The Great Victor Herbert (1939)
Hear 28 Victor Herbert Melodies
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.
Cast
- Allan Jones - John Ramsey
- Mary Martin - Louise Hall
- Walter Connolly - Victor Herbert
- Lee Bowman - Dr. Richard Moore
- Susanna Foster - Peggy
- Judith Barrett - Marie Clark
- Jerome Cowan - Barney Harris
- John Garrick - Warner Bryant
- Pierre Watkin - Albert Martin
- Hal K. Dawson - George Faller
Screenplay
- Robert Lively (Screenplay)
- Robert Lively (Story)
- Andrew L. Stone (Story)
- William LeBaron (Lyricist)
- Henry Martyn Blossom (Lyricist)
Themes
Musical Spectacle
Keywords
broadway, singing waiter
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What is The Great Victor Herbert about?
- 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.
- Who directed The Great Victor Herbert?
- The Great Victor Herbert was directed by Andrew L. Stone.
- Who stars in The Great Victor Herbert?
- The Great Victor Herbert stars Allan Jones, Mary Martin, Walter Connolly, Lee Bowman, Susanna Foster, Judith Barrett.
- How long is The Great Victor Herbert?
- The Great Victor Herbert has a runtime of 1h 31m (91 minutes).
- What genre is The Great Victor Herbert?
- The Great Victor Herbert is a Music, Romance film.
- Where was The Great Victor Herbert produced?
- The Great Victor Herbert was produced in United States of America.
- What are the themes of The Great Victor Herbert?
- The themes of The Great Victor Herbert include: Musical Spectacle.