Swanee River
“The Story of Stephen C. Foster - The Great American Troubadour”
Synopsis
Swanee River is a 1940 American biopic about Stephen Foster, a songwriter from Pittsburgh who falls in love with the South, marries a Southern girl, then is accused of sympathizing when the Civil War breaks out. Typical of 20th Century Fox biopics of the time, the film is more fictional than factual biography.
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Don Ameche
Stephen Foster
Andrea Leeds
Jane McDowell Foster
Al Jolson
Edwin P. Christy
Felix Bressart
Henry Kleber
Chick Chandler
Bones
Russell Hicks
Andrew McDowell
Diane Fisher
Marion Foster
George P. Breakston
Ambrose
Nella Walker
Mrs. McDowell
Mae Marsh
Mrs. Jonathan Fry (uncredited)
George H. Reed
Old Joe, McDowell's Coachman
Richard Clarke
Tom Harper
Al Herman
Tambo
Charles Trowbridge
Mr. Foster
George Meeker
Henry Foster
Leona Roberts
Mrs. Foster
Charles Tannen
Morrison Foster
Clara Blandick
Mrs. Griffin
Release History & Theatrical Window
December 29, 1939
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Sidney Lanfield
- Screenplay & Story
- Philip Dunne, John Taintor Foote
- Original Score
- Louis Silvers
- Original Title
- Swanee River
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 24m
- Production Studios
- 20th Century Fox
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Sidney Lanfield
Philip Dunne, John Taintor Foote
Louis Silvers
Bert Glennon
Louis R. Loeffler
Darryl F. Zanuck
Department Leadership Roster
Sidney Lanfield
Director
Philip Dunne
Screenplay
Louis R. Loeffler
Editor
Darryl F. Zanuck
Producer
Royer
Costume Design
John Taintor Foote
Screenplay
Bert Glennon
Director of Photography
Louis Silvers
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
NR: Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Swanee River.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Swanee River.
War: American Civil War
Auto-filled from Letterboxd lists
list2
Musicals
Every film Wikidata tags as a musical film.
MovieLens[50K:]
Oscar Best Score Nominees
Complete list of Oscar Best Score Nominees
Seasonal: Oscar Season Picks
Auto-managed by seasonal classifier. Do not edit manually.
Similar Titles to Swanee River
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
4.5
8.0
5.8
7.9
6.9
7.4
8.0
5.9
6.0
7.5
6.8
7.6
8.0
7.5
7.2
6.9
6.5
7.6
10.0
More Like Swanee River
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About Swanee River
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Swanee River about?
Swanee River is a 1940 American biopic about Stephen Foster, a songwriter from Pittsburgh who falls in love with the South, marries a Southern girl, then is accused of sympathizing when the Civil War breaks out. Typical of 20th Century Fox biopics of the time, the film is more fictional than factual biography.
Who directed Swanee River?
Swanee River was directed by Sidney Lanfield.
Who stars in Swanee River?
The principal cast of Swanee River includes Don Ameche, Andrea Leeds, Al Jolson, Felix Bressart, Chick Chandler.
When was Swanee River released and how long is it?
Swanee River was released in 1939 with a total runtime of 1h 24m.
Who composed the musical score for Swanee River?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Swanee River was composed by Louis Silvers.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Swanee River?
Swanee River holds official age classifications: US: NR (Not Rated — Evaluated outside standard classification boards.).