The Great Victor Herbert

The Great Victor Herbert

Hear 28 Victor Herbert Melodies

NR 1939 · 91 min · ★ 5.4 · Music, Romance

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.

Directed by Andrew L. Stone · Written by Robert Lively

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Cast

Allan Jones John Ramsey
Mary Martin Louise Hall
Walter Connolly Victor Herbert
Lee Bowman Dr. Richard Moore
Susanna Foster Peggy
Judith Barrett Marie Clark
Jerome Cowan Barney Harris
John Garrick Warner Bryant
Pierre Watkin Albert Martin
Hal K. Dawson George Faller
Richard Tucker Michael Brown
Mary Currier Mrs. Victor Herbert

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The Great Victor Herbert

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