Reviews (8)

The Great Caruso..tape..
It took the longest to get here for whatever
reason..I don't know.. I wrote to the seller and he wrote
back..which made me happy.. I love the tape.. Fondly,

Mario Lanza at his Best
Mario Lanza displays his supurb talent in this music filled video and if you aren't already a fan "The Great Caruso" will make you one. The musical selections in this video are unsurpassed. A video you will watch over and over.
Beverly J Scott author of Righteous Revenge

Lanza, still the best!
I have been in love with this movie since first seeing it in the theater when I was a child. I am watching it again today, and it is still very good. I am moved by his singing like no one else's. The movie has so many musical numbers, it is wonderful. I just wonder why there was never a sound track from the movie, at least I have never been able to find it. The Ava Maria number still brings tears to my eyes!

A wonderful movie!
I really enjoyed this film, and would give it more stars if I could. Mario Lanza has such a beautiful and heavenly voice.

He is also a great actor as well. A great movie about the life of the Great Caruso. Well worth watching.

The perfect introduction to opera
This movie can truly be called life-changing. It certainly changed my life; I was totally ignorant of opera before a chance re-run of this movie introduced me to a whole new musical world. As it turned out, I was in illustrious company. There is not a single contemporary tenor of note who was not inspired by this movie.

Let's be honest from the outset: the movie bears little resemblance to the real Caruso's life, and, yes, it is corny in the grand tradition of Hollywood musicals. But who cares? Lanza's singing is perfection itself, and his vibrant personality overflows in practically every scene. The rest of the cast is good, with top-notch operatic singers Blanche Thebom, Giuseppe Valdengo, et al providing Lanza with some worthy (and rare) vocal support.

Highlights include a superb Vesti la Giubba, a moving Ave Maria and a rapturous Because. In all the movie contains 27 vocal items, with not a dull moment to be found amongst them.

See this movie and revel in a unique vocal talent. In the words of one admirer, Mario Lanza could "outsing the entire Mormon Tabernacle Choir", and the movie is a stark reminder of how bland today's singing idols really are. Viva il grande Lanza! ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's hardly shameful that The Three Godfathers ranks as the slightest John Ford Western in a five-year arc that includes My DarlingClementine, Fort Apache, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Wagon Master, and Rio Grande. The source, a Peter B. Kyne story both hard-bitten and sentimental, had already been filmed at least five times--once by Ford himself as Marked Men (1919). The star of that silent version, Harry Carey, had recently died. This remake is dedicated to him ("Bright Star of the early western sky") and proudly introduces his son, Harry Carey Jr. (who had already appeared in Howard Hawks's Red River--as did his father--but we won't quibble).

Just before Christmas, three workaday outlaws (John Wayne, Pedro Armendáriz,Harry Carey Jr.) rob a bank in Welcome, Arizona, and flee into the desert.The canny town marshal (Ward Bond) moves swiftly to cut them off from the wells along their escape route, so they make for another, deep in the wasteland. There's no water waiting for them, but there is a woman (Mildred Natwick) on the verge of death--and also of giving birth. The three badmen accept her dying commission as godfathers to the newborn. Motley variants of the Three Wise Men, they strike out for the town of New Jerusalem with her Bible as roadmap. It becomes increasingly apparent that saving the child's life will cost them their own.

Ford's is the softest retelling of the tale; in place of Kyne's bitter/triumphant final twist, he adds a very broad comic postlude. Elsewhere, the nearly sacramental treatment of the mother's death is followed by an extended gosh-almighty sequence of the banditos reading up on childcare. But it's all played with great gusto and tenderness--especially by Wayne, who's rarely been more appealing. Visually the film is one knockout shot after another. This was Ford's first Western in Technicolor, as well as his first collaboration with cinematographer Winton Hoch. What they do with sand ripples and shadows and long plumes of train smoke is rapturously beautiful. It's also often too arty by half, but who can blame them? --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (12)

