Song o’ My Heart

“The great Irish singer John McCormack (1884-1945) rivalled Caruso as one of the world’s best-known tenors. McCormack made his talking-picture debut [and had his only starring film role] in this Frank Borzage-directed drama about a once-famous concert singer, disappointed in love, who retires to his native village in the Irish countryside. The unexpected return of his former sweetheart (Alice Joyce) and her two children (Tommy Clifford and Maureen O’Sullivan in her American film debut) inspires him to resume his career. Song o’ My Heart was released as a talkie in English-speaking countries, while a special version with additional songs and silent intertitles instead of spoken dialogue was prepared for international release. This restoration includes the talking version in its entirety, followed by excerpts from the international version” (Charles Hopkins). “If McCormack singing ‘The Rose of Tralee’ doesn’t put you away, his ‘Little Boy Blue’ certainly will” (Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times). B&W, 35mm. 85 mins.