Is the title in reference to the fact that the Melvyn Douglas character remembers his son played by Gene Hackman once sang for him as a boy but actually that never happened? Or, the Hackman character remembers his father as having asked him to sing but he didn't?
shareHere's that bit of dialogue (I hope it's OK to quote this) -
TOM: I remember your mother would sit at the piano, hour after hour, and I'd be up here at my desk, and I'd hear you singing.
GENE: You always asked me to sing "When I grow too old to dream".
TOM: Did I?...I don't remember your ever singing that...you always seemed to be just finishing when I came into the room. (looks at Gene)
Did you used to sing that for me?
GENE: (not a joke any more) No...But you always asked me to sing it for you.
TOM: Oh...Well I enjoyed sitting up here and listening.
I guess Gene enjoyed singing with/for his mother, but was reluctant to let his father close in on the act for fear of criticism. One suspects he would stop when his father came into the room. Easier to avoid potential confrontation.
A nice metaphor for the pain of the relationship between these two men.
“Instant gratification takes too long.”
The song has a long and distinguished history. Found this on www.lyricsplayground.com :
WHEN I GROW TOO OLD TO DREAM
From the film "The Night Is Young" (1935)
(Sigmund Romberg / Oscar Hammerstein II)
Evelyn Laye (Film Soundtrack) - 1935
Glen Gray & The Casa Loma Orch. (vocal: Kenny Sargent) - 1935
Nelson Eddy - 1935
Irene Dunne - 1935
Rose Murphy - 1947
Nat King Cole - 1956
Della Reese - 1956
George Hamilton IV - 1958
David Whitfield - 1959
Joni James - 1960
Dinah Shore - 1960
Doris Day - 1961
Dakota Staton - 1961
The Everly Brothers - 1961
Julie London - 1967
Hank Locklin - 1969
Also recorded by: The Cliff Adams Singers; Monty Alexander;
Louis Armstrong; Leslie baker; Emile Barnes; Sweet Emma Barrett;
Sidney Bechet; Dave Brubeck; Albert Burbank; Mel Carter;
The Cats & the Fiddle; Carmen Cavallaro; Doc Cheatham;
Arnet Cobb; King Cole Trio; Al Cooper; Phil Coulter;
Putney Dandridge; Dennis Day; Jimmy Dean; Peter Ecklund;
Roy Eldridge; Percy Faith; Robert Farnon; Gracie Fields;
Howard Fishman Quartet; The Four Lads; The Fureys; Les Gigolos;
Dizzy Gillespie; Benny Goodman; Jerry Hadley; Patrick Halcox;
Dick Haymes; Etta Jones; Louis Jordan; Dorothy Kirsten;
Diana Krall; Jeanette MacDonald; Carl Mann; Helen Merrill;
Miki & Griff; Charlie Parker; Joan Regan; Cliff Richard;
Linda Ronstadt; Jackie Ryan; Jo Stafford; Dame Kiri Te Kanawa;
Arthur Tracy; Slim Whitman; ..... and others.
We have been gay, going our way
Life has been beautiful, we have been young
After you've gone, life will go on
Like an old song we have sung
When I grow too old to dream
I'll have you to remember.
When I grow too old to dream
Your love will live in my heart.
So, kiss me my sweet,
And so let us part.
And when I grow too old to dream
That kiss will live in my heart,
And when I grow too old to dream
That kiss will live in my heart
(Orchestral Interlude)
So, kiss me my sweet,
And so let us part.
And when I grow too old to dream
That kiss will live in my heart
(Contributed by Bill Huntley - December 2004)
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It would have been a curious song for a father to want to hear from his son, or for a son to want to sing it for his dad, even in the 1940s.
"It would have been a curious song for a father to want to hear from his son, or for a son to want to sing it for his dad, even in the 1940s."
I agree. Maybe it's just a really pretty song his father liked, and Gene had a good voice, so he wanted to hear it.
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"It would have been a curious song for a father to want to hear from his son, or for a son to want to sing it for his dad, even in the 1940s."
"I agree. Maybe it's just a really pretty song his father liked, and Gene had a good voice, so he wanted to hear it."
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The first quote misses the point. The second quote is closer to the point.
That was an old tune that everyone knew by the 1940s. It's a memory song. To hear it sung is not the same as having it sung 'to you' or about a relationship the listener might have with the singer. It's just about hearing a sweet, nostalgic song that touches many people.
If you asked Sinatra to sing it to you (had you had the chance), it would not have implied that you and Frank were an item. :)
My Dad died last night so I am thinking about stuff like this.
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Thanks.
Hard to tell b/c I have not seen the film. I hope so.
I think I'll let this film go unssen for a while more.