The Great Victor Herbert (1939)
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Synopsis of The Great Victor Herbert
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, which takes place in New Orleans, performed before a wintry Alpine backdrop! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Complete Cast of The Great Victor Herbert
- Allan Jones - John Ramsey
- Walter Connolly - Victor Herbert
- Judith Barrett - Marie Clark
- John Garrick - Warner Bryant
- Richard Tucker - Michael Brown
- Emmett Vogan - Forbes
- James Finlayson - Lamp Lighter
- Mary Martin - Louise Hall
- Lee Bowman - Dr. Richard Moore
- Jerome Cowan - Barney Harris
- Pierre Watkin - Albert Martin
- Hal K. Dawson - George Faller
- Mary Currier - Mrs. Victor Herbert
- Susanna Foster - Peggy
- Director(s):
- Andrew L. Stone
- Writer(s):
- Robert Lively, Russel Crouse
- Producer(s):
- Andrew L. Stone
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