Re: What's your favorite Lanza film?

[Joseph Fagan]

Serenade, while badly in need of both shortening and editing, was Lanza's best film IMO. In spite of his overweight, his acting was quite good and his singing ( as well as choice of works) was excellent. Some parts of the film were bewildering , such as no detail or build up on his infatuation with Joan Fontaine.......and his very last note of the movie in the song Serenade seemed very strained and a bit overdone. So, I rank Serenade No1, a tad better than the GC.....and the 7 Hills at the bottom of the list. But, just imagine if a thin, happy Mario had done the Student Prince!

 

Joe

On Thu, Jan 20, 2011 at 9:37 AM, Derek McGovern <derek.m...@gmail.com> wrote:

I thought I'd throw this question into the ring for a bit of fun. It's desert island time, folks, and you can only take one Lanza film with you. So what's it going to be? Don't forget to explain why you've chosen it!

And while you're mulling over your choice, you may want to revisit this related thread.

Have fun!

[Heidi]

I think I will take TONO with me.It is a funny one , I love Uncle Nicky`s behavior and especially the part when Mario is singing and dancing the TINA LINA, also  Mario as Pinkerton, running to catch his Butterfly, just amasing, and for me the best for the desert island.

Heidi

[norma]

I also love TONO for the sense of joy ,romance and exhuberant
singing.The singing from Madama Butterfly is exquisite.

On Jan 21, 9:55 pm, Heidi <neig...@t-online.de> wrote:
> I think I will take TONO with me.It is a funny one , I love Uncle Nicky`s
> behavior and especially the part when Mario is singing and dancing the TINA
> LINA, also  Mario as Pinkerton, running to catch his Butterfly, just
> amasing, and for me the best for the desert island.
> Heidi
>
>
>
> On Thursday, January 20, 2011 3:37:07 PM UTC+1, Derek McGovern wrote:
> > I thought I'd throw this question into the ring for a bit of fun. It's
> > desert island time, folks, and you can only take one Lanza film with you. So

> > what's it going to be? Don't forget to explain *why *you've chosen it!

>
> > And while you're mulling over your choice, you may want to revisit this

> > related thread<https://groups.google.com/d/topic/mariolanza/ffKeims0-wI/discussion>
> > .
>
> > Have fun!- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Derek McGovern]

The Toast of New Orleans certainly pops up a lot in discussions of favourite Lanza films, and I can understand why. It's loads of fun and very smoothly put together. Norman Taurog knew what he was doing! I love the fact that Lanza gets to reveal his flair for comedy here, and of course Naish is just brilliant. There's a great rapport between the two scalliwags here :) And David Niven gives the whole thing a touch of class. 

My only gripe: the musical content. Mario's in fine voice throughout, but for my money nothing stands out -- and that includes the Butterfly scene (sorry, Norma!), which although great fun to watch isn't nearly as enjoyable to listen to. But as a film? I agree that Toast is one of the highlights of Lanza's movie career.  

Cheers

Derek

[Vincent Di Placido]

I am conflicted on this topic... For voice & singing you have to go with "Serenade" & "The Great Caruso". For Mario's charisma & screen presence I think "The Toast of New Orleans" shows him bubbling over with confidence & a genuine love & excitement for what he is doing that I don't think we ever truly saw again... What makes TONO suffer is MGM's attempt to have Cahn & Brodsky write a score, aside from "Be My Love" the rest of the songs are quite weak, I understand they were trying for broad popular appeal but some more quality songs & arias would have been fantatsic...

I find it hard to narrow it down past my final top 2 "The Great Caruso" & "Serenade"... "The Great Caruso" still has Mario with that glint in his eye before the stuffing was knocked out of him after 1952, he lost a bit of zest after that, even though he still did some marvelous work including possibly my favourite of all his projects the "Mario!" album. 

[gary from NS]

Hi all,

My two favourites in this topic, have always been T.G.C. and Serenade.As Vince says, the acting and the singing in both..indeed my feelings as well.
But my number one favourite, is The Great Caruso, because that film was my introduction to Mario, on the big screen.
I had heard his voice many times before on radio,and of course on my Dad's Lanza albums.
Well, when I saw him I was but a lad, and I was immediately spell bound.Here was the man whose voice I knew and loved,appearing on screen, as a handsome,totally charismatic person.I instantly knew he was a very special person.  

