Interrupted Melody

Eleanor Parker, a much underrated actress of the 1950s, probably hit the high point of her career when she essayed the role of Marjorie Lawrence in this biographical portrait.

Marjorie Lawrence was an Australian opera star whose career was cruelly interrupted by polio in the 1930s. The film follows Lawrence from her winning a singing contest in her native Winchelsea, Australia through her career with the Metropolitan Opera and her struggle with regaining her health. Lawrence is supported every step of the way by husband Dr. Thomas King,ably played by Glenn Ford. But it's Eleanor Parker's movie all the way.

Funny for a movie about an Australian, Parker doesn't even attempt an Australian accent. This is in the MGM tradition of Clark Gable who did not attempt any British accent in Mutiny on the Bounty. It worked just as well for Parker, though I'd be curious what a native Australian might think. Lawrence was the second female opera star who became a national treasure for Australia, the first being Nellie Melba. Parker shouldered a lot of tradition in this film and did it well.

The voice used by Parker for the operatic sequences is that of Eileen Farrell of the Metropolitan Opera. The sequences are well done, but the real drama in the scenes of Lawrence battling polio.

This film coincidentally enough came out at the same time that Dr. Jonas Salk discovered his vaccine preventive for polio. I still remember as a lad getting those polio shots at my public school. No movie studio could have planned that coincidence, but MGM reaped enormous profit because of it. As for Jonas Salk, no man of medicine has ever been admired in the same way in my lifetime.

Eleanor Parker was nominated for best actress, but lost that year to Anna Magnani in The Rose Tattoo. Look for a young Roger Moore in the role of Parker's brother and business manager.

My favorite scene in the whole film is Parker as Lawrence entertaining the troops overseas in World War II. Especially when she sings Waltzing Matilda to her native Australian diggers. It was like the whole beating heart of the Australian continent coming alive for an instant. Absolutely inspired.

This film gets the highest possible recommendation from me.

I am a great-niece of Marjorie Lawrence. It's a very sad fact that Marjorie is best known outside of Australia. However, she was recently honored as one of 100 Australian Entertainers of the Century. It's also a bit of a shame that this movie is a Hollywood producer's interpretation of an American publisher's version of my Great-Aunt's life. The real family story is actually much more interesting. Auntie Marj never smoked a cigarette in her life - but it seems everyone smoked in the movies of the 50s. My mother and my aunt attended the world premiere here in Melbourne. I remember meeting Auntie Marj as a child in the 70s.

The film does a fine job with the crippling illness of Lawrence and her comeback onstage, but most notable are the performances by the stars. Glenn Ford and Eleanor Parker were never better. Just superb. The scene where she tried to commit suicide and Ford stopped her, broke down, and asked God for help is magnificent and a must-see. Ford and Parker should be well-remembered as excellent actors.

MGM fashioned a sumptuous, full-scale production in bringing the career of Australian opera diva Marjorie Lawrence to the screen. Heading the cast as Lawrence is the fine Eleanor Parker, in one of her most impressive roles. Co-starring as her supportive doctor-husband is the talented Glenn Ford. Both are most convincing in relaying the inspirational "real life" story of their struggle with physical- career- and marital-obstacles.

Whether Lawrence did in fact sing roles which included lyric soprano, dramatic soprano, mezzo and Wagnerian, as depicted here, is open to question. Still, it is lovely to see these excerpts staged so beautifully, and in gorgeous Technicolor. Of invaluable assistance is the magnificent voice of Eileen Farrell in a remarkably varied repertoire.

It may not be possible to experience the real impact of these scenes unless there is a special house revival with a full-sized Cinemascope screen and stereo sound. The formats of VHS and even DVD to not do justice to the original production.

Although Lawrence assisted on the script, the actual unfoldment has the ring of fact merging with fiction for maximum dramatic impact. Now that Lawrence's 30's and 40's career is but a memory in the minds of a few, what remains is this romanticized version of history. As such, lovers of romantic drama and of music may revel in a tale of ardor and challenge, with the artistic product being the "fusion of the arts": grand opera.

I studied opera with Marjorie Lawrence in the 1970's and she was an incredible, vital, and exciting personality. She was larger than life and her presence dominated any gathering she attended.

The movie captures many of her physical mannerisms. Her voice was most suited to the Wagnerian repertoire and the selection of the great Eileen Farrel to sing the more popular arias chosen for the film was an excellent one. However, Miss Lawrence was disappointed that her own voice wasn't used as had been agreed, which I understand resulted in a settlement in her favor.

Her husband, Doctor King, was an great gentleman and devoted to her.

Following the years depicted in the film, she became an educator at Southern Illinois University where she was very respected and loved.