Richard Tauber Movies

Bel Canto, The Tenors of the 78 Era, Vol. Two: Tauber, Schmidt, and Slezak contains three episodes, each featuring musical performances by one master tenor. Celebrated singers Tauber, Schmidt, and Slezak, among several others, are referred to as tenors of the 78 era because they made recordings in 78 rpm format. The Tauber episode contains London performances of Carmen, Pagliacci, Hoffman, and the Fiedermaus overture. Professional commentators include Richard Bebb, Elisabeth Bergner, Alan Bilgora, and Charles Castle. Schmidt sings songs Africana, Marta, and Juive. The Schmidt episode received Special Jury Mention at the Musee du Louvre's 1998 Classique en images international film competition and includes commentary by Alan Bilgora, Fred Bredschneyder, Jurgen Kesting, Paula Lindbergh-Salomon, and Stefan Zucker. The Slezak episode documents performances at Lake Tegern, Bavaria. Commentators include Clemens Hoslinger, Jurgen Kesting, Fritzi Schlesinger, and Stefan Zucker. The video consists of black and white film footage. ~ Betsy Boyd, All Movie Guide

In this British costume musical, Carol Raye plays Empress Maria, a young woman of noble blood who has fallen in love with Count Franz Von Hofer (Peter Graves), one of the men assigned to guard her. Maria's guardians attempt to dissuade her interest in Franz because of his reputation as a Casanova, and when Franz is discovered in a playful conversation with Cenci Prohaska (Patricia Medina), they are convinced that their assumptions are correct. When Maria learns of Franz's behavior, she disguises herself as Cenci for an upcoming costume ball with the hopes of catching Franz in a disloyal act. Waltz Time also features a guest appearance by the celebrated operatic vocalist Richard Tauber, who sings two numbers; it was one of Tauber's final screen appearances, as he passed on in early 1948. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

This musical presentation features the British version of the Leoncavallo opera in English translation. ~ All Movie Guide

This beautifully rendered cinemadaptation of Pagliacci is sung in English, with the Leoncavallo music newly arranged by Hans Eisler. The noted counter tenor Richard Tauber is Signor Canio, head of a comic-opera troupe touring the Italian provinces. On stage Canio, dressed as a clown, is expected to laugh everyone's troubles away: offstage, he is tormented with the knowledge that his beautiful young wife (Steffi Duna) is in love with handsome soldier Silvio (Arthur Margetson). These real-life travails eventually spill over onto the stage, with tragic consequences. The film's high point, of course, is Richard Tauber's plaintive rendition of the famous aria "Veste la Giubba". Unlike so many other filmed operas, Pagliacci is thoroughly cinematic, with carefully chosen camera angles and attractively designed compositions. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

World-renowned operatic tenor Richard Tauber not only starred in Heart's Desire, but also wrote most of the songs. Tauber is cast as Joseph Steidler, a popular but relatively unknown Vienesse beer-garden singer. Discovered by a show-biz entrepreneur, Steidler is suddenly catapulted to fame and fortune. Alas, in the process he loses his sweetheart Anna (Kathleen Kelly) tossing her aside in favor of glamorous socialite Frances (Leona Wilson). By the time Steidler learns that he's out of his depth in High Society, it's almost too late. Filmed in 1935, Heart's Desire made it to American shores in 1937. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The title translates literally as I'll Never Believe in Women Again, thereby neatly giving away the entire plot. Ostensibly a vehicle for popular operatic tenor Richard Tauber, the film consigns Tauber to a secondary "bemused observer" role. The basic story focuses on sailor Jochem (Paul Hoerbiger), who hopes to settle down in small port town. Falling in love with local prostitute Katja (Maria Solveg), Jochem sets about to reform her -- only to discover that the girl is his own long-lost sister. Disillusioned, Jochem returns to the sea, but not before making the titular vow to himself. Previously released in New York in a truncated version in 1932, the original, uncut Ich Glaub Nie Mehr an Eine Frau was distributed stateside a year later, and while it the complete version isn't much of an improvement, at least Richard Tauber was permitted a few extra songs. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Paunchy, balding, and middle-aged, Richard Tauber was hardly a likely candidate for film stardom. But Tauber's indescribably beautiful tenor voice was all his fans cared about, thus he continued to be top-billed in such vehicles as Die Grosse Attraktion (The Big Attraction) throughout the 1930s. In this one, Tauber is not called upon to act; that responsibility falls to Margo Lion and Siegfried Arno, cast as a seriocomic vaudeville dance team. Little more than a filmed variety show, Die Grosse Attraktion includes specialties by several talented revue artists, as well as tunes written by composers as diverse as Franz Lehar and Bronsilaw Kaper. In the final analysis, however, it was the presence of Richard Tauber which drew the crowds to this film like a magnet. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Ich Glaub Mie Mehr an Eine Frau was the original German title for this primitive musical drama. The enormously popular operatic tenor Richard Tauber is billed first, but most of the story is carried by a secondary character, a young sailor who returns home after a long absence. The young tar quickly falls in love with the village prostitute, never realizing that she's his own sister. Feeling doubly betrayed, he returns to the sea, leaving sis to bemoan her fate. Tauber plays a sort of village troubadour, who is inspired to lift his voice in song whenever he sees someone or something that tickles his fancy. It was reported that Tauber was paid 600 dollars per diem during shooting whether he performed or not -- quite a substantial sum back in 1929. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide