

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.
Ratings
3.5
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

Richard Tucker
Michael Brown

Mary Currier
Mrs. Victor Herbert

Emmett Vogan
Forbes

James Finlayson
Lamplighter
Sandra Lee Richards
Peggy - as a Young Girl
Crew
Art Direction
Producer
Screenplay
Executive Producer
Costume Design
Director
Editor
Director of Photography
Lyricist
Songs
Sound Director
Details
Release Date
1939-12-29
Runtime
91 min
Original Language
English
Languages
English
Production Companies
Paramount Pictures
Countries
United States of America
Genres
Music
Romance