One of my favorite westerns!
It's amazing how a simple idea can be so powerful if it's handled well. This film shows 3 men wanted by the law who promise a dying woman they will care for her baby. They are menaced by an unforgiving desert, indians, and a total ignorance of how to care for a baby. All of which provides fertile ground for some good humor and great character development. Wayne is tough as usual but shows loyalty, honor, and a tenderness with the baby that is truly touching. One of my favorite John Wayne films.

heroism, with sweet & tender sentiment
There are many reasons not to miss this beautiful 1948 film: It's exquisitely directed by John Ford, The cinematography by Winton C. Hoch is remarkable, John Wayne is looking and performing at his absolute best, and my personal reason for owning this video, the wonderful Pedro Armendariz, who is magnificent in it.

It's a sentimental tale of 3 bandidos with hearts of gold, completeing a promise they made to a dying woman to take care of her baby, and it's so well written and lovingly made that it never gets corny. This is good old fashioned entertainment, and entertaining it is, as these heroic good/bad men are chased by the sheriff and his posse across the desert, with a Bible as their map. John Ford made many inspirational films, and this is one of my favorites.

read and you will find out
a good and a very good ending. some good acting by wayne. it is an underrated film.buy this one you will never forget it.

Heartwarming John Wayne / John Ford Classic!
All the positive comments you read here about this film are true. This is a sleeper film in the Warner Brothers' MGM catalog that is way, way overdue on DVD.

This classic western stars John Wayne, Pedro Armendariz, Harry Carey Jr and Ward Bond -- the usual John Ford suspects. Ford strikes a balance between action and sentimentality, directing this simple story in a straightforward fashion with a great sense of pace. It's really good fun. This is Ford's first color film and cinematography by Winton Hoch looks really rich and with enough sand to make you wish you had some lemonade.

Maybe Warner's busily restoring this film to its original pristine 35mm real 1948 Technicolor glory and researching the vaults for behind-the-scences extras? Maybe they'll even toss in a pdf of the original story by Peter B. Kyne and the film script? It would be great if they included the original 1916 silent film with Harry Carry Sr.

"3 Godfathers" is a natural for the Christmas season as it's a film the whole family can watch. Did I say it's way overdue on DVD?

Love Duke, love this movie
I'm giving this four stars instead of five simply because five stars is reserved for true masterpieces - for films virtually without flaw. This film is flawed, but oh so wonderfully lovable. I won't bother to retell the plot, as others have already done a better job than I can, but I will just say what I love about it.

The performances: Pedro Armendariz & Harry Carey Jr. are wonderful. I think of the scene where Pedro steels his resolve and heads into the tattered covered wagon to help deliver Mildred Natwick's child; his face reveals a wonderful mixture of dread, awe, responsibility, resolve, strength, determination... And John Wayne is at his irascible, lovable best - at turns impatient and scolding, tender and understanding - truly avuncular. He is clearly the leader of the group, and being 6'4" of John Wayne, he commands (and gets!) most of our attention, but never in a way that diminishes the other two men or moves them too far into the background. The relationship between the three characters is wonderfully drawn and complementary; obviously they all had great chemistry together.

The story: The desert is a harsh and unforgiving place, but this film shows that even in the desert you can find redemption. Robert Hightower's soul is in a spiritual desert and it is for this reason that he must be the one to bring the baby to New Jerusalem. He has to find his own redemption and his own peace walking with God, which the other two men already seem to have. I know some may not share in the Christian faith that John Ford obviously had and thus may find the symbolism in this film heavy-handed, but I for one think it lent a great deal of emotional depth. Every soul is longing for something more, and for something greater than itself, and though I know little about Ford as a person, it seems to me that he knew this something more can only be found in Christ. There is so much more I could say about the symbolism in this film - the water, for example, that the men are constantly craving and aching for - think of the Samaritan woman at the well in the Bible and what Jesus tells her (John 4). This is a highly spiritual film!

