El beso de medianoche

It was only natural that when Mario Lanza made his film debut, MGM cast him opposite their current operatic diva, Kathryn Grayson, and showcased both of them in a sumptuous technicolor musical.

This film also marked the last film of Jose Iturbi, who lent his talent and charm to a number of MGM musicals in the '40s. The story is a simple one: opera singer Grayson would like to have a tenor who looks the part of the tenor role. When Lanza, a singing truck driver is discovered, she gets her wish--and a happy ending isn't far away. Humor of the painful kind is furnished by Jules Munshin and J. Carrol Naish but nothing really matters when Lanza and Grayson burst into song. Among the song highlights: Donizetti's "Una Furtiva Lagrima" and Verdi's "Celeste Aida". Grayson, who always had a burning ambition to be an opera singer, does a fine job on "Cara Nome" with her bright soprano.

The schmaltz is pretty thick--but fans of Grayson and Lanza will certainly enjoy this trifle. And, oh yes, Ethel Barrymore is prominent among the supporting players showing a droll sense of humor.