Cheers
Gary

[Derek McGovern]

While you're all mulling over your choices, I thought I'd share a couple of publicity stills that I like from films at opposite ends of Mario's movie career: That Midnight Kiss and For the First Time: 

[Derek McGovern]

I've been staying with my parents in New Zealand these last twelve days (am heading back to Korea tomorrow, though), and during this time we've watched most of Lanza's films. It's been especially interesting hearing my mother's take on these movies, as unlike my father she's only a casual Lanza admirer.

 

Her favourite Lanza film: Serenade -- and by a country mile. She loved the dialogue, the acting (including Mario's), and the superior musical selections. Of course, it helped that Kathryn Grayson wasn't in it :) My mother finds old Katie even more grating than I do -- and that's saying something!

 

Serenade would have to be my choice as well, though I am painfully aware of its silly moments as well as its omissions, and would love to have access to all its discarded scenes just so I could re-edit it into a more coherent film. There are some truly wasted opportunities in this movie.

 

The Great Caruso remains my first choice, though -- purely as an introduction to Lanza. As Armando wrote in his book, Serenade is more a film for operatic connoiseurs ( not to mention 50s melodramas). I realize that, sadly, not everyone appreciates the magnificence of Mario's Otello Monologue or "O Paradiso" on first hearing. And as a representation of Lanza's personality and charisma, The Great Caruso has to be the perfect starting point. Having said that, Toast of New Orleans comes perilously close at times, and it is very well put together. If only the musical selections in that film were better! (As Vince wrote earlier in this thread, it was a bad idea to get Brodszky and Cahn to attempt a musical score.)

 

Cheers

Derek

 

[Tony Partington]

Oh Derek, I find this such a hard question to answer. As you say, such
rich material in SERENADE but I'm with you, it needs to be re-edited
into a much more cohesive and flowing story. The point that Vince made
about the score issue with TONO is a good one, for example I have
never liked the song "I'll Never Love You." It seems to me gratuitous
and simply a piece added for the dining lesson scene. In truth though
is at best mediocre and there's not much more one can say about it.
THE GREAT CARUSO stands apart for so many reasons and I guess if I had
to pick a favorite it would be that. Derek, as you've pointed out,
Mario's acting as well as his singing is so very strong and I think
his supporting cast is perhaps the best he ever had. As I say though,
it's a hard decision as there are wonderful moments and certain
strengths in just about all of Lanza's film. By the way Derek, I love
your comments about your mom's feelings about Kathryn Grayson. When I
read them to my wife she howled!

Safe travels back to Korea. Ciao - Tony

On Feb 18, 4:19 am, Derek McGovern <derek.mcgov...@gmail.com> wrote:
> I've been staying with my parents in New Zealand these last twelve days (am
> heading back to Korea tomorrow, though), and during this time we've watched
> most of Lanza's films. It's been especially interesting hearing my mother's
> take on these movies, as unlike my father she's only a casual Lanza admirer.
>

> Her favourite Lanza film: *Serenade* -- and by a country mile. She loved the

> dialogue, the acting (including Mario's), and the superior musical
> selections. Of course, it helped that Kathryn Grayson wasn't in it :) My
> mother finds old Katie even more grating than I do -- and that's saying
> something!
>

> *Serenade *would have to be my choice as well, though I am painfully aware
> of its silly moments as well as its omissions, and would *love* to have

> access to all its discarded scenes just so I could re-edit it into a more
> coherent film. There are some truly wasted opportunities in this movie.
>

> *The Great Caruso* remains my first choice, though -- purely as an
> introduction to Lanza. As Armando wrote in his book<http://www.amazon.com/Mario-Lanza-American-Tragedy-Voices/dp/18809096...>,
> *Serenade* is more a film for operatic connoiseurs ( not to mention

> 50s melodramas). I realize that, sadly, not everyone appreciates the

> magnificence of Mario's *Otello* Monologue or "O Paradiso" on first
> hearing. And as a representation of Lanza's personality and charisma, *The
> Great Caruso* has to be the perfect starting point. Having said that, *Toast
> of New Orleans* comes perilously close at times, and it is very well put

[Michael McAdam]

To be brief (as is not my wont ;-)) I would have to go with Caruso and Serenade also. Toast of New Orleans isn't far behind though. Likewise, For the First Time (I imagine his last film was titled Come Prima in Italy?)

