Another installment in our ongoing series looking at Ezio Pinza's career as a movie star following his retirement from the operatic stage. Here we have the quasi-soundtrack from his 1951 starring vehicle Mr. Imperium. (It's a quasi-soundtrack because the songs were remade in the studio for RCA Victor.)
Once again playing to type, Pinza is a playboy prince who becomes romantically entangled with singer Lana Turner (dubbed by Trudy Erwin). Apparently Pinza tried to make life imitate art, but Turner would not succumb to his royal presence.
I have watched some of the film (just enough to get a sense of Pinza's performance), and can report that you will not see such broad acting outside of an Abbott & Costello comedy. If you want to sample the movie yourself, it's available on Internet Archive.
The good news is that some of the songs here are by Harold Arlen and Dorothy Fields, a self-recommending pair, although this is hardly their finest work. On "Andiamo" and the unpromising "My Love and My Mule," Pinza is joined by RCA contractee Fran Warren (billed as "Fran Warren, soprano" for the first and surely the last time). Fran was from the Bronx and probably had never been within a thousand miles of a mule. She was, however, a good singer who even so sounds distinctly thin next to Pinza. By the way, despite what Wikipedia tells you, Lana Turner's songs in the film were dubbed not by Warren but by Trudy Erwin.
The good news is that some of the songs here are by Harold Arlen and Dorothy Fields, a self-recommending pair, although this is hardly their finest work. On "Andiamo" and the unpromising "My Love and My Mule," Pinza is joined by RCA contractee Fran Warren (billed as "Fran Warren, soprano" for the first and surely the last time). Fran was from the Bronx and probably had never been within a thousand miles of a mule. She was, however, a good singer who even so sounds distinctly thin next to Pinza. By the way, despite what Wikipedia tells you, Lana Turner's songs in the film were dubbed not by Warren but by Trudy Erwin.
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| Fran Warren |
Also to be heard from Pinza are three songs chosen, no doubt, for their potential as a "Some Enchanted Evening" blockbuster - "Yesterdays," "September Song" and Augustin Lara's superb "You Belong to My Heart" - all highly enjoyable. The singing is magnificent.
Pinza never did become a movie star, but he made the most of his time in the spotlight - in the liquor ad below, he is shown in one of his Mr. Imperium costumes (click to enlarge). This transfer is from a mint 45 box set and has very good sound. Note (May 2024): it has now been remastered in ambient stereo and the sound is better than ever.
6 comments:
Another gem, Buster. Thank you!
Thanks for your posts. The 10" Vinyl is really enjoyable. Great quality transfers. I have enjoyed this album very much. My wife and I listened to it Sunday afternoon. One thing I have noticed that is kind of neat about the 10" records is that you get just enough to keep you hungry for the next album. In other words you don't have as many tracks available so you listen better... if that makes any sense. Thanks again as I know it is a great effort on your part!
@ Mindy - Always great to have you stop by!
@ westerly9 - I absolutely agree with you. A few pieces of chocolate are great; a whole box just makes you sick. Thanks for your note.
Thank you for these Pinza performances and also for the link to the film! I like him very much as an Opera singer, but I think as a casanova he was not so likeable...
A trifling but inoffensive film. I get a kick out of the song in which Pinza is made to sing "Sol la si do" on a downward scale. !!!
Thank you for the download.
You're welcome, Jim!
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