She graduated from Madison High School 1916. After voice training in Indianapolis and Chicago, began singing professionally. Won lead in road show of Florenz Ziegfeld's Show Boat 1929. Began Hollywood career 1930. She was in 42 films! nominated for five Academy Awards.
emerging2012 2 years ago
Roberta is not one of my favorite films but when you see Irene sing this, then the whole film is worth it :)
renata1934 2 years ago 2
Simply splendid!!!!! Perla.
perla51 2 years ago
One of the classiest ladies to ever hit the screen...and one of the great funny ones...This is such a treat, thank you.
C
ceb2633 2 years ago 5
I love Irene Dunne...and this song...so beautiful...thanks for posting this! :)
MrKingsRow 2 years ago
I like Irene Dunne too. I have always liked this song.
---------Ellen
Shabannie 2 years ago
She sings this song with so much emotion. Near the end of the song when Irene's sings, "So I Smile an Say", you can feel a woman yearning so deeply in those words. She is really amazing! She never considered herself being famous as a singer - so she admits on the "What's My Line" interview. I think she has a tremendously beautiful singing voice!
emerging2012 2 years ago 2
A song from an angel with such a wonderful voice!~
TracynWilly 2 years ago
Is there anyone in the world that can sing so beautifully? A gifted actress and a highle intelligent individual. Irene you are the best.
Wonderfuldaysable 2 years ago 4
And she devoutly believed in, and answered to, a higher (a much higher) Authority.
sjjcws 2 years ago 3
I love this rendition of a great song...but also realize Dunne's highly polished approach was old fashioned even for 1934. It doesn't bother me at all that this is true...I just make the observation. But note how very different it is from Roger's and for that matter, Astaire's informal performances in the other F&G musicals.
followthefleet1 2 years ago
followthefleet, At the beginning of her career, Irene Dunne wanted to be an opera singer. She trained as a pianist and singer. She was not a "jazz" singer as was Ginger Rogers. I agree this is a great rendition. All the emotion comes through.
Coupal1 2 years ago 2
What is the name of the film? Is it "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes"? I love Irene Dunne and this looks like one I haven't seen before.
21bluethunder 2 years ago
Roberta. :]
hamupwnz 2 years ago
Just had to mention, also, how many of her films have been remade(which shows her popularity but unfortunately kept these eight films out of circulation for years:
AGE OF INNOCENCE
BACK STREET(Twice)
MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION
SHOWBOAT
LOVE AFFAIR(Twice)
MY FAVORITE WIFE
A GUY NAMED JOE
ANNA AND THE KING OF SIAM(Twice)
I may be forgetting one.
ancestralvoices 2 years ago
Such incredible, diverse talent. Singing in musicals-ROBERTA-SHOWBOAT, crying in melodramas-BACK STREET, MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION, PENNY SERENADE, strong willed in psychological dramas-SILVER CORD, ANN VICKERS, hilarious in comedies-AWFUL TRUTH, MY FAVORITE WIFE, THEODORA GOES WILD, magnificent in wartime-WHITE CLIFFS OF DOVER, GUY NAMED JOE, and sublime in ANNA AND THE KING OF SIAM, I REMEMBER MAMA, LIFE WITH FATHER. Truly versatile, she could do anything. So glad she lived a long life(age 91).
ancestralvoices 2 years ago 2
View her work, observe her talent, witness her life: it becomes very obvious that NO female 'star' of our time comes close to the true stardom personified so brilliantly by Irene Dunne!
sjjcws 2 years ago 11
sjjcws : ABSOLUTELY TRUE. 1000 points. Irene has something , which is really far far away of today's stars or women...
ForRoy 2 years ago 27
@ForRoy from today's stars perhaps, but women at large and singers in general isn't true. Some women singers, out of the beaten paths, have great talent. And women's qualities migrate through all generations and lands...... some of what commercialization has done away with is still flourishing elsewhere my friend :-)
Thankfully!
WEIR4EVER 1 year ago
I've always thought this was one of the most difficult to sing of all the great popular songs. On her remarkable new album Barbra Streisand tries to wrestle it to the ground but I'm not sure who wins, her or the song. The range required is Olympian, but beyond that the gorgeous melody on the reprise can easily sound monotonous. And of course no one ever knew what "so I chaffed them" means. I think Dunne's version has always been the most brilliant.
waynebrasler 2 years ago
Dear waynebrasier,
Hear, hear!
Many big name vocalists and instrumentalists have taken on this song, but they "just don't get it."
I love Irene Dunne's rendition. I love Kathryn Grayson's even more. But both are terrific.
Both respect the song. Neither attempt to "play it cool" by distancing themselves from the pathos of the song.
Too many later vocalists and even instrumentalists are embarrassed to perform it straight, the way it was meant to be performed.
thechinadesk 2 years ago 4
Omg i lovee Irene Dunne!! thank you soo much:)!!!!
moviegurl16 2 years ago 2
Thanks for uploading this video. Irene Dunne was one of my dad's favorite actress. She's a great actress & singer. Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers were superb dancers. They were all magnificent. We cannot find these quality stars anymore in these days. Thanks to Turner Classic & AMC that we still able to watch these movies.
ndm707 2 years ago 3
Don't see people like Dunn or Rodgers anymore. In this age, we have crap like Lady Gaga and stuff.
titanicpiano14 2 years ago 46
@titanicpiano14 only insofar as stars are concerned. I worked in music biz for a while and discovered a lot of talented and classy women, if lesser known...
One of the better known ones would be Loreena McKennitt. It's obviously not the same style, but talking about voice, talent and class, one can't deny she has all 3
Still some good women out there folks! Just not on the charts ;-)
WEIR4EVER 1 year ago
@WEIR4EVER I actually ADORE Loreena McKennitt's work, and I too usually have to default to the women of the 20s and 30s to find music I enjoy. You're right, Loreena is different, but she is of the same high caliber. I think the world of her. I'm glad to hear that those who work with her have the same opinion.
