F-0121

Title:

Melba

Category:

S

Produced:

1953

Country:

UK

Released:

Aug 1953 (USA)

Director:

Lewis Milestone

Writer:

Harry Kurnitz (also story)

Actors:

Patrice Munsel (Nellie Melba); Robert Morley (Oscar Hammerstein I); John McCallum (Charles Armstrong); John Justin (Eric Walton); Alec Clunes (Cesar Carlton); Martita Hunt (Mme. Marchesi); Sybil Thorndike (Queen Victoria); Joseph Tomelty (Thomas Mitchell); Beatrice Varley (Aunt Catherine); Violette Elvin (Prima Ballerina)

Description:

The highly fictionalized story of Nellie Melba, Australian-born soprano who rose to operatic fame in the latter part of the 19^th century and who had a dessert and form of dry toast (true) named after her. In her film debut, the Metropolitan opera's Patrice Munsel, plays the title role in a film that primarily strings together eight excerpts from well-known operas as well as one or two lighter numbers and a montage of famous opera personalities featuring the chorus of the Covent Garden Opera and members of the Sadler Wells Ballet. The story follows the career of Melba from the time she left her father's Australian cattle ranch and a suitor to travel to Paris to get her voice training, and picks up another suitor. She debuts in Brussells and is a smash hit followed by international fame. The suitor from Australia shows up in Monte Carlo, marries her and soon is cast in the role of "Mr. Melba" until he can take it no longer and returns to Australia, while Melba decides her voice belongs to the world and sadly goes on alone. (Les Adams)

Language:

English

Bach's Music:

"Ave Maria", by Charles Gounod, adopted from the Prelude No. 1 in C major from WTC 1, BWV 846

Film Company:

Horizon Pictures (II)

Format:

B&W film

VHS/DVD Label:

TT:

112 min

Comments:

Watch selections:

Buy movie at:

Source/Links: IMDB
Contributor: Aryeh Oron (November 2007)

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