Pluskylang Great Film overall

Kidskycom It's funny watching the elements come together in this complicated scam. On one hand, the set-up isn't quite as complex as it seems, but there's an easy sense of fun in every exchange.

Invaderbank The film creates a perfect balance between action and depth of basic needs, in the midst of an infertile atmosphere.

Anoushka Slater While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

vincentlynch-moonoi It's almost as if you have two separate movies here. There's Rose of Washington Square and her love affair...and there's Al Jolson reaching for the top of Broadway. The two stories do come together, but they almost seem like separate plots.The great thing about this film is that you see Al Jolson singing a few of his greatest hits...although he's not playing himself...sort of. The good news is that Jolson is in particularly fine voice here. More mellow and with a lower key than his early 78s, but clearer and purer than the Jolson on his recordings of a decade later, around the time of his bio-pics. The bad news is, ironically, that the father of sound films is a pretty stiff and lousy actor. Twentieth Century Fox thought so, too. This was his last starring role! And then you have the romance and drama between a Fanny Brice-like character and a Nicky Arnstein-like character. A coincidence? No, Fox just changed the names, and Brice sued them...and settled. But it's all very interesting. I can't say that Alice Faye had the best songs in this film, but she does do "My Man". If there's a problem here with this film it's that you have its other star (Tyrone Power) playing the bad guy...and we so want to like Tyrone Power.There was definitely screen chemistry between Tyrone Power and Alice Faye, but, unfortunately, their two other pairings -- "In Old Chicago" and "Alexander's Ragtime Band" -- are simply more compelling films.This is a film supremely worth watching for the singing performances of Al Jolson; too bad his acting wasn't as good! The drama of Rose...it's okay. Recommended, but it may not end up on your DVD shelf...unless Jolson tempts you!

JLRMovieReviews The title refers to Alice Faye as Rose of Washington Square, in this film that is loosely based on the life of Fanny Brice. You may not recognize it or realize that, if you didn't see "Funny Girl" just prior to it or knew certain facts about her and Nick Arnstein. But, Fanny and Nick filed a lawsuit against the movie, because songs that were included would have made it obvious to the current moviegoers just who it was all about. So, the executives had to edit or take out songs which were too closely identified with Fanny Brice. But, the film stands on its own merits without knowing anything about them. Alice Faye may be the star (and she has some good songs, too), but it's Al Jolson that almost outshines her with some great show-stopping numbers: "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby with Dixie Melody" and "California, Here I Come."The only qualm I have is that, the song "Rose of Washington Square" that is sung here doesn't have the same verses that singer Ann Dee sings in "Thoroughly Modern Millie." It is the same song; that I know. The different movies just decided to sing different verses of it. I personally like the slow presentation in "Millie", where Ann Dee is sitting on top of a piano in the smoke-filled room in "Thoroughly Modern Millie". If only a movie had the song in its entirety for posterity. That notwithstanding, this movie is out on an Alice Faye DVD collection (the edited version), so it has a chance of being discovered, which is good, because the music is too good to be buried away somewhere.

jotix100 This 20th Century release was a vehicle for Alice Faye, one of the most popular actresses in Hollywood musicals, plays Rose Sargent. Ironically, this is no musical per se, it is a melodrama with music inserted in the narrative. The story takes us to the vaudeville days in which Rose, a beautiful woman is trying to make it in show biz. Ted Cotter, also a singer, admires Rose in a platonic way. Even after he makes it big, Ted will always try to get her an opportunity in which to shine. Rose, unfortunately, falls in love with Barton Clinton, a man that will prove he is not worthy of her. Barton, a con man, has good connections with people of higher living. Their love affair is doomed from the start. Barton keeps falling lower and lower, but Rose, who loves him, sticks by him no matter what.The story is in reality a disguised take on the real life of Fanny Brice and her husband Nick Arnstein. Ms. Brice saw with horror what the studio had done to her, exposing her intimate life to a great audience and sued for damages. The case settled out of court, but it was a well known fact people guessed who the real Rose was.Gregory Ratoff directed the film. It was obviously a vehicle for both Alice Faye and Al Jolson, who sings most of the songs the public associated him with. Alice Faye and Tyrone Power, who played Barton, made an engaging couple in the films they were featured and it's easy to see why. Both actors were at the prime of their careers. Others in the cast include William Frawley, Joyce Compton. Veteran actor Horace McMahon appears briefly, as well as Louis Prima.This film is entertaining and light. It will not disappoint viewers.