BackYardiganNPals 10 months ago
Irene Dunne was so versatile - she could sing (Exhibit A here), she could do comedy. She was an excellent actress. She could even dance a little bit (in Show Boat, 1936). And yeah, she ain't look bad either!
WSenator1 2 years ago 5
One of my favorite actress of all time and a wonderful singer as well. I must say that a wonderful person too.
Lovely!
PureSoapCleans 2 years ago 3
Incomparably beautiful!
wzahner 2 years ago 3
Irene Dunne, Barbara Stanwyck, Ginger Rogers, Doris Day...who else? these ladies were already great and talented at something else beyond the cinema. Irene, was so versatile...she could appear very romantic and sweet but she could even spread a foxy beauty.
yepheth 2 years ago 7
Dear yeptheth,
Right! They were known as "triple threats."
They could act, sing, dance.
Very few triple threats today.
thechinadesk 2 years ago 3
Yes. When Paris Hilton, Ashlee Simpson and Chris Crocker are cutting albums, you know there's a problem!
movielothario 2 years ago
are you kidding me, there were less triple threats before and there are more triple threats than ever today. the keys keep getting higher, the dancing becomes more challenging because people get bored with the previous trends as the eras progress. there are far less johnny one notes today compared to the pre-80's
malibulanlan 2 years ago
@malibulanlan - First off, name a few of these "triple threats" your talking about? I really can't think of many in the superstar status of today. But there are a lot of trained "triple threats" being produced now but many lack something very important, raw talent and individuality they can sing, dance, and halfway act but they come out of a cookie cutter school that teacher everyone to sing, dance, and act the same! There was only one Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly.... and so forth.
AmandaKayHowell 2 years ago
Irene Dunne is another confirmation that once these leading leadies in cinema were already great at doing something else before landing on the big screen rather than mere photoshoots posers like nowadays. Dunne was a great soprano indeed.
yepheth 2 years ago 5
WOW!!!!
crcanassr 2 years ago
It's a shame her lovely voice was not more often employed.
ShawDAMAN 2 years ago
In according with her bio, when mrs Dunne resolved to retire from the scene nobody could make change her mind. For instance she refused a big role in Minnelli's comedy "Gigi".
yepheth 2 years ago
Beautiful, love Irene Dunne.
ShawDAMAN 2 years ago
Really nice, Many people know of this song from the Platters' wonderful 1959 cover, but few know of this gem. I have a recording of this song from a year prior to this (1934) somewhere, but I forget where.
MVillani1985 2 years ago
Dear MVillani1985,
I like Doo-Wop from the 50s in addition to older, Golden Era Broadway Musicals from the 20s to the 40s.
But it's a shame that so many people think The Platters' rendition was "the original" rather than a charming novelty number.
thechinadesk 2 years ago 2
Many of us know that she sang the song in Roberta way before The Platters. Both versions are brilliant.
Wonderfuldaysable 2 years ago 3
so this is really her singing?
cottagecheese54 2 years ago
Yes. Who could cover her?
MusicallyDetermined 2 years ago 2
bravo...bravo... fantastique
bbeckya 2 years ago 2
Truely, Irene Dunne was the Grand Lady of American Musical Film Of the 1930's
mcdoul97 2 years ago 4
Thanks for posting this. Never heard the original version before. Sounds great. Irene had a fantastic voice.
phaota 2 years ago
I love Irene Dunne; what a beautiful and talented woman she was -- and such a delightful personality. And yeah -- hearing her sing this song (the way it was meant to be heard) gives me chills.
Garboskindredspirit 2 years ago 4
A TRUE STAR, NO ONE LIKE HER BEFORE NOR AFTER!!! i WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF THERE IS A CD FROM THE SOUND TRACK OF THE 1935 VERSION OF ROBERTA?? HAVE CHECKED AND GOOGELED EVERYWHERE...
jhs7335 2 years ago 2
She was brilliant, and with all do respects to others that came along after her this is by far the most beautiful version.
Seagateway 2 years ago 2
Irene was from Louisville, kentucky
DavidReviewerEditor 2 years ago
AWESOME IRENE DUNNE
tcrownprince 2 years ago 4
Wow! What a pleasant surprise this was! Irene Dunne had such a beautiful voice!
emerging2012 2 years ago 4
can someone explain the context of this song to me? from what I know, john leaves her for sophie. but i don't get why she's talking about how "they" knew it wasn't going to work out and now everyone's in "i told you so" phase. i haven't seen this musical, so i'm just wondering.
fuzzysnail47 2 years ago 2
In the context of the movie, it is just a song she is singing for her friends and family, it has no personal significance. Coincidentally they break up during the song, but she bravely decides to finish the song. The break up and the lyrics "when a lovely flame dies, smoke gets in your eyes" prove too much for her at the end of the song (she knows the lyrics now to be true) and she starts to cry.
StrwbrrysNChoco8 2 years ago
they = the people, everyone, is about the typical situation, when everyone knows or think they know more about your situation than yourself. And you know what, in most cases is true, because they are looking the relationship from outside, with no feelings involved. That´s why the song says "Oh, when your heart's on fire You must realize..." is like: understand me please, i´m in love... (sorry for my english).
l30r1c 2 years ago 2
She was a relation of mine! seriously! i'm not quite sure how exactly though.. I'm Thomas Dunne =)
TomyDunne 2 years ago
Oh My God.
Wondeful interpretation, she make me cry. thanks for thid video.
MARISOLDELMONACO 2 years ago 2