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Reviews
Heart & Soul: The Life and Music of Frank Loesser (2006)
"Heart & Soul" Goes Straight to the Heart of a Frank Loesser Fan
Frank Loesser has always been one of my favorite Broadway songwriters. Think "Guys & Dolls" and you'll probably agree. This excellent documentary interweaves the highlights of his life story with the trajectory of his artistic career (from Tin Pan Alley tune smith to Hollywood lyricist to Broadway composer). The interviews with Loesser's contemporaries from Broadway and Hollywood - including several who have now passed away - were entertaining and insightful. The performance clips of his songs from stage and screen are a lot of fun. I learned several things about Frank that I didn't know: "Baby It's Cold Outside" was written for Frank and his wife, Lynne, to perform at parties! Frank once slapped the leading lady of "Guys & Dolls" because she wasn't singing a song the way he wanted. He mentored an entire next generation of songwriters - some of whom (Richard Adler, Robert Wright, Jerry Herman) comment in the film. I highly recommend this passionate, tune-filled documentary about one of America's greatest.