Hitting a New High
US (1937): Musical
RKO tried to turn opera star Lily Pons into a movie star, but she lacked the charm and beauty of a Grace Moore or a Jeanette MacDonald (a resemblance to Imogene Coca did not help). She made three films for them [including I Dream Too Much (1935) and That Girl from Paris (1936)], all of them with silly plots and more or less a showcase for her soprano coloratura fireworks display. That quality is at its best here -- especially in the Mad Scene from Lucia di Lammermoor, where she is simply spectacular. She is supported by a trio of marvelous comics (Edward Everett Horton, Jack Oakie & Eric Blore) who seem to be making a separate film all on their own. Hollywood was so impressed by RKO's ability to record Pons' cascading high notes that it gave the film an Oscar nom for Sound. Raoul Walsh directs this final Pons film that is fun, frothy and certainly a must for opera fans. (IMDb)
1 nomination
· Sound Recording 1937: John O. Aalberg