Director: Victor Schertzinger
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Top Billed Actors: Grace Moore, Tullio Carminati, Lyle Talbot
Won 2 Oscars:
Best Scoring - Columbia Studio Music Department
Best Sound Recording - John P. Livadary
Nominated for 4 more:
Outstanding Production - Columbia
Best Director - Victor Schertzinger
Best Actress - Grace Moore
Best Film Editing - Gene Milford
Plot: An opera maestro vows to not fall in love with his student and he obviously falls in love with his student.
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
Top Billed Actors: Grace Moore, Tullio Carminati, Lyle Talbot
Won 2 Oscars:
Best Scoring - Columbia Studio Music Department
Best Sound Recording - John P. Livadary
Nominated for 4 more:
Outstanding Production - Columbia
Best Director - Victor Schertzinger
Best Actress - Grace Moore
Best Film Editing - Gene Milford
Plot: An opera maestro vows to not fall in love with his student and he obviously falls in love with his student.
One Night of Love (1934) was meant to merely feature Grace Moore as the ever-so-competent opera star. Much to the surprise of Columbia, the movie turned out be a success on many levels. It earned a good profit at the box office and Moore helped reel in six Oscar nominations, including a Best Actress nod herself. Moore is a major influence on the popularity of opera to the wider American audience. There are many arias we all know today due in part to Moore's roles in her short career. I wouldn't be surprised if a movie such as this indirectly influence the classic Looney Tunes cartoons that feature opera, which in turn would influence other forms of media. In addition to the two Oscars this film won, one being the very first Original Score statuette, a Class III Scientific or Technical award was presented for the application for the vertical cut disc method. I am not too sure what this means, but a musical feature such as this seemed to play a very important role not only in presenting the audience with good opera, but presenting it in a way that was innovative for the time.
The music in the film is very well presented. There are times that it is obvious Moore is lip synching to a pre-recorded track, but knowing that it is her real voice made it seem like less of a detraction. There are a few sequences of extended arias, especially towards the end of the film. As an opera-lover myself, this was neat to see in the context of the story. The transitional scenes when Moore travels between cities and the end of an act in the story feature wonderful editing and superb music. It is fitting that this film won the first Original Score award and the future of film music must have been bright with the release of this picture.
Although this is a very appealing aural experience, the acting and the narrative are to be desired. Moore is not an excellent actress and she is often over the top in the delivery of her lines. It is rather irksome to see the lead being the weakest link in this department, but at least she could sing! The story is also very dull and predictable. Tullio Carminati is a break-neck operatic mentor who takes in Moore as a student. Although he tells her to not mix love with business, the end result becomes inevitable. Misunderstanding and fights commence and there is a "been there, done that" feel. At least she can sing!
Overall, it is nice to see a move from the mid-1930s with a focus on music, both for original score and the opera repertoire. Moore somewhat disappoints for her acting but she makes up for it with her voice. Don't expect anything new in terms of the story as well.
My Score: 6/10
The music in the film is very well presented. There are times that it is obvious Moore is lip synching to a pre-recorded track, but knowing that it is her real voice made it seem like less of a detraction. There are a few sequences of extended arias, especially towards the end of the film. As an opera-lover myself, this was neat to see in the context of the story. The transitional scenes when Moore travels between cities and the end of an act in the story feature wonderful editing and superb music. It is fitting that this film won the first Original Score award and the future of film music must have been bright with the release of this picture.
Although this is a very appealing aural experience, the acting and the narrative are to be desired. Moore is not an excellent actress and she is often over the top in the delivery of her lines. It is rather irksome to see the lead being the weakest link in this department, but at least she could sing! The story is also very dull and predictable. Tullio Carminati is a break-neck operatic mentor who takes in Moore as a student. Although he tells her to not mix love with business, the end result becomes inevitable. Misunderstanding and fights commence and there is a "been there, done that" feel. At least she can sing!
Overall, it is nice to see a move from the mid-1930s with a focus on music, both for original score and the opera repertoire. Moore somewhat disappoints for her acting but she makes up for it with her voice. Don't expect anything new in terms of the story as well.
My Score: 6/10