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Broadway Legend's Tragic Downfall: Lyricist Lorenz Hart's Final Days Revealed
15 Oct
Summary
- Lyricist Lorenz Hart watched his former partner Richard Rodgers' triumph with Oklahoma! in 1943
- Hart, a 5-foot-tall, balding, arthritic man, is portrayed by Ethan Hawke in the film
- Hart spends the night bitterly complaining and drinking at Sardi's restaurant
In October 2025, a new film titled Blue Moon sheds light on the tragic final days of legendary Broadway lyricist Lorenz Hart. The movie takes place in March 1943, just as Hart's former songwriting partner Richard Rodgers is celebrating the opening night of his hugely successful musical Oklahoma! on Broadway.
Hart, a 5-foot-tall, balding, and arthritic man, is portrayed by actor Ethan Hawke in the film. As Rodgers (played by Andrew Scott) and his collaborator Oscar Hammerstein II (Simon Delaney) bask in the glory of their triumph, Hart has shown up at Sardi's restaurant to drown his sorrows in a bottle of whiskey. Over the course of the evening, Hart bitterly complains to the bartender, yells out requests for his own songs, and alternately flatters and insults Rodgers and Hammerstein.
The film offers a glimpse into the downward spiral of this musical genius, who had a serious drinking problem that ultimately derailed his professional relationship with Rodgers. As Hart relives his glory days and the success that eluded him, the audience is left with a sense of tragedy and the realization that Hart's breezy tunes have been soundtracking one long, in-progress tragedy.
