''For the First Time'' (German title: ''Serenade of a Great Love'') is a 1959

musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serv ...

directed by

Rudolph Maté Rudolph Maté (born Rudolf Mayer; 21 January 1898 – 27 October 1964) was a Polish-Hungarian cinematographer who worked in Hungary, Austria, Germany, and France. He collaborated with notable directors including Fritz Lang, René Clair, and Carl ...

and 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 a ...

Johanna von Koczian Johanna von Koczian (, née von Kóczián-Miskolczy, 30 October 1933 – 10 February 2024) was a German actress. She grew up in Salzburg where Gustaf Gründgens offered her a role at the 1951 Salzburg Festival, and she played at several German ...

Kurt Kasznar Kurt Kasznar (born Kurt Servischer; August 13, 1913 – August 6, 1979) was an Austrian-American stage, film and television actor who played roles on Broadway, appearing in the original Broadway productions of '' Waiting for Godot'', ''The ...

, and

Zsa Zsa Gabor Zsa Zsa Gabor ( , ; born Sári Gábor ; February 6, 1917 – December 18, 2016) was a Hungarian Americans, Hungarian-American socialite and actress. Her sisters were socialites and actresses Eva Gabor and Magda Gabor. Gabor competed in the ...

. It was

tenor A tenor is a type of male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the countertenor and baritone voice types. It is the highest male chest voice type. Composers typically write music for this voice in the range from the second B below m ...

star

's final film, released by

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, commonly shortened to MGM or MGM Studios) is an American Film production, film and television production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered ...

six weeks before his death. Lanza stars as an operatic tenor who finds love for the first time with a young German woman (played by

), who happens to be deaf. The film was shot at the

Spandau Studios The Spandau Studios or CCC Studios were film and television studios located in Spandau, a suburb of Berlin. They were established in 1949 following the Second World War by the producer Artur Brauner controller of CCC Films, on the site of a forme ...

Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...

and on location in 1958 in

Capri Capri ( , ; ) is an island located in the Tyrrhenian Sea off the Sorrento Peninsula, on the south side of the Gulf of Naples in the Campania region of Italy. A popular resort destination since the time of the Roman Republic, its natural beauty ...

Salzburg Salzburg is the List of cities and towns in Austria, fourth-largest city in Austria. In 2020 its population was 156,852. The city lies on the Salzach, Salzach River, near the border with Germany and at the foot of the Austrian Alps, Alps moun ...

and at the

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

Opera House. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is a title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, live-action and animated film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supe ...

Hans Jürgen Kiebach Hans Jürgen Kiebach (28 August 1930 – 19 May 1995) was a German production designer, art director and set decorator. He won an Academy Award in the category Best Art Direction for the film ''Cabaret''. Selected filmography * '' Three D ...

Fritz Maurischat Fritz Maurischat (April 27, 1893 in Berlin – December 11, 1986) was a German production designer. He made his film debut in 1924. Over the next 38 years, he worked on over 70 films, all of them in his native Germany. He earned an Oscar nominatio ...

and Heinrich Weidemann.

Plot

Tony Costa is a world famous opera singer with a reputation for playboy antics and irresponsibilty. His loyal manager Tabory is constantly ingesting nervous stomach medication. After a scandalous no-show at the Vienna Opera, Tabory ships Tony off to Capri to hide out from the press. Tony is showing off his voice to a gaggle of girls in the town square when he notices one woman absorbed in a book who isn't paying him any attention at all. His curiosity aroused, Tony follows her home. Christa is a normal young woman who had been deafened in a World War Two bombing raid, and has shied away from men because she considers herself unattractive due to her handicap. Tony sneaks back to New York and his manager, saying he wants bookings in every city that has the best ear doctors in the world. Tabory breaks the news that Tony is broke and will have to start his whole career over from scratch the right way. Tony accomplishes this. But the only ear doctor who holds out any hope for Christa warns that the operation is potentially life threatening. Christa insists on going through with it. The operation is a success, and an exuberant Tony takes her and her family on a global tour of celebration. The strain(and being caught in a thunderstorm) brings on a temporary relapse for Christa. Tony takes out his frustration in a nightclub brawl that is hastily covered up by his friends who are aware of the circumstances. Christa's hearing is restored with rest and care, and Tony resumes his career with renewed vigor.

