Marina Koshetz Movies
The blonde daughter of opera diva Nina Koshetz and artist Alexander von Schubert, Marina Koshetz came to the United States as a teenager and later appeared in small roles in such 1930s films as Little Women (1933), All the King's Horses (1935), and Millions in the Air (1935), billing herself Marina Schubert. Encouraged by Nina Koshetz, Schubert made her professional debut with the San Francisco Opera as Tatyana in Eugene Onegin, the very same role in which her mother had made her debut back in 1913. The younger Koshetz went on to perform at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City and in 1945 enjoyed great success at the Hollywood Bowl. Remaining in Los Angeles, she performed in Carmen and Die Fledermaus and even appeared opposite Pinky Lee in a production of Rio Rita at Los Angeles' Greek Theatre. In between her work on the opera stages, Koshetz sang in films ranging from On the Riviera (1951), with Danny Kaye, and The Singing Nun (1966) to The Great Caruso (1951), in which she beat a novice Caruso (Mario Lanza) in a singing competition. Last seen on screen in the 1967 comedy The Busy Body and long retired from performing, Koshetz had just completed a biography of Nina Koshetz and a screenplay dealing with her mother's secret romance with family friend Sergei Rachmaninoff when she died at the age of 88. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
A nosey housewife (Marguerite Viby) takes on extra responsibilities when her husband (Buster Larsen) hurts his back while reading the Sunday paper. When she finds a dead body in the upstairs office, she calls the police. The detective (Ole Monty) is summoned, and he discovers the woman is his old school dancing partner. When she turns around to renew the old acquaintance, the corpse is gone in this offbeat situation comedy. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sid Caesar, Robert Ryan, (more)
- 1966
Henry Koster directed this cloying family musical based on the true life story of Soeur Sourire, a Belgian nun whose recordings made her an overnight sensation on The Ed Sullivan Show. Debbie Reynolds stars as Sister Ann, a Belgian nun who likes to compose little tunes on her guitar. She writes the song "Dominique" for a lonely little boy, Dominic Arlien (Ricky Cordell), whose mother has died and whose father is an alcoholic. Father Clementi (Ricardo Montalban) tries to promote the song, getting help from his old friend Robert Gerarde (Chad Everett), a record producer. "Dominique" becomes an international hit, thanks to Robert's efforts, and Ed Sullivan appears on the scene to film Sister Ann for his television program. Unsure of how to handle her amazing success, Sister Ann seeks out Father Clementi for advice, unsure of whether to give up her singing and remain a nun or to continue on with her singing career and renounce her vows. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Debbie Reynolds, Ricardo Montalban, (more)
In this entertaining comedy by Charles Walters, everyone seems to get in on the act, even the dog and especially the four overactive kids in a wildly challenging family. David Niven co-stars with Doris Day as Lawrence and Kate Mackay, distinctive parents struggling with home, life, and family. Lawrence opts for leaving his job teaching at Columbia University in New York for a post as a drama critic for a Gotham newspaper, bringing new problems to the pile the family already owns. First, they are forced to move out -- far out -- to the countryside with their brood and canine. And next, while Kate handles home, hearth, and hellions, Lawrence proceeds to alienate one of his best friends with a shattering review. That unhappy beginning to his new career also brings in one of the actresses damaged by his cutting remarks (Janis Paige), who wreaks her own form of havoc on poor Lawrence. In the meantime, Day gets to sing some songs which add to the light-hearted attitude of it all. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Doris Day, David Niven, (more)
- 1954
Director Henry Koster and writer Daniel Taradash speculate mightily in this historical tableau charting the rise and fall of Napoleon (Marlon Brando), all due to his unrequited love for noblewoman Desiree (Jean Simmons). The film takes a chronological view of Napoleon's reign and posits Napoleon's love of a woman he wanted to marry as a young general but abandoned for the sake of his career. Both Napoleon and Desiree go their separate ways -- he to become Emperor of France and loveless husband to Josephine (Merle Oberon) and she to become Sweden's disinterested Queen. Napoleon and Desiree meet up again in a whimsical confrontation in which Desiree urges the Little Corporal to surrender and go to St. Helena. The film is based on a novel by Annemarie Selinko that, like the film, takes wild liberties with the truth. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marlon Brando, Jean Simmons, (more)