It is also at times highly comic. The funniest part, and one I could watch over and over again, is when the men are puzzling over what to do with their godson. Just the sight of John Wayne holding the tiny infant in his huge hands is downright sweet and endearing. Then the Kid pulls out Doc Meecham's book of baby advice, advice that prompts JW to say he wouldn't trust a "sick polecat" to the good doctor's care. One of the things the doctor suggests is rubbing the baby down with olive oil or clean lard. Pedro finds some axle grease, and the next thing we see is Wayne's huge hand dipping into the yellow grease and "greazing" the tiny baby's body, a sight that strikes the characters as funny as it strikes us. But it's much better seen than described so I will leave off. Suffice it to say that this is a highly enjoyable film that moves easily between sad & funny moments, and one I will be turning to often. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

a melodious feast for Lanza fans
Mario Lanza fans will love this musical souffle which was released a year before "The Great Caruso"; Lanza is in top form and even dances with a young Rita Moreno, and hardly five minutes goes by in the film without a song.
The skimpy plot consists of opera director Niven discovering bayou bumpkin Lanza and turning him into an opera star, where of course he tries to win the heart of soprano Grayson.

The music is fabulous, with original songs by Nicholas Brodszky and Sammy Cahn, including the Lanza hit and Oscar nominated "Be My Love"; others are "Tina Lina", "I'll Never Love You", "The Toast of New Orleans", "Song of the Bayou", and "Boom Biddy Boom Boom".
The operatic selections are what make the film for me, and include a terrific "La fleur que tu m'avais jetee" (from Bizet's "Carmen"), "O paradissortide l'onde" (Mayerbeer/"L'africaine"), "Je suis Titania" (Thomas/"Mignon"). "Libiamo, libiamo ne' lieti calici" (Verdi/"La Traviata"), and my favorite scene in the film, "Viene la sera" from Puccini's "Madame Butterfly".

The cast surrounding Lanza is great, with Kathryn Grayson excellent as Suzette the soprano and love interest, David Niven smooth and classy as Jacques the director, J. Carrol Naish as Uncle Nicky, and some humorous scenes belong to Clinton Sundberg as he tries to teach Lanza "social graces".
This lighthearted frothy film is delightful, and a must for Lanza fans. Total running time is 97 minutes.

Toast of New Orleans
I recently watched this video and found it one of the most entertaining that I have recently seen. I had forgotten just how lovely Mario Lanza's voice was, not having heard it very much since the 1950's. The plot was a little weak in parts but mostly amusing with some farcical moments. I loved the way in which Lanza played his character, sometime tough and sometimes vulnerable. The combination of voices was wonderful, and what a treat to hear the arias from various operas. Kathryn Grayson is so pretty and her singing and acting were perfect for the part she played. David Niven was his usual suave self, and suited his part perfectly.

great film!
"Toast of New Orleans," is a wonderful musical and Mario Lanza and Katheryn Grayson are a lovely and beautiful couple very wonderful and romantic story. The costumes alone are worth seeing it. The acting is greta and Mario and Katheryn's song selection is wonderful. It's a must see film.

Toast of New Orleans
The best Mario Lanza movie ever made. I love the scene when Uncle Nikki, and MArio lanza come in with their silly suits and get it from David Niven. Choice movie. I love the song in it Be My Love Mario, and Kathryn Grayson did a grand job on this movie. This is also one of the funniest mario Lanza movies ever made.

Good
This Mario Lanza movie while not my favorite did have a few good scenes. I was disappointed with the choice of music. Considering the talent of both Lanza and Grayson I had expected a great score to show case their abilities and it just didn't happen. Acting was okay but found the story a bit trite. Not up to the standard of this talanted singer.
Beverly J Scott author of Righteous Revenge ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Here are some Arrau recordings not found anywhere else!
Regardless of the debatable qualities of the plot and the economical technical characteristics of the movie-making, I enjoyed this period film because it helped popularize classical music at the time. More specifically, because great violinist Michael Rabin and great pianist Claudio Arrau actually played the music, a good deal of it accompanied by an unidentified orchestra directed by Johnny Green.

