Stars.And.Stripes.Forever.1952

Posted on by womo



Stars and Stripes Forever is a 1952 American Technicolor film biography of the late-19th-/early-20th-century composer and band leader John Philip Sousa. This 20th Century Fox feature was produced by Lamar Trotti, directed by Henry Koster, and stars Clifton Webb, Debra Paget, Robert Wagner, and Ruth Hussey. The film’s title is taken from Sousa’s “The Stars and Stripes Forever”, which has become the best known of his military marches.[2]

While the film’s storyline is loosely based on Sousa’s autobiography Marching Along, the film takes considerable liberties and dramatic license, often expanding and examining themes and passages from Sousa’s book. Two examples: In the film, Private Willie Little (Robert Wagner), is credited with inventing the Sousaphone and naming it after his mentor, but in reality Sousa himself designed the instrument. The inspiration for the film’s title march is depicted in a scene with a voice over by Webb quoting Sousa’s actual description of its creation while he was aboard ship recovering from typhoid fever. In reality, having learned of the sudden death of his band’s manager, Sousa and his wife canceled their European vacation and were returning to the U.S. by steamship when the march came to him.

In the 1890s, Sergeant Major John Philip Sousa, the director of the United States Marine Band, leaves the Marine Corps after his enlistment expires to form his own band. He must do so because he is not paid enough by the Corps to provide for his wife Jennie (Ruth Hussey) and their three children. As a favor for his splendid service, he is allowed to take along Private Willie Little (Robert Wagner), who has invented and plays a new instrument, the “Sousaphone”.

Willie persuades Sousa to go with him to a “concert” where some of Sousa’s songs will be performed. In fact, it is a rowdy music hall, where Willie’s girlfriend, Lily Becker (Debra Paget), is one of the performers. When the police raid the place for indecency (by 1890s standards), the trio barely manage to get away. Willie and Lily immediately begin to fit right in, eventually becoming an extension of the Sousa family.

Sousa forms his band and selects only the finest musicians from around the world. He firmly discourages the married men in the band from bringing their wives along on tour. However, Willie and Lily are deeply in love and are secretly married and tour together in the new band. Late one night, Sousa is shocked when he spots Willie sneaking into Lily’s train compartment. Sousa’s wife has to let him in on their secret.

Sousa’s contract to perform at the Atlanta, Georgia Cotton States and International Exposition in 1895 is canceled by Colonel Randolph (Finlay Currie) because both previous bands proved to be unpopular at the exposition. Sousa heads south anyway. His musicians strike up “Dixie” as the band marches onto the exposition grounds, putting the large crowd in a jubilant, receptive mood. The playlist for Sousa’s twice-daily concerts is announced, and it includes “Dixie”, to be played as often as possible and for all encores. Sousa and his band are heartily welcomed to the Atlanta exposition.

Sousa and his band tour the world, and he is honored with medals by the crowned heads of Europe. When the USS Maine is sunk by an explosion in Havana harbor, precipitating the Spanish–American War, both Willie and Sousa reenlist in the Marine Corps. However, Sousa is kept out of the actual fighting and instead is forced to go on a sea voyage to recover from a bout of typhoid fever. At sea, he begins a new march inspired by the war.

During the rehearsal of Sousa’s new operetta El Capitan, starring Lily, the Sousas receive a letter from Willie in Cuba in which he reveals he was wounded in the knee (his lower left leg is later amputated). Following the end of the war, Willie returns home and recuperates at the Brooklyn Navy Yard Hospital. Willie and Lily attend a small weekly concert held at the hospital. As a surprise, the curtain opens and Sousa and his 50-piece band are revealed. Sousa calls upon Willie to rejoin them on his Sousaphone in a concert for the wounded veterans, their families, and the medical staff. Sousa announces that he has written a new march for all the veterans of the war and that this performance will be its debut.

The band launches into the film’s title march, as we move forward in time to the present day. Battalions of uniformed U.S. Marines march in formation to the martial music. In modern Washington D.C., the ghostly spirit of Sousa leads the United States Marine Band while they perform “The Stars and Stripes Forever” to its rousing conclusion.

