Running time90 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishBox office$3 million (US rentals)Stars and Stripes Forever is a 1952 American of the late-19th-/early-20th-century composer and band leader. This was produced by, directed by, and stars,. The film's title is taken from Sousa's ', which has become the best known of his military marches.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 , is credited with inventing the 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 by Webb quoting Sousa's actual description of its creation while he was aboard ship recovering from. 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.

Directed by Henry Koster. With Clifton Webb, Robert Wagner, Debra Paget, Ruth Hussey. A film biography of the composer John Philip Sousa, from his early.

Contents.Plot In the 1890s, John Philip Sousa, the director of the, leaves the 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 and their three children. As a favor for his splendid service, he is allowed to take along Private Willie Little , 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, where Willie's girlfriend, Lily Becker , 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 in 1895 is canceled by Colonel Randolph because both previous bands proved to be unpopular at the exposition. Sousa heads south anyway. His musicians strike up ' 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.

When the is sunk by an explosion in harbor, precipitating the, 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, 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 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.Cast.

as. as Lily Becker.

as Willie Little. as Jennie Sousa. as Col.

Randolph. as Maj. Houston. as David Blakely (as Tom Browne Henry). as Mr. Pickering. as Maid.

as Secretary of Navy. Romo Vincent as Music Professor. Erne Verebes as Organ Grinder.

as Navy Nurse. Delos Jewkes as Bass Singer. Norman Leavitt as Purvis. Casey Adams as Narrator (uncredited)Reception , film critic for, wrote that 'This big, brassy Technicolored picture. Is, in substance, a rambling review of the musical triumphs of the famous bandmaster, whom Clifton Webb regally plays. And as such, it is much more rewarding in its thumpings and boomings of a rousing band than it is in its illuminations of personalities or plot'.At the film website, 84% of 273 users liked the film, giving it an average rating of 3.7/5.Music The ', a Sousa composition, may be heard during the White House scene in which the President is hounded by a senator about a postmaster appointment.

President sends a request for a more lively piece of music in order to speed up the reception line, and Sousa and his band strike up '. Both pieces were specifically written by Sousa for White House functions: the 'Presidential Polonaise' for indoor events, 'Semper Fidelis' for outdoor functions.During the 'El Capitan' rehearsal, while Sousa reads of Willie's woundingincident, two rarely heard lyrics can be heard: one to 'El Capitan', the march, and a Sousa ballad.In reality, 'The Stars and Stripes Forever' was first played publicly at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia on May 14, 1897, much earlier than the hospital concert depicted at the conclusion of the film.

Ninety years later, by a 1987 act of the, it was made the official National March of the.During the, which is played over the title credits, there are excerpts from many Sousa marches. The drum solo is a shortened version of the 'Semper Fidelis' solo.Home media Stars and Stripes Forever was released in 2011 on a combo Blu-ray and DVD 2-disc set from 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment.

It also contains two documentaries, 'From Our National March to the Silver Screen' and 'John Philip Sousa's Contribution to American Music'. Also included: the original theatrical trailer and selections from the film's, advertising, and galleries.References.

As a thoroughly appropriate companion piece to the elaborate and spectacular ice show that was put on exhibition at the refurbished Roxy Theatre last night, the management of that splashy showplace has tossed upon its screen the musical 'Stars and Stripes Forever' of Twentieth Century-Fox.This big, brassy Technicolored picture, which makes an extravagent bow to the 'march king,' John Philip Sousa, is, in substance, a rambling review of the musical triumphs of the famous bandmaster, whom Clifton Webb regally pays. And as such, it is much more rewarding in its thumpings and boomings of a rousing band than it is in its illuminations of personalities or plot.For the latter requirement, its offering is nothing more than a tale of a stuffy but good-natured gentleman who travels around the world with his band and is mildly bewildered by the innocent romancing of one of his horn players with a pretty girl who sings.

And out of this colorless gentleman, Mr. Webb is unable to project any more than a chinwhiskered dandy who makes tart wisecracks and looks down his nose through pince-nez specs.Nor are Robert Wagner and Debra Paget able to do much more with the kids who indulge in the harmless romancing than give them a handsome, wholesome look.

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And Ruth Hussey as Mrs. Sousa merely portrays the usual loving wife, understanding and amiably patient so far as her husband's indignations are concerned.But the program of Sousa marches generously spaced through the film is aurally and visually exciting, it being delivered by a dandy big brass band.