Cast

as Tonio Costa *

as Christa *

as Tabory *

as Gloria De Vadnuz *

Hans Söhnker Hans Söhnker (11 October 1903 – 20 April 1981) was a German film actor. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1933 and 1980. He was born in Kiel, Germany and died in West Berlin, West Germany. Selected filmography * '' The Tsarevich'' ...

as Prof. Bruckner *

Annie Rosar Annie Rosar (17 May 1888 – 5 August 1963) was an Austrian stage and film actress who is best remembered today for her appearances in many Austrian comedy films from the 1930s to the early 1960s. In those movies, she was frequently cast in the c ...

as Mathilde Faktotum * Sandro Giglio as Alessandro *

Walter Rilla Walter Rilla (22 August 1894 – 21 November 1980) was a German film actor of Jewish descent. Siegbert Salomon Prawer, ''Between Two Worlds: The Jewish Presence in German and Austrian Film, 1910-1933'', Berghahn Books (2007), pg. 213 He app ...

as Dr. Bessart *

Renzo Cesana Renzo Cesana (30 October 1907, Rome – 8 November 1970, Hollywood, California) was an actor, writer, composer, and songwriter most famed for his title role on the American television show '' The Continental''. He was also known as Renato Cesana. ...

as Angelo *

Peter Capell Peter Capell (3 September 1912 – 3 March 1986) was a German actor who was active on screen from 1945 until 1985. Apart from a lengthy film career, he appeared in many television series and mini-series. He appeared in many old time radio pr ...

as Leopold Hübner *

Nico Christa Päffgen (; 16 October 1938 – 18 July 1988), known by her stage name Nico, was a German singer, songwriter, actress, and model. Nico had roles in several films, including Federico Fellini's '' La Dolce Vita'' (1960) and Andy Warhol's ...

as leader of admirers in Capri (uncredited)

Music

Music plays a major role in the film. The following compositions can be heard: * ''La donna e mobile'' and ''Un di, se ben rammentomi…'' from ''Rigoletto'' by Giuseppe Verdi * ''Come prima'' ( ''For the First Time'' ), a hit by Panzeri, Di Paola and Taccani * ''Oh, Capri,'' a Tarantella , and the Jamaica-Rock ''Pineapple Picker'' by George E. Stoll * ''O sole mio'', a Neapolitan folk tune * Lachterzett from the opera ''Così fan tutte'' by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart * ''Vesti la giubba'' from ''I Pagliacci'' by Ruggiero Leoncavallo * ''I love you'' by Edvard Grieg * Death scene from ''Othello'' by Giuseppe Verdi * ''Ave Maria'' by Franz Schubert * ''Je n'en connais pa la fin'' by Marguerite Monnot * ''Triumphal march'' from ''Aida'' by Giuseppe Verdi * ''Who was once in Munich'' by Bette/Hauff In addition to the main actor, soloists, the choir and orchestra of the Roman Opera and the Vatican boys' choir sing and play. George E. Stoll, who also contributed two of his own songs, was responsible for directing the music.

Box office

According to MGM records the film earned $710,000 in the US and Canada and $975,000 elsewhere, resulting in a profit of $1,685,000.

Reception

Critics singled out Lanza's singing of "Vesti la Giubba" from ''

Pagliacci ''Pagliacci'' (; literal translation, 'Clowns') is an Italian opera in a prologue and two acts, with music and libretto by Ruggero Leoncavallo. The opera tells the tale of Canio, actor and leader of a commedia dell'arte