This is not, by any means, a great movie. In fact, if it had starred some anglo American male in the male lead, it probably would be of no interest whatsoever.
But that's not the case. It stars the Spanish pianist José Iturbí, with whom the very Caucasian Jeanette MacDonald falls in love and marries. That never once enters into the dialogue when MacDonald's three daughters object to the marriage, but it probably entered into the minds of more than one of the audience of the time.
And yet, it truly is not an issue in the movie.
Which makes this very interesting for its day.
Other than the "racial" issue, it's an OK, undistinguished flick. We get to see a lot of Iturbí playing the piano, which is fun. He was neither handsome nor a great actor, but he was a fine pianist, and he gets a series of real blockbuster numbers.
MacDonald doesn't get to sing much, and gets no romantic duets, which is a real change from her previous films.
Jane Powell is fine in her numbers, but undistinguished.
See it for the non-issue.
But that's not the case. It stars the Spanish pianist José Iturbí, with whom the very Caucasian Jeanette MacDonald falls in love and marries. That never once enters into the dialogue when MacDonald's three daughters object to the marriage, but it probably entered into the minds of more than one of the audience of the time.
And yet, it truly is not an issue in the movie.
Which makes this very interesting for its day.
Other than the "racial" issue, it's an OK, undistinguished flick. We get to see a lot of Iturbí playing the piano, which is fun. He was neither handsome nor a great actor, but he was a fine pianist, and he gets a series of real blockbuster numbers.
MacDonald doesn't get to sing much, and gets no romantic duets, which is a real change from her previous films.
Jane Powell is fine in her numbers, but undistinguished.
See it for the non-issue.