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Tony: I'm not keen on "I'll Never Love You" either, though Mario does do as much with it as he can. It's a shame that (for plot purposes) such a mediocre song had to be sung twice in Toast. Mind you, it's a somewhat better composition than Boom Biddy Boom Boom :)

Lanza's in good robust voice in Toast, but the only real vocal highlights for me are "Be My Love" (the first version), the "Bayou Lullaby," "Libiamo," and the Butterfly Duet (not anywhere near the same class as the Hollywood Bowl version, but exciting nonetheless). And even then, all of these are marred by Kathryn's warbling and screeching. What a difference between this film's musical soundtrack and the next!

Incidentally, the notoriously hard-to-please film critic Pauline Kael once wrote a ridiculously unfair review of Toast of New Orleans, describing it as "inexecrable" (i.e., too abominable for words). If she hated this film, it's just as well she never reviewed Seven Hills of Rome! 

Hi Mike: As you know, I'm fond of For the First Time too, though I wish the script could have been better. Great singing (and selections), fine co-stars....it's just the corny dialogue and plot resolution that let it down. Now and again, though, it does have the odd pearl (as we've discussed here).

Yes, it was called Come Prima in Italy -- and "Primavera" in Greece (wonder if that means "Spring," as in Italian?). Curiously enough, it was released under two completely different titles in Germany (where it was released in late February 1959 -- a whole six months before its US premiere): as "Serenade einer großen Liebe" (Serenade for a Great Love) and (later, I think) as "Der Sänger von Capri" (The Singer from Capri). I still feel, though, that the original working title, "Silent Melody," would have been the best one.

By the way, don't forget to check out our revised Films of Mario Lanza page:

http://www.mariolanzatenor.com/films-of-mario-lanza.html

Cheers

Derek

[leeann]

Well, I think it's clear that this desert island move for most people requires an electronic device that stores multiple films. It seems hard to pick just one.  Of course, it also seems hard to find viewable copies of the films that haven't been put on DVD yet--as Derek points out in the Films of Mario Lanza essay, and I am not sure what Serenade would look like without bars of static on on the VHS tape, for example. Truthfully, I find each of the Lanza films delightful, each has its moments, and Lanza outshines the feeble scripts or hackneyed plot lines, I think.

Serenade tends to make me want to mount a soapbox and speechmake. It seems such a departure for Lanza--Damon certainly is written as a more complex character than his previous leading roles and scripts. And oh, the music it gave us!

But among those who study the films of Anthony Mann, this film becomes the write-off, the anomaly,  or the just-plain bad apple in Mann's fascinating film career. Somehow, it seems as if Mann broke no new ground with the creative perspective he brought to most of his other ventures--Winchester 73, The Far Country, and later Cimarron and El Cid, just to name a few. It seems as if Mann simply appliqued directorial techniques that had worked in earlier films of a somewhat different genre onto this movie, which in fact, given the blend of a hero undergoing profound personal and psychological changes--Mann was an expert at filming this perspective--augmented by the superb Lanza voice--probably should have offered him new creative opportunities. He just didn't take them, I think, even though it's true, as a progenitor of the film noir, he seemed a likely director of the adaptation of the James Cain novel.  Unless it's all on that cutting room floor

The Lanza and the Press section of the website includes some interesting reviews of the various movies. I have to smile at the  review of That Midnight Kiss by Edwin Schallert who concludes that Lanza's voice still needs polish in the operatic arias, BUT, "The singing of Miss Grayson is especially noteworthy in this picture." Well, he doesn't define noteworthy, and it would seem we have taken note of it here. :-).  And there's a light little PR article (fourth from the end) about the filming of Serenade--although comments about  Lanza's weight and tourist dysentery complaints seem a bit gratuitous and dated.  Best, Lee Ann

[Barnabas Nemeth]

What is sure in my mind that the Seven Hills of Rome was by far the weakest one. Musically I prefer the Serenade, but as a film, appearence, playing and music as a whole are concerned the Great Caruso is unbeatable for me. I've got all the eight movies on DVD and some on laser disc as well.

