Swanee River 1939 DVD - Don Ameche / Andrea Leeds

Stephen Foster (Don Ameche) dreams of writing songs rather than working a mundane shipping clerk job in Cincinnati, despite his family's insistence and his prospective father-in-law's lack of faith. Determined to create "music from the heart of the simple people of the South," Stephen sells his composition "Oh! Susanna" to minstrel singer E. P. Christy, agreeing to let Christy take credit. The song becomes a nationwide sensation, followed by more hits like "De Camptown Races," leading Stephen to tour with Christy's Minstrels. With newfound financial stability, Stephen marries Jane McDowell (Andrea Leeds), and they have a daughter named Marion. Inspired by his wife's charm, he writes "Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair." However, his fortunes wane when his classical ambitions fail and the Civil War casts his music in a controversial light. Turning to alcohol, Stephen is left by Jane, but she returns after two years to inspire him to write the enduring "Old Folks at Home." Tragically, Stephen dies of a heart attack on the night his latest song is premiered in New York by Christy, never hearing his own composition performed. Cast: - Don Ameche - Andrea Leeds - Al Jolson - Felix Bressart Runtime: 84 minutes.