Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1951)

Encore: Lavish Technicolor version of the life of world’s greatest tenor, starring Mario Lanza and Ann Blyth Tangled lives: Dick Basehart, Paul Douglas, Barbara Bel Geddes in tense, dramatic story of a man on a ledge W'S (F) The Great Caruso (M-G-M) V'W (A) Fourteen Hours (20th Century-Fox) FOR years Hollywood has wanted to make a film about the greatest tenor of our time, Enrico Caruso. After “The Midnight Kiss” and “The Toast of New Orleans” Metro knew that at long last they had their boy — Mario Lanza, who has a voice right out of heaven. The story gets under way with Caruso, who lived only to sing, earning pennies in a Naples cafe. Following his first success at Covent Garden he goes to New York where at first he is coldly received, but later becomes the most famous star the Metropolitan Opera House has ever known. Ann Blyth is cast as Mrs. Caruso and is excellent in her tender love scenes. Among the famous musical stars appearing in this picture are Dorothy Kirsten, Jarmila Novotna, Blanche Thebom and Teresa Celli. HERE’S suspense drama at its best. Based on a real New York suicide case of some years ago the picture is fascinating and gripping. Paul Douglas gives a fine, human characterization of a simple New York cop, who suddenly becomes the friend and confidant of a confused young man (Richard Basehart) perched on the ledge of a Manhattan hotel. Agnes Moorehead is the dominating mother and Robert Keith the bewildered father. Barbara Bel Geddes is his understanding girl friend. Howard Da Silva plays the police lieutenant and Martin Gabel a psychiatrist. All are excellent. As is Debra Paget as a bystander who finds a boy friend in the shadow of tragedy. Your Reviewer Says: Taut thriller. Your Reviewer Says: Good entertainment. Program Notes: Mario Lanza at twenty-nine has become the teen-agers’ delight. Mario teas born in Philadelphia and his real name is Alfred Arnold Cocozza. He’s married and has a baby daughter named Elissa. Following his starring role as Caruso ( Mario confesses he once scraped the label off a Caruso record and substituted one ivith his own name on it to get a job), Mario went on a concert tour which covered fourteen states. Everywhere he was mobbed by fans. His ambition is to appear at La : Scala in Italy . . . On the set Mario gave Ann Blyth lessons in Italian. Ann already speaks fluent French . . . Dorothy Kirsten is not only a star of the Metropolitan Opera Company, but has distinguished herself also in radio, concert and on records . . . Two years after her success in “The Search,” Jarmila Novotna, one of the Met’ s top sopranos, came to Hollywood for the first time to make an appearance in this film . . . Among the musical highlights are arias from such all-time favorite operas as “Aida,” “ Rigoletto “La Tosco,” “II Trovatore,” “Lucia” and “Pagliacci.” Program Notes: This unique suspense drama ( without even one single flashback) ivas filmed in New York. Director Hathaway had the cooperation of the New York city police force, and a large portion of the city’s population. The “Hotel Rodney” is in reality the Guaranty Trust Building in the financial section of Manhattan . . . Paul Douglas dropped twenty pounds for his role of traffic cop and looks wonderful. His only gripe about movie-making is that he misses seeing baseball and football games . . . When they showed Richard Basehart the narrow perch rigged for him he said, “Well, at least I’m not going to have to fake looking frightened.” Tragedy struck Richard toward the end of his tragic role when his wife Stephanie, whom he married in 1940 died, after a lingering illness . . . When she finished this picture Barbara Bel Geddes started rehearsals on John Steinbeck’s “Burning Bright.” It folded in New York in early fall — and so did her marriage to agent Carl Schreuer . . . When little Debra Paget went on location for this film it was her first trip East of her birthplace, Denver, Colorado. On her off-days she ivent in for intensive sight-seeing. r For Complete Casts of Current Pictures See Page I 10. For Best Pictures of the Month and 26