 

Cheers,

 

Barnabas

[Derek McGovern]

Just to clarify: this is is the thread that we'd like you to post your comments on after you've voted for your favorite Lanza movie here.

[JOE]

Hi All, I had previously posted my vote earlier in this thread and my review of the recent DVD release of Serenade just reinforces IT as my first choice, followed by a close second choice of the GC. "7 Hills" I did not care for period.

 

 NOW, to get to my question: Why did you exclude the Student Prince from the poll? ( Lanza did not appear however his sound track was flawless;  was it not?. Was this a deliberate omission? No big deal, just curious.....Joe

[Derek McGovern]

Hi Joe: I excluded The Student Prince from the poll for the simple reason that Lanza wasn't in it. If you go back and read the intro, you'll see that I've restricted it to the movies that he "appeared in."

I think it would muddy the waters too much to include The Student Prince in a Lanza film poll. Film is primarily a visual medium, after all!

Cheers
Derek

[Derek McGovern]

Well, so far on our online poll The Great Caruso is voters' favourite Lanza movie, though at only 39.13%, Serenade is breathing down its neck (30.43%), followed by The Toast of New Orleans (21.74%), and with For the First Time a distant fourth (8.7%). Do take the time to vote, and by all means pop back here to say why you voted for that particular film.

I wonder if anyone will choose Because You're Mine as their favourite? Since the DVD came out, I've come to appreciate it, and I certainly prefer it vocally to The Toast of New Orleans.

[norma]

Dear Derek,

I chose The Toast of New Orleans as my favourite because it was the first Mario film that I saw.It also is a very happy and romantic film.To me,a novice musically the Madam Butterfly singing thrilled me to the core.As well as seeming happy and confident Mario showed his comedy side.

 

                                                                                                                                All the best Norma

[Steff]

Hi Derek,

 

I am not quite surprised regarding "BYM" ...

I watched this film only once and to be hones,t the plot (American army life) simply does not attract me.

Apart from that, it's the only film that I have difficulties to follow the conversation in English language (a very personal problem, I know!). The dialogues are very fast spoken - just so very different to all the other Lanza films.

Luckily, I got in contact with someone from Vienna who soon will make me all of Mario's films available in German language, also BYM, so maybe I will revise my opinion re this film in a few weeks.

Steff

 

[Barnabas Nemeth]

Dear All,

I basicly agree with the order, but for me the Seven Hills of Rome is by far the least succesfull movie of ML. Tastes are different.

Barnabas

2012/4/19 Steff <Stefanie....@t-online.de>

[Joseph Fagan]

I feel BYM is actually not a bad flick , at all. I know Mario very much disliked it.....but.... It is a good "primer" for a potential Lanza "convert" to see (TGC may be too operatic for this). It does contain some great singing and several good musical choices. While Lanza's weight varied a lot during the film, he nevertheless looked healthy and handsome in all the scenes. There are several non-musical things that always bothered me however. One of these is the airplanes that "flew over" the military parade. Could the producers do a little better than some Piper Cubs for planes? (Jets were quite common even then). Not only that, they were not even in good formation. I know, a small point, but it did cheapen the movie for me. Also, Mario should have worn a helmet during guard duty, not a helmet LINER. Again, a small point that few probably noticed or cared about. BUT it WAS great singing!

[leeann]

I honestly don't think I've voted in this poll. Lanza's movies are confusing because, broadly speaking, some of them aren't so great (Seven Hills); some are not all they could've been (Serenade); and others are almost iconic representations of film-making at the time they were released. I'd put That Midnight Kiss in that category, and yes, Because You're Mine.

