''That Midnight Kiss'' is a 1949

Technicolor Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...

American

musical romance film Romance films or movies involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their journey ...

also starring

Mario Lanza Mario Lanza (, ; born Alfredo Arnold Cocozza ; January 31, 1921 – October 7, 1959) was an American tenor and actor. He was a Hollywood film star popular in the late 1940s and the 1950s. Lanza began studying to be a professional singer at ...

(in his first leading role) and

Kathryn Grayson Kathryn Grayson (born Zelma Kathryn Elisabeth Hedrick; February 9, 1922 – February 17, 2010) was an American actress and coloratura soprano. Ronald Berganbr>Obituary '' London Guardian'', February 19, 2010. From the age of twelve, Grayson trai ...

. Among the supporting cast were

Ethel Barrymore Ethel Barrymore (born Ethel Mae Blythe; August 15, 1879 – June 18, 1959) was an American actress and a member of the Barrymore family of actors. Barrymore was a stage, screen and radio actress whose career spanned six decades, and was regard ...

, conductor/pianist Jose Iturbi (playing himself),

Keenan Wynn Francis Xavier Aloysius James Jeremiah Keenan Wynn (July 27, 1916 – October 14, 1986) was an American character actor. His expressive face was his stock-in-trade; and though he rarely carried the lead role, he had prominent billing in most ...

, J. Carrol Naish, and Jules Munshin. The commercially popular film was directed by

Norman Taurog Norman Rae Taurog (February 23, 1899 – April 7, 1981) was an American film director and screenwriter. From 1920 to 1968, Taurog directed 180 films. At the age of 32, he received the Academy Award for Best Director for '' Skippy'' (1931). He i ...

, who the following year would again direct Lanza and Grayson in the even more successful ''

The Toast of New Orleans ''The Toast of New Orleans'' is a 1950 MGM musical film directed by Norman Taurog and choreographed by Eugene Loring. It stars Mario Lanza, Kathryn Grayson, David Niven, J. Carrol Naish, James Mitchell and Rita Moreno. The film was made af ...

''.

Plot

Abigail Trent Budell (

), a wealthy resident of

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

and patron of the arts, supports her soprano granddaughter Prudence Budell (

), just returning from Europe after five years of vocal training. Prudence's grandmother sponsors an opera company run by the famous maestro Jose Iturbi (

himself A reflexive pronoun is a pronoun that refers to another noun or pronoun (its antecedent) within the same sentence. In the English language specifically, a reflexive pronoun will end in ''-self'' or ''-selves'', and refer to a previously ...

) to give her chance to lead an opera. They hire the also famous tenor Guido Russino Betelli ( Thomas Gomez), but Prudence does not feel comfortable with him on the stage. Prudence happens to see an American-Italian truck driver, Johnny Donnetti (

), singing opera. She soon becomes instrumental in bringing Johnny to public attention by insisting that he replace the opera troupe's defecting star tenor. From here, Johnny becomes attracted to Prudence. Things get complicated when she encounters Mary ( Marjorie Reynolds), one of Johnny's colleagues, whom she assumes is in love with him.

Cast

as Prudence Budell *

José Iturbi José Iturbi Báguena (28 November 189528 June 1980) was a Spanish conductor, pianist and harpsichordist. He appeared in several Hollywood films of the 1940s, notably playing himself in the musicals ''Thousands Cheer'' (1943), ''Music for Mill ...

as José Iturbi (as Jose Iturbi) *

as Abigail Trent Budell *

as Johnny Donnetti *

as Artie Geoffrey Glenson * J. Carrol Naish as Papa Donnetti * Jules Munshin as Michael Pemberton * Thomas Gomez as Guido Russino Betelli * Marjorie Reynolds as Mary *

Arthur Treacher Arthur Veary Treacher (, 23 July 1894 – 14 December 1975) was an English film and stage actor active from the 1920s to the 1960s, and known for playing English types, especially butler and manservant roles, such as the P.G. Wodehouse valet c ...

as Hutchins *

Mimi Aguglia Mimi Aguglia (21 December 1884 – 31 July 1970) was an Italian actress, born Girolama Aguglia in Palermo, Sicily, while her mother, actress Giuseppina Aguglia, was playing Desdemona in ''Othello''. Biography She was born in the wings of t ...

as Mamma Donnetti *

Amparo Iturbi Amparo Iturbi Báguena (12 March 1898 – 22 April 1969) was a Spanish pianist. Early career Amparo Iturbi Báguena was born in Valencia, Spain, one of four children of Ricardo Iturbi (a piano tuner) and Teresa (Baguena) Iturbi. The younger ...

as Amparo Iturbi *

Bridget Carr Bridget is an Irish female name derived from the Gaelic noun ''brígh'', meaning "power, strength, vigor, virtue". An alternate meaning of the name is "exalted one". Its popularity, especially in Ireland, is largely related to the popularity of ...

as Donna Donnetti * Amparo Ballester as Rosina Donnetti *

Ann Codee Ann Codee (born Anna Marie Vannuefflin, 5 March 1890 – 18 May 1961) was a Belgian actress with numerous hit films on her résumé, such as '' Can-Can'', ''Kiss Me Kate'', and ''Interrupted Melody''. Born in Antwerp, Belgium, her name was s ...

as Mme. Bouget

Reception

According to MGM records the film earned $1,728,000 in the US and Canada and $1,449,000 overseas resulting in a profit of $173,000.

References

External links

* * * * 1949 films 1940s romantic musical films American romantic musical films 1940s English-language films Films directed by Norman Taurog Films about opera Films set in Philadelphia Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films produced by Joe Pasternak 1940s American films {{romantic-musical-film-stub