The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Although an over-sentimentalised and in some respects inaccurate tribute to the greatest singer of them all, this film is of interest to collectors, but it is currently impossible to buy a good DVD print in the UK PAL format. The authorised MGM version is only available in NTSC, and the other versions offered on Amazon etc. receive very mixed reviews.

Tomorrow Saturday 6 December at 1.45pm the film is being shown on BBC2, therefore with no irritating commercial breaks to spoil your enjoyment, so set your recorders now!

Ah yes, Mario Lanza, nee Alfred Cocozza, the Pride of South Philadelphia! Maria Lanza was his mother's maiden name. Here's the wiki: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mario_Lanza

If you google-map "636 Christian St. Philadelphia" you can see a photo of his childhood home. The house is the small brick two-story wedged between the two larger ones. There's a historical marker out front, visible in the photo.

"The Great Caruso" comes up fairly often over here on TCM (the Turner Classic Movies cable channel). Aside from the usual Hollywood liberties and excesses, it's a pretty good record of Lanza's voice in its prime. I'm very impressed by Licia Albanese's evaluation of Lanza, the singer, in the wiki article under "Serenade". (i.e., the wiki article "Mario Lanza," section entitled "Serenade".

Many thanks for this alert Roger. I am ashamed to say I have never seen this film before but found it entertaining, if rather "Hollywood" and unconfused by many of the facts !