To be really wishy-washy, I kind of like them all, or at least significant parts of them, and for different reasons. Each has great moments, and regardless of the quality of the film, in each, Lanza's charisma in some way--even if fleetingly during some scenes-- transcends weak scripts or poor directing or whatever problems of quality exist. And he sings.

Steff, I hadn't thought of the challenges of the setting and plot of the film to non-American audiences!  Although, I think the US Army might want to issue a disclaimer that any resemblance to REAL Army life is totally coincidental and accidental--as Joe points out in a few instances!

Basically, though, I think this is a tight little comedy, and it's so much fun.  James Whitmore is hysterical, the Whitmore-Lanza dynamic is palpable, the script holds together, and it's pretty typical of other 1952 comedies. At first, Doretta Morrow seemed a little stiff (maybe it's the hair?) and her acting maybe more suited to a theatrical performance than to movies, but she grew on me as the movie unfolded.

But there is something about it that's different from the three earlier films. Somehow, he seems just a little bit less Mario Lanza and a little bit more like the creation of Hollywood--there's something just a bit more formulaic here, and I don't know what it is. (It's not the script any more than in earlier films.) Perhaps I'm just projecting because we've been told the backstory of how Lanza felt about this movie and where it fit in his career, and it's hard to evaluate the film independently rather than as part of a continuum. Leeann

 

[Joseph Fagan]

Speaking of movies, LeeAnn, I continue to believe that the sequence of mario's movies had a large influence on his life and career. Specifically, I think he ,and the world, would have been better served if he had made TGC much later in his career and the SP much earlier. I have posted about this before so I wont beat the point to death ( plus I may be alone in this thinking). I enjoyed all his movies except for 7 Hills which I felt was a bomb!

[Derek McGovern]

Just in case anyone's confused as to what post Steff is replying to above: it was a (now-deleted) message of mine. I removed it after it caused all manner of formatting problems due to the screen shot I'd enclosed inside the post.

But here's what I wrote:

I just took a look at our "Favourite Lanza Movie" poll, and I was quite surprised to see that the least popular film among those who have voted is Because You're Mine (see below*).

How curious! Over the years, I've revised my opinion of this film (for the better), and I've found myself returning to it more often than, say, The Toast of New Orleans (which I see is currently the third most popular movie). Musically, it has a lot more substance than Toast, the script is actually quite witty at times, and I like the supporting cast---especially the wonderful James Whitmore. Mario gives a very consistent performance too.

I'd also have to acknowledge that, purely as a film, it's better constructed than For the First Time. But I do have a real soft spot for Lanza's last film, which features some outstanding singing, a lovely cast, and some very touching scenes.

Cheers
Derek

*(Votes as of 21 April)

That Midnight Kiss  3.13%
The Toast of New Orleans  18.75%
The Great Caruso  29.69%
Because You're Mine  1.56%
Serenade  32.81%
Seven Hills of Rome  3.13%
For the First Time  10.94%

[Derek McGovern]

I see that The Great Caruso is currently the most popular Lanza movie on our film poll, having overtaken Serenade (at 30% to the latter's 27.5%). No real surprises there, though it's interesting to see that while Toast of New Orleans remains the third most popular film at an unchanged 18.75%, fourth-placed For the First Time has shot up from 10.94% five months ago to 15%. I guess the recent DVD release has led some people to re-evaluate their opinion of the film, and I certainly feel that it's one of Lanza better screen vehicles, as critic Howard Thompson wrote back in 1959.

Purely as a film, though, I actually feel that The Toast of New Orleans is the most polished of all Mario's movies. The whole thing ticks along very nicely---it has a good narrative rhythm---the script is fun, the cast is great (well, except for Kathryn Grayson's irritating pouting and her resonance-challenged singing), and there's never a moment in which Lanza's acting could be criticized. The Great Caruso, dramatically at least, is pretty flat---but of course musically it's far superior to Toast. 

Serenade still remains my favourite Lanza film, though---there's just so much meat in it---with For the First Time and The Great Caruso not too far behind. The proof of the pudding for me is that they're the three Lanza films I return to most often. 