I am also mindful of the fact that this is the only record left to us of Arrau's playing passages of Rachmaninoff's piano concerto No. 2 (and how characteristically beautiful the piano sounds!). Apart from various passages by Chopin, Liszt and Schumann that Arrau recorded more than once elsewhere, the film contains an astonishing excerpt from Scriabin's Etude No. 12 (Op. 8) never recorded elsewhere by him, and a beautiful excerpt of a popular Strauss waltz, likewise never recorded by Arrau elsewhere. (This is not to mention an excerpt from Liszt's Liebesträume No 3 with a wrong note for Liz Taylor). There is also the piano accompanying of violinist Rabin's rehearsing the Tchaikovsky violin concerto, which is unique.

I suspect that recordings longer than the ones actually used for the film may have been made. A DVD release of this movie may be the ideal medium to collect and preserve for posterity a restored edition of such recordings, particularly those items which were recorded uniquely for this film.

Two reasons to get this movie; the young Liz and the music
This movie is standard 1950's soap. What makes it worth a look are two factors; the splendid classical music (though I agree with one of the other reviewers that there were too many reaction shots) and the beauty of the young Elizabeth Taylor, as annoying as her character might be.

Rhapsody in Blue?
I've seen this movie many times. Its definitely a 'period' piece, Liz at her most shallow and vacuous. Obviously, her sole purpose in this movie is to pose, and lounge languidly against some really awful furniture. With that in mind, I'd have to say that some of my fellow reviewers here have been overly-harsh on the movie, and some way too gracious. It is not a great film. For one thing, the scenery, for the most part, is fake. Some of the driving scenes, and the conversations, particularly the ones held 'outside', are hilarious, since they are so obviously held against fake backgrounds. If there are real scenes shot outside, and dare I say it, 'on location' - they are very few in number. Looks like stock footage and backlot shots, to me. The music, on the other hand, is amazing. Now I'm speaking as a (former) violinist, and orchestra member. Even though I know they somehow faked the playing of the soloists (both piano, and violin), I'm still amazed at how real it looks sometimes, especially during the extended concerto passages. And, I still haven't figured out how they did it, back in those days! I don't pay too much attention to the story - it could have been lifted straight out of an early episode of Peyton Place, so its not even worth the effort to point out its flaws, or the sometimes laughable, 'Carol-Burnett/Harvey Korman-style' dialog. And, if there is any real 'scenery' to rave about, it'd almost HAVE to be a young, violet-eyed Liz, who is stunning, even when she's play shallow and vapid.

An enjoyable movie
I plan on buying the VHS of this movie just based on seeing it on cable tv recently. It is hard to find any work done by actor John Ericson on TV or tape. I enjoyed his performance overall very much, and especially, his scene in the bar with Vittorio Gassman, and when he plays the piano concerto. Elizabeth Taylor also, did a commendable job. The whole cast was well selected and were good in their performances. I also enjoyed the performance of the actor, don't remember his name, who played the part of Professor Schuman. This is purely a romantic movie, and I being a romantic at heart, loved it. Beautiful scenery, beautiful classial music and a well assembled cast with good performances are truly worth buying the tape. I just hope that in the future this movie will be released on DVD. I will be the first in line to purchase it.

Starring Claudio Arrau and Michael Rabin
Claudio Arrau and Michael Rabin, who played piano and violin on the soundtrack, are the real stars of this unintentionally funny period piece. There are creative geniuses involved in this film -- namely, the great composers whose music occasionally interrupts the vacuous dialogue. The plot might best be described as ridiculous. It is not unheard of nowadays for a young woman in pursuit of a husband to use a musical education toward that ends -- but the utter forthrightness of Liz Taylor's character in this regard would today at least be considered embarrassing. "I know, Herr Professor, I really can't play piano, but you see, I've followed my boyfriend to the Zurich Conservatory and have to do something with myself while he's practicing violin." This isn't one of the lines, but it might as well be. The rest doesn't get much better. Just fast forward to the music. Moral of the story: "A great violinist might only be a fair husband, and a great husband might only be a fair violinist." That insight is a direct quote from the film. And the only other wisdom to be found here is in the music of Chopin and Tchaikovsky. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Great footage of many early jazz legends
I have always found jazz performances much more captivating live rather than recorded, and although I can't travel back in time and see Louis Armstrong play during his prime, this video is the next best thing.