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42 Replies to “Stars.And.Stripes.Forever.1952”

  7. Loved the movie but I found one thing puzzling.

    Sousa composed Semper Fidelis as a slow ballad yet at the Presidents reception plays it at a fast tempo. The disapproving glare he gives his wife would infer that she had a hand in changing the beat although it can't have been a surprise as he plays it in response to the Presidents wish for a faster number. Still the reason for the change is not explained in the movie.

    It is also made clear that Sousa did not wish for Semper Fedelis to be played as a march yet the US Marines have done so since its composition.

  10. I enjoyed this movie the many times I have watched it. I use to play the Accordian and competed one time playing "The Stars and Stripes Forever" of course I got 1st place in my category I competed in.

  12. ….GREAT MOVIE…IN THE DAYS WHEN AMERICA WAS AMERICA….MY ANCESTOR CAME TO AMERICA IN 1639 ON THE SUSAN AND ELLEN SAILING SHIP FROM ESSEX UK..TO BUILD AMERICA…THEY WOULD BE SICK TO SEE AMERICA NOW…!!

  20. The scene where JPS and his band perform at the Dancing Masters Convention in the Hotel Commodore ballroom is a nice nod to Clifton Webb. Sousa asks his wife to dance with him for the occasion. Clifton Webb had been a professional ballroom dancer early in his life prior to becoming an actor.

  23. The biggest historical liberty this film took was saying that Sousa was at sea due to an epidemic. In real life he had cut short a European vacation after learning that his manager David Blakely had died, and was returning home to handle the arrangements for an upcoming tour. He wrote "Stars and Stripes Forever" during the voyage.

  24. I am overjoyed to have finally found this again!!! Clifton Webb is one of my favorite actors. Check him out in the film Laura with Dana Andrews. Great B/W Film "Noir" mystery. ❤

  29. Xi watch this gem at least once a week. I just love it. Clifton Webb is amazing and Ruth Hussey is the greatest actress. Debra Paget. Is a terrific. Actress who just happens to be extra ordinarily hot. She started showing her hotness in this movie singing Fathers got em. She was also hot playing Lilia in Dr ills TEN Commandments. I always wished I could have broken a few with her!

  35. NOTICE: IN THE LAST MINUTES OF THIS MOVIE, THE SOLDIERS ARE MARCHING AND THE BANDS ARE PLAYING, YOU DO NOT SEE WOMEN IN THERE ANYWHERE. WOMEN IS A FASHION STATEMENT OF WEAKNESS. WOMEN DO NOT BELONG IN THE ARMY, POLICE FORCE, OR ANYWHERE ELSE THAT IS A MANS WORK. THE MILITARY WAS MY LIFE. BEHIND ENEMY LINES, YOU WOULD NEVER FIND A SNIVELING WOMAN IN MY UNIT.

  36. IM 80 YEARS OLD NOW, LOVED THIS SONG AND THIS MOVIE MY WHOLE LIFE. I SERVED BEHIND ENEMY LINES FOR 60 YEARS FIGHTING THE COMMUNISTS. I WAS A PRISONER OF WAR FOR 13 YEARS, HELD IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT, BEING BEATEN, TORTURED, STARVED AND ABANDONED BY EVERYONE UNTIL I WAS DYING. I WISH I COULD GO BACK TO 1944, AND TELL TRUMAN THAT IT IS HIS FAULT THAT THE WORLD IS THE WAY IT IS NOW. HE SHOULD HAVE LET PATTON WITH HIS 3RD. ARMY ROLL INTO RUSSIA AND STOP COMMUNISM RIGHT THERE AND THEN. THEN ROLL INTO CHINA AND STOP THEM, OR HE SHOULD HAVE USED MORE ATOMIC BOMBS ON RUSSIA, CHINA AND THE MUSLIM CONFEDERATION. WE WOULD NOT BE IN THE MESS WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW WITH A THERMONUCLEAR BREATHING DOWN OUR NECKS AT ANY SECOND.

  37. I remember as a kid the part where the letter from Cuba is written. I had a chance later in life to go to the spot where that battle was. Funny this film was the first time I learned of the Marines in Cuba, then getting to go to the sight of the well.

  40. I love this movie so much. When I was a kid in early primary school, (..I'm talking back in the early seventies. Also, I'm an Australian) as part of our activities, we used to do marching ..and I loved those tunes so much. Those tunes with us kids marching to them left me with such great memories because it felt so uplifting. I never knew back then what I know now. Turns out, we were actually marching to John Philp Sousa's marches. xo

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