A work in constant progress (and occasional regress).
Release Date:
December 29, 1939
Original Title:
The Great Victor Herbert
Genres:
Music | Romance
Production Companies:
Paramount
Production Countries:
United States of America
Ratings / Certifications:
US: NR
Runtime: 91
In his last film assignment, portly Walter Connolly fills the title role (in more ways than one) in The Great Victor Herbert. Very little of Herbert's life story is incorporated in the screenplay (a closing title actually apologizes for the film's paucity of cold hard facts); instead, the writers allow the famed composer's works to speak for themselves. In the tradition of one of his own operettas, Herbert spends most of his time patching up the shaky marriage between tenor John Ramsey (Allan Jones) and Louise Hall (Mary Martin). Many of Herbert's most famous compositions are well in evidence, including "Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life", "March of the Toys" and "Kiss Me Again", the latter performed con brio by teenaged coloratura Susanna Foster. Evidently, the producers were able to secure the film rights for the Herbert songs, but not for the stage productions in which they appeared, which may explain such bizarre interpolations as having a song from Naughty Marietta.
Art Direction:
Hans Dreier
Ernst Fegté
Costume Design:
Edith Head
Director:
Andrew L. Stone
Director of Photography:
Victor Milner
Editor:
James Smith
Executive Producer:
William LeBaron
Lyricist:
William LeBaron
Henry Martyn Blossom
Glen MacDonough
Buddy G. DeSylva
Harry B. Smith
Rida Johnson Young
Robert B. Smith
Music:
Arthur Lange
Phil Boutelje
Producer:
Andrew L. Stone
Screenplay:
Robert Lively
Russel Crouse
Songs:
Victor Herbert
Sound Director:
Loren L. Ryder
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Filtering is applied here to film projects flagged as "adult" by TheMovieDB. Pending "popular demand" I am contemplating a login and profile system with preferences (such as whether to allow adult images to appear) and permissions (such as data entry).
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