The makers of New Orleans did not waste the talents of the musicians, and a good chunk of the movie is concert footage of many of the giants from the golden age of Jazz including Kid Ory, Woody Herman and Billie Holiday doing old standards such as Basin Street Blues and Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans.

These performances truly convey the joy that enrapt the musicians as they played, and Armstrong in particular, is irresistably charming and funny as usual and appears for much of the film.

Unfortunately, Holiday is possibly the most wooden actress I have ever seen, but since for most of her comparatively short screen time is spent singing, it isn't a problem.

I strongly recommended this one to all fans of early jazz.

Who knows
What are the names of the classical music songs and the jazz by Woody Herman?

Silly plot, fantastic music
I bought this DVD blindly just because I'm such a fan of Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday and of New Orleans in general. The plot (what there is of it) is clichŽd and uninteresting, but the music is fantastic, and I ended up playing the musical pieces over and over. The entire movie is filmed on a Hollywood soundstage; if you're looking for shots of old New Orleans, look elsewhere.

B-grade movie comes alive via Satchmo and Lady Day!
For years I've wanted to see NEW ORLEANS, knowing that thestoryline wouldn't match the quality of the music, and now it is finally available...on DVD no less. After watching it, I can say that the movie lived up (musically) and down (plotwise) to my expectations. However, with Louis 'Satchmo' Armstrong and Billie 'Lady Day' Holiday in prominent roles, the musical strengths more than cancelled out the thematic/cinematic shortcomings.

The musical footage of Holiday and Armstrong (seen in solos and duets) is worth the price of admission, and the entirety of the movie is fairly entertaining if you don't expect too much....

Amid the cliched plot threads... fortunately the racial stereotypes are quite inoffensive by 1947 standards (albeit Billie is cast as a maid). Due to the lack of available Billie Holiday footage alone, this movie approaches essential status, at least among jazz fans.

The DVD includes two bonus shorts: a young Louis Armstrong sings and plays in the 1932 A RHAPSODY IN BLACK AND BLUE, and Duke Ellington teams up with a VERY young Billie Holiday in the priceless 1935 short SYMPHONY IN BLACK. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

One of my favorite westerns!
It's amazing how a simple idea can be so powerful if it's handled well. This film shows 3 men wanted by the law who promise a dying woman they will care for her baby. They are menaced by an unforgiving desert, indians, and a total ignorance of how to care for a baby. All of which provides fertile ground for some good humor and great character development. Wayne is tough as usual but shows loyalty, honor, and a tenderness with the baby that is truly touching. One of my favorite John Wayne films.

heroism, with sweet & tender sentiment
There are many reasons not to miss this beautiful 1948 film: It's exquisitely directed by John Ford, The cinematography by Winton C. Hoch is remarkable, John Wayne is looking and performing at his absolute best, and my personal reason for owning this video, the wonderful Pedro Armendariz, who is magnificent in it.

It's a sentimental tale of 3 bandidos with hearts of gold, completeing a promise they made to a dying woman to take care of her baby, and it's so well written and lovingly made that it never gets corny. This is good old fashioned entertainment, and entertaining it is, as these heroic good/bad men are chased by the sheriff and his posse across the desert, with a Bible as their map. John Ford made many inspirational films, and this is one of my favorites.

read and you will find out
a good and a very good ending. some good acting by wayne. it is an underrated film.buy this one you will never forget it.

