I Dream of Jeanie (1952) on Netflix

Plot summary

In 1849, 'Oh! Susanna' is a nationwide hit, but the bookkeeper who wrote it, Stephen Foster, has already let several music houses use his work without payment or credit. Inez McDowell, his refined true love, is a classically trained singer who scorns popular music and especially his songs. Edwin P. Christy, a minstrel performer, teaches Foster how the music business works and starts him on a career writing songs for the Christy Minstrels to perform in their shows. The film is based on Foster's songs and life, and its title comes from his song 'Jeanie with the Light Brown Hair,' written in 1854.