Swanee River (film)

Swanee River is a 1939 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 biographical films of the time, the movie was more fictional than it was factual.

Soon, the song is sweeping the country, and Stephen follows it with De Camptown Races and goes on tour with Christys troup, called Christys Minstrels. Solvent at last, Stephen marries Jane McDowell Leeds, and a daughter Marion is born to them. Inspired by his wifes beauty, Stephen writes Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair.However, Stephens prosperity ends when his classical music fails and the advent of the Civil War brands his music as traitorous. When he turns to drinking, Jane leaves him, but two years later she returns to encourage him to write Old Folks at Home. Stephen never hears the composition performed, however for on the night that Christy presents the song to a New York audience, the composer dies of a heart attack. ........

Source: Wikipedia