Till the Clouds Roll By (1946)

In the heartwarming and captivating film Till the Clouds Roll By, the life of the remarkable composer Jerome Kern (Robert Walker) is laid bare. As his most elaborate Broadway masterpiece "Show Boat" garners acclaim, Kern takes a nostalgic journey back through his life, sharing his tale with his chauffeur. His life, filled with music, friendship, love, and near-death experiences, paints a vibrant picture of a man devoted to his art. Kern's life is marked by his enduring friendship with James I. Hessler (Van Heflin), a talented arranger who helped him refine his skills. Amidst the glitz and glamour of the Broadway scene, they navigated through the challenges of the time, including the dominance of English music halls revues. Their bond deepens, even as Hessler seeks to shift from arranging to composing serious music. Kern's journey then takes him across the ocean to England, where he finds the recognition that eluded him in the U.S. It is here that he encounters the charming country lass Eva Leale (Dorothy Patrick), who would eventually become Mrs. Kern. Their love story is as enchanting as his music, lending a romantic undertone to his life's symphony. Amidst these tales of friendship and love, Kern also recounts a brush with death, narrowly escaping the doomed voyage of the Lusitania. His bond with Hessler's daughter, Sally Hessler (Lucille Bremer), adds another layer to his complex life, as her dreams of Broadway stardom cause a rift between them. The movie culminates with the creation of "Show Boat" alongside lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II (Paul Langton). With the advent of talking pictures, Kern's music - both his timeless classics and new compositions - find a larger audience, bringing his melodies to the heart of Hollywood. Till the Clouds Roll By is an entrancing exploration of Kern's life, a testament to his talent, tenacity, and enduring legacy in the world of music.

Till the Clouds Roll By is a music movie featuring June Allyson and directed by Richard Whorf.

Till the Clouds Roll By is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Cineverse, Crackle, DistroTV, Kanopy, Plex, Plex Player, Pluto TV, Public Domain Movies, The Film Detective, The Roku Channel and Tubi TV and it's also available on Amazon Prime Video, Fandor Amazon Channel, FilmBox+, FlixFling, IndieFlix, MGM Plus Amazon Channel, Paramount Plus Apple TV Channel , Pure Flix and fuboTV.

It is also possible to buy Till the Clouds Roll By on Amazon Video, Apple TV, DIRECTV and FlixFling.