Mario Lanza–Part Two (That Midnight Kiss)

Charles Previn, with whom Lennie Hayton worked as an orchestrator in New York, was the music director for That Midnight Kiss, and Conrad Salinger assisted on orchestrations and arrangements. The movie is the typical “discovery” movie.

In this case a truck driver is found to have a magical voice, is given the chance to audition for a great music director, falls in love with his leading lady and, after any number of roadblocks, ends up with a career and a wife.

First, we have his audition number. One thing of note; Mario was a natural in front of a camera. He was not acting; he was just being. He sings the gentle love song, “La furtiva lagrima” from Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore in his audition with Jose Itubi; while it is written to go to an A flat in the original key, it is a demanding aria, all the same.

Because Lanza has been compared to the great Caruso so often, it is fitting to provide a recording of the same aria by Enrico. From 1904, here is a very technically crude recording by Caruso; note the almost lyrical, pianissimo quality at the beginning, followed by a gorgeous crescendo.

Just as the lyrics to “Una furtive lagrima” tell us that the tenor’s entreaties have been returned with a loving glance from the soprano, so Mario decided to let no grass grow under his feet. He woos his co-star in a very traditional way–by singing his love song under her balcony. He senses victory when she joins him in the duet. Of great interest to us is the studio’s choice of the love song used in this movie scene. It is a Jerome Kern tune that was added to the 1914 Broadway musical, The Girl From Utah. The show is mostly forgotten; the song (“They Didn’t Believe Me”) remains as fresh today as the day it was first performed. Mario shows us that he is just as much at home with Kern’s music as he is with Puccini’s. That is no small gift.

Of course, the night comes when the “truck driver” must show the denizens of the musical world that he is worthy of their praise. With encouragement from his lady-love, Mario sets himself center stage and sings the tragically beautiful aria “Celeste Aida” from Verdi’s Aida.

Again, to focus on the artistry of Lanza, let’s compare his rendition to Caruso’s (1911 recording).

Of course, there are complications in Mario’s love life, as an old flame, played by Marjorie Reynolds (remember her from Holiday Inn), suggests to Kathryn that Mario is to wed Marjorie. Nothing cools a woman’s ardor like an unfaithful lover. Mario tries to woo her back with another balcony scene, without great success. In this case, the studio used the song “I Know, I Know, I Know” composed by Bronislau Kaper. While not a classic that will live for all time, it shows off Mario’s versatility.

In our next post, we will cover the music from The Toast of New Orleans, including the immortal duet, “Be My Love.”