- 1951
The film traces Naples-born Caruso's ascension from adolescent choir singer to the uppermost ranks of the opera world. Caruso is brought to America, getting off to a bad start by inadvertently insulting the impresario (Carl Benton Reid) responsible for his Metropolitan debut. This complication has a happy outcome when Caruso marries his benefactor's daughter (Ann Blyth). Refusing to spare himself or to hold back his talents from his fans, Caruso's health fails him, and he dies in 1921 at the age of 47. Featuring no fewer than 27 musical numbers, Great Caruso also stars Mario Lanza as Caruso, as well as such operatic superstars as Dorothy Kirsten and Jarmila Novotna. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Mario Lanza, Ann Blyth, (more)
On the Riviera is a remake of 1941's Weekend in Havana, which in turn was a remake of 1934's Folies Bergere. The plot remains the same in all three incarnations: for business purposes, a nightclub entertainer is coerced into posing as his look-alike, a powerful financier/aviator. This time it's Danny Kaye who essays the dual role of American cabaret comedian Jack Martin and French financial wizard Henri Duran. While impersonating Duran, Martin is forced to make amorous advances towards Duran's neglected wife (Gene Tierney), proving himself the better lover in the process. Meanwhile, Martin must mollify his genuine sweetheart (and nightclub partner) Collette (Corinne Calvet) without revealing his ruse. A little too top-heavy in the plot department, On the Riviera must be regarded as a second-echelon Danny Kaye vehicle, though Sylvia Fine's specialty numbers -- especially the eerily autobiographical "Popo the Puppet" -- are well up to standard. One of the uncredited specialty dancers is future Broadway star Gwen Verdon. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Danny Kaye, Gene Tierney, (more)
- 1948
MGM whipped up another musical salad with Luxury Liner, featuring a glittering lineup of contractees including Jane Powell, Lauritz Melchior and Xavier Cugat. George Brent plays the skipper of a "love boat"-type cruise ship, while Ms. Powell plays his daughter. She entertains the passengers at every opportunity with a string of forgettable songs, and finds love herself in the form of Thomas E. Breen(you remember him). The highlight of the film features Jane Powell in male drag, singing "Spring Came to Vienna" to an uncomfortable-looking ingenue (Shirley Johns). Luxury Liner is the sort of lavish trifle that could only have come out of the Hollywood Studio System. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Brent, Jane Powell, (more)
- 1946
In this WWII musical, a young hero and his buddy decide to celebrate his receiving the Medal of Honor by partying. He is terribly excited about seeing his fiancée again. Unfortunately, she has fallen for another in his absence. He is later consoled by a lovely radio singer. Songs include "All the Time" (Ralph Freed, Sammy Fain, sung by Pat Kirkwood), "Isn't It Wonderful" (Kay Thompson, sung by Kirkwood), "Love on a Greyhound Bus" (Thompson, Ralph Blane, George Stoll), "It'll Be Great to Be Back Home" (Charles Martin), "Old Sad Eyes" (Irving Kahal, Fain), "When It's Love" (Edgar De Lange, Nicholas Kharito), "Oye Negra" (performed by Xavier Cugat and His Orchestra). ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Van Johnson, Keenan Wynn, (more)
- 1946
Too long by at least two reels, Holiday in Mexico is nevertheless one of the more enjoyable MGM Technicolor musicals of the 1940s. Walter Pigeon is top billed as Jeffrey Evans, American ambassador to Mexico. Captivated by the charms of her adopted homeland, Evans' impulsive daughter Christine falls in love with the decidedly mature piano virtuoso Jose Iturbi (cast as himself). Amused by Christine's ardor, Iturbi agrees with Evans that the girl would be far better off with someone closer to her own age-namely, British ambassador's son Stanley Owen (Roddy McDowell). Meanwhile, Christine plays matchmaker between her widowed father and glamorous Hungarian Toni Karpathy (Ilona Massey). Holiday in Mexico was Jane Powell's first MGM effort, and it is clear that producer Joe Pasternak intended to transform the teenaged soprano into the "new Deanna Durbin", though of course Powell eventually developed her own distinctive style. In addition to the musical contributions of stars Powell and Iturbi, the film costars the inimitable Xavier Cugat, doing his Xavier Cugat thing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Linda Christian, Ann Codee, (more)
