Un bacio e una canzone

Seeing the whole film just now on Youtube (who knows how long it'll stay up) under its German title, as part of my quest to re-assess my opinion on Marta Eggerth, it is a shame that two of Eggerth's better films (this and 'Die Blonde Carmen', also containing two of her better performances) are also two of her most obscure.

Once again, Eggerth is the main reason to see 'Ein Lied, Ein Kuss, Ein Maedel', and once again alongside the music one of the best things about it. Her performances here and in 'Die Blonde Carmen' have started to change what my initial indifferent thoughts were on her, and highly suggestive that in lead rather than supporting roles Eggerth is in roles that play much more to her strengths and that she fares much better in opera/operetta-style songs than in musicals.

She is very fiery, heartfelt and charming and sings her songs with gusto, nuance and a far more appealing basic sound to the films previously mentioned. She is well supported by the rest of the cast, that performed with charm, grace and like they were enjoying themselves. They all allow her to shine and never upstage her.

The music is also wonderful, full of characterful energy, emotion and beauty of sound, especially the divine title song.

Production values are suitably sumptuous while not being overly elaborate, never static either. The direction is competent and the characters all charm.

'Ein Lied, Ein Kuss, Ein Maedel' contains a superior script generally than 'Die Blonde Carmen', it's still lightweight but also has a better flow and with a lovely balance of heart-warming romance and amusing comedy. Again, the story doesn't have very much to it and is as standard and seen-it-all-before as one can get.

Otherwise, a lovely film that doesn't deserve its obscurity. 9/10 Bethany Cox