Anyone else care to share their favourite three Lanza films with the forum?     

[Derek McGovern]

I thought I'd throw this question into the ring for a bit of fun. It's desert island time, folks, and you can only take one Lanza film with you. So what's it going to be? Don't forget to explain why you've chosen it!

And while you're mulling over your choice, you may want to revisit this related thread.

Have fun!

[Barnabas Nemeth]

Musically the Serenade by far the best in my view. The main problem is that M's appearence is extremely fluctuating, and his play is somewhere exaggerated. His play is the most natural in the Toast and Caruso. The weakest movie musically and any other way is the SHR. If I should select an order of sequence, I would choose the GC, S, TON, FFT, TMK, BYM, SHR....Barnabas

[Derek McGovern]

Owing to a technical glitch at the hosting site, our "Vote for your favorite Lanza film" poll had to be restarted last year, so if you haven't recast your vote, please do:

https://www.mariolanzatenor.com/name-your-favorite-lanza-movie.html

I find it bizarre that the slipshod Seven Hills of Rome, which is currently at 3.7%, is more popular than the objectively far better made That Midnight Kiss, which has so far received no votes!

  

[Palmarola2012]

Derek, perhaps my favorite film, after the Great Caruso, is Because Your Mine.  I understood from Mario's bios that he did not want to do it but I believe his acting was good and his voice was first class.  This is a movie worth watching again to study more about Lanza's many talents.

[Derek McGovern]

Ciao Emilio: I agree with you about Mario's acting in Because You're Mine---in fact, rewatching the film a few years back after a long absence made me realize how good he could have been in romantic comedy, even without the voice. 

I think Ludwig Donath (Alfredo in The Great Caruso) was spot on when he spoke of Mario possessing the warmth that an actor needs to connect with an audience. (Donath spent a lot of time helping him with his acting on the set of The Great Caruso.) And while he acknowledged that Mario still had a lot to learn as an actor, "I didn't have to teach him gestures or instinctive things about acting; he had these things." (Donath's reminiscences are discussed on pages 117-118 of Armando's book.)

There's no doubt in my mind that Lanza's most even performances as an actor are in his first four films, though he had impressive moments in his last three movies as well (particularly in Serenade). In fact, it's amazing how good he is, even in his first film, for someone who had never studied acting before and was suddenly working alongside seasoned professionals. I think he deserves more credit and less scoffing for his acting, especially when one thinks of some of the banal dialogue he had to deliver in his films---which, frankly, would have tested even a Brando or a Newman!

[Savage]

Toast of New Orleans , a very entertaining film. Love the tension between Grayson and Lanza.

[Victoria Bigelow]

The Great Caruso, even though it’s not great cinema and is mostly fictional. I also liked Serenade.

[Flo L]

Just finished all 7 films of his. My fave Lanza film has got to be The Toast of New Orleans. 

He looked slightly heavier, but he looked as adorable as ever. Also, the (love/hate) chemistry between Grayson and him is quite erotically-charged. I understand there are a number of you here who don't quite like her, but to me, she suits Mario physically rather well. 

The movie screams pure fun and innocence, including that crazy (as incongruous as it looked, it truly highlighted the love and hate relationship they had for each other !) chase scene at the end of the film ! 

[Norma Lynch]

I used to think Toast of New Orleans was my favourite  but since then I really love Mario in That Midnight Kiss with the out-take.In the last scene he is the slimmest he would ever be in a film.

Sent from my iPad

On 8 Feb 2019, at 08:12, Derek McGovern <derek.m...@gmail.com> wrote:

  

--

[aqui...@gmail.com]

To me the true Mario is the Mario of ‘The Toast of New Orleans’: boisterous, mischievous, passionate, joyful. My number 2 is ‘Serenade’.... The one I enjoy the least is ‘For the first time’, because in that movie you can see Mario is sick, and when the curtain is drawn at the end of the last aria, it really feels as it really the end...

[Ignacio Corsini]

I felt kind of the same so voted for the Toast ... may be it's not the best plot or cast but all the hope in his eyes, energy in voice and confident acting sure deserves it.