lugonian ROSE OF WASHINGTON SQUARE (20th Century-Fox, 1939), directed by Gregory Ratoff, a nostalgic musical, is a worthy follow-up to Fox's previous success, ALEXANDER'S RANGTIME BAND (1938), both starring the up-and-coming Tyrone Power and Alice Faye, making their third and final screen appearance together (their initial being IN OLD CHICAGO in 1937). While this production belongs to Alice Faye and Tyrone Power in that order, it's Al Jolson, assuming third billing in a secondary role, who comes off best. His fine acting and song delivery remain the film's major asset, which makes one wish he were given more to do. ROSE OF WASHINGTON SQUARE is also the most musical of all the Jolson, as well as Faye films.In a story that opens circa 1919, Ted Cotter (Al Jolson) and Rose Sargent (Alice Faye) partners who specialize in singing, struggling to achieve success, are both working separately, he in a burlesque house singing while passing out theater programs, and she at amateur nights singing for nickels and dimes tossed to her. Disappointed, Rose breaks away from theater life to a Long Island resort accompanied by her friend, Peggy (Joyce Compton). While there she encounters Barton DeWitt Clinton (Tyrone Power), a handsome war veteran who happens to be a petty thief. A smooth operator, Clinton immediately wins Rose's affections. After his latest theft involving an expensive stolen necklace backfires, and under the watchful eye of Detective Mike (Charles C. Wilson), Clinton quickly leaves without any notice to Rose. In the meantime, Harry Long (William Frawley), a booking agent, has arranged for Ted to appear in a tryout. Thanks to the unintentional interruptions by the intoxicated loud-mouth patron (Hobart Cavanaugh) sitting up in the box, the act proves favorable and hired to boost up attendance. successful. As for Rose, she's singing in a basement speakeasies until she she once again encounters Clinton who saves her from a police raid. This time the two become inseparable and eventually marry, much to the dismay of Ted, who sees through Clinton for what he really is, but agrees to remain neutral for Rosie's sake. After Rose achieves her long delayed success in the Ziegfeld Follies, her personal life turns to heartache as Clinton, in desperate need of money, gets himself deeper and deeper in debt, leading to arrest and prison term.With a handful of old-time Broadway songs from the 1920s era, Alice Faye sings them in her usual manner, although several of them, including "My Man," are reportedly long associated with the legendary Fanny Brice. As for Al Jolson, he reprises many of his most celebrated hits in his traditional black-face manner. He is one for the memory book of legendary bygone entertainers. The musical program includes: "Pretty Baby" (sung by Al Jolson); "I'm Sorry I Made You Cry" (sung by Alice Faye); "Ja-Da" and "Vamp" (both sung by Faye); "Rock-a-Bye Your Baby With A Dixie Melody" and "Toot-Toot Tootsie, Goodbye" (both sung by Jolson); "I'm Just Wild About Harry" (Alice Faye); "California, Here I Come" (Al Jolson); "I Never Knew Heaven Could Speak" and "Rose of Washington Square" (both sung by Faye); "Mammy" (Al Jolson); "My Man" and "My Man" (reprise, both sung by Faye). While the majority of the tunes are mainly sung by the principal players, with the camera giving them full focus, only the title tune is given the full production number treatment running nearly ten minutes.Also seen in the cast are: Moroni Olson playing Buck Russell; E.E. Clive, Louis Prima, Ben Weldon, Harry Hayden, Charles Lane and John Hamilton.According to an well documented, "HIDDEN Hollywood: FROM THE VAULTS OF 20th CENTURY-FOX" narrated by Joan Collins, which premiered on American Movie Classics in 1997, ROSE OF WASHINGTON SQUARE was originally planned as a two hour presentation, but was then cut to 86 minutes. Included in this documentary are numerous outtakes, featuring Jolson's rendition of "April Showers" and "Avalon," and Alice Faye's version to the film's theme song, "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows." Another added bonus was the guest appearances of the comedy team of Weber and Fields doing a stage act, as observed in the audience by Jolson and William Frawley. It's also been noted somewhere that actress Winifred Harris appeared as Broadway legend Lillian Russell (a role Alice Faye would portray in 1940), whose scenes were also cut. The documentary does explain as to why certain scenes didn't make it to the final print. As with other 20th Century-Fox musicals attempting to recapture the days of old Broadway, ROSE OF WASHINGTON SQUARE is historically inaccurate in the hairstyle and fashion department being 1939 modern. Although the opening titles credit this movie to be entirely fiction, there's no doubt that it's suggested on the career of Fanny Brice.In spite of these shortcomings, ROSE OF WASHINGTON SQUARE, as a musical, is entertaining as well as involving in plot. As mentioned before, Al Jolson nearly steals the limelight from his leading players. Sadly, this would mark an end of a era for this legendary singer whose legacy remains with THE JAZZ SINGER (Warner Brothers, 1927),Hollywood's "first talkie," while Power and Faye would continue their fame and fortune for the duration of their careers.ROSE OF WASHINGTON SQUARE, distributed to home video in the 1990s, unseen on cable TV since it's American Movie Classic days, made its Turner Classic Movies premiere May 5, 2013. The home video edition contains "April Showers" and "Avalon" outtakes, along with its theatrical trailer. Of her musicals, ROSE OF WASHINGTON SQUARE has become one of the most remembered and admired of all her movies. (***)