Heartwarming John Wayne / John Ford Classic!
All the positive comments you read here about this film are true. This is a sleeper film in the Warner Brothers' MGM catalog that is way, way overdue on DVD.

This classic western stars John Wayne, Pedro Armendariz, Harry Carey Jr and Ward Bond -- the usual John Ford suspects. Ford strikes a balance between action and sentimentality, directing this simple story in a straightforward fashion with a great sense of pace. It's really good fun. This is Ford's first color film and cinematography by Winton Hoch looks really rich and with enough sand to make you wish you had some lemonade.

Maybe Warner's busily restoring this film to its original pristine 35mm real 1948 Technicolor glory and researching the vaults for behind-the-scences extras? Maybe they'll even toss in a pdf of the original story by Peter B. Kyne and the film script? It would be great if they included the original 1916 silent film with Harry Carry Sr.

"3 Godfathers" is a natural for the Christmas season as it's a film the whole family can watch. Did I say it's way overdue on DVD?

Love Duke, love this movie
I'm giving this four stars instead of five simply because five stars is reserved for true masterpieces - for films virtually without flaw. This film is flawed, but oh so wonderfully lovable. I won't bother to retell the plot, as others have already done a better job than I can, but I will just say what I love about it.

The performances: Pedro Armendariz & Harry Carey Jr. are wonderful. I think of the scene where Pedro steels his resolve and heads into the tattered covered wagon to help deliver Mildred Natwick's child; his face reveals a wonderful mixture of dread, awe, responsibility, resolve, strength, determination... And John Wayne is at his irascible, lovable best - at turns impatient and scolding, tender and understanding - truly avuncular. He is clearly the leader of the group, and being 6'4" of John Wayne, he commands (and gets!) most of our attention, but never in a way that diminishes the other two men or moves them too far into the background. The relationship between the three characters is wonderfully drawn and complementary; obviously they all had great chemistry together.

The story: The desert is a harsh and unforgiving place, but this film shows that even in the desert you can find redemption. Robert Hightower's soul is in a spiritual desert and it is for this reason that he must be the one to bring the baby to New Jerusalem. He has to find his own redemption and his own peace walking with God, which the other two men already seem to have. I know some may not share in the Christian faith that John Ford obviously had and thus may find the symbolism in this film heavy-handed, but I for one think it lent a great deal of emotional depth. Every soul is longing for something more, and for something greater than itself, and though I know little about Ford as a person, it seems to me that he knew this something more can only be found in Christ. There is so much more I could say about the symbolism in this film - the water, for example, that the men are constantly craving and aching for - think of the Samaritan woman at the well in the Bible and what Jesus tells her (John 4). This is a highly spiritual film!

It is also at times highly comic. The funniest part, and one I could watch over and over again, is when the men are puzzling over what to do with their godson. Just the sight of John Wayne holding the tiny infant in his huge hands is downright sweet and endearing. Then the Kid pulls out Doc Meecham's book of baby advice, advice that prompts JW to say he wouldn't trust a "sick polecat" to the good doctor's care. One of the things the doctor suggests is rubbing the baby down with olive oil or clean lard. Pedro finds some axle grease, and the next thing we see is Wayne's huge hand dipping into the yellow grease and "greazing" the tiny baby's body, a sight that strikes the characters as funny as it strikes us. But it's much better seen than described so I will leave off. Suffice it to say that this is a highly enjoyable film that moves easily between sad & funny moments, and one I will be turning to often. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good comedy
Billie Burke has just lost her fortune on the eve of her daughter's marriage. Son-in-law Dennis O'Keefe is convinced his financeer father, Adolphe Menjou, can get it back. The problem--Menjou is more of a con man living off a dole from his opera-star wife. Script is weak, but has its moments. I especially like Billie Burke practicing her double-takes. This movie, while a pleasant comedy, is not up to O'Keefe's inspired roles in the original Brewster's Millions and Up in Mabel's Room. ... Read more