''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 Rita Moreno (born Rosa Dolores Alverío Marcano; December 11, 1931) is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer. Noted for her work across different areas of the entertainment industry, she has appeared in numerous film, television, and thea ...

. The film was made after '' That Midnight Kiss'', Lanza's successful film debut, as an opportunity for Lanza to sing on the big screen again.

Plot

Set in Louisiana in 1905, the plot revolves around Pepe Abellard Duvalle, a bayou fisherman with a natural singing talent, who falls in love with

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

star

soprano A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880& ...

Suzette Micheline (Grayson). Micheline's manager (Niven) hears Duvalle sing and invites him to come to New Orleans to sing. Reluctantly, Duvalle allows himself to be groomed for the opera. At first resistant to his advances, Micheline also falls in love with Duvalle, but is disenchanted by his transformation into a cultured gentleman. Ultimately, Duvalle regains his former rough charm and the couple unite.

Cast

* Kathryn Grayson as Suzette Micheline * Mario Lanza as Pepe Abellard Duvalle * David Niven as Jacques Riboudeaux * J. Carrol Naish as Nicky Duvalle * James Mitchell as Pierre * Richard Hageman as Maestro P. Trellini * Clinton Sundberg as Oscar * Sig Arno as Mayor *

as Tina

Music

In addition to selected

aria In music, an aria ( Italian: ; plural: ''arie'' , or ''arias'' in common usage, diminutive form arietta , plural ariette, or in English simply air) is a self-contained piece for one voice, with or without instrumental or orchestral accompa ...

s from the operas ''

Carmen ''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first performed by the ...

'', ''

Madama Butterfly ''Madama Butterfly'' (; ''Madame Butterfly'') is an opera in three acts (originally two) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It is based on the short story " Madame Butterfly" (1898) by John Lu ...

'', and ''

La traviata ''La traviata'' (; ''The Fallen Woman'') is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on '' La Dame aux camélias'' (1852), a play by Alexandre Dumas ''fils'' adapted from his ow ...

'', the film includes the song " Be My Love", which was nominated for an

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

Production

The success of the first screen pairing of Grayson and Lanza, '' That Midnight Kiss'' (1949), led quickly to the production of ''The Toast of New Orleans''. Shooting began in late December 1949 and concluded in early March 1950. Thirty-five sets were required; three adjoining sound stages on the MGM lot were combined to house one of the largest indoor sets constructed for a film musical. The climactic scenes feature Lanza and Grayson's characters performing in a production of ''Madama Butterfly''. Previously, Lanza had made his debut on the operatic stage as Pinkerton in 1948. Lanza earned $50,000 for his appearance in the film, twice what his contract provided. ''The Toast of New Orleans'' also marked Hageman's acting debut, and was Moreno's first role in a movie musical.

Reception

Distributed by Loew's, ''The Toast of New Orleans'' premiered at the Loew's State in New Orleans on September 19, 1950; it was released nationally on September 29. According to MGM records the film earned $1,671,000 in the US and Canada and $1,580,000 elsewhere, leading to a profit of $22,000. The film is recognized by

American Film Institute The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees. Lead ...

in these lists: * 2004: AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs: ** " Be My Love" – Nominated

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Toast Of New Orleans 1950 films 1950s English-language films 1950 musical films Films directed by Norman Taurog Films set in New Orleans Films set in 1905 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films about opera Films produced by Joe Pasternak Films with screenplays by George Wells American musical films 1950s American films