Serenade (1956)

User Rating:

5.5/10   

Director:

Anthony Mann

Writers:

Ivan Goff (screenplay) &
Ben Roberts (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

23 March 1956 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The most thrilling story-with-music ever made is Mario Lanza in 'Serenade.' All the quivering excitement of James M. Cain's best-seller...The story of a farm hand who won fame as a singer and almost lost his soul as a man!

Plot:

Damon Vincenti, a young vineyard worker, has a beautiful tenor voice and dreams of becoming a great opera singer...

Plot Keywords:

Tenor | Beautiful Woman | Based On Novel

Cast

Mario Lanza	...	Damon Vincenti
Joan Fontaine	...	Kendall Hale
Sara Montiel	...	Juana Montes (as Sarita Montiel)
Vincent Price	...	Charles Winthrop
Joseph Calleia	...	Maestro Marcatello
Harry Bellaver	...	Monte
Vince Edwards	...	Marco Roselli
Silvio Minciotti	...	Lardelli
Frank Puglia	...	Manuel Montes
Edward Platt	...	Everett Carter
Licia Albanese	...	Soprano
Jean Fenn	...	Soprano

Runtime:

121 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Warnercolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

West Germany:12 (f) | Belgium:Tous | UK:U (original rating) | Finland:S | Sweden:Btl

Filming Locations:

San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico

Company:

Warner Bros. Pictures

Movie Connections:

Remade as Kirik plak (1959)

Soundtrack:

Otello, Act IV (excerpt)

The greatest tenor voice of all

"Serenade" is one of the great Mario Lanza's more interesting films, taking on a heavier dramatic tone than his early fluff with MGM. There is true pathos and tragedy in some of the scenes, and you really feel for his character.

Spanish movie legend Sarita Montiel is quite fetching and likeable as his lady love, and for once, we see the American protagonist being saved by the love of a non-Anglo (older movies would always show the brunette as the femme fatale and the blonde girl back home as the virtuous one). Too bad she sings no songs in this movie, although the Mexico scenes are colorful and well-done.

But as usual, it is Mario's great voice which truly shines here. He sings more opera arias in this film than in any other movie of his (except possibly "The Great Caruso"). His combination of lyric sweetness, magnificent dramatic sound and ringing top notes, plus sheer versatility, is unmatched even by some of the greatest classically-trained singers, including Pavarotti and Domingo. And he is certainly better than today's pop opera darling Andrea Bocelli.

Vincent Prince and Joan Fontaine (still gorgeous here) bring their usual great support.

The final scene (at Joan Fontaine's party) actually has great dramatic tension although somewhat marred by a less than satisfying ending to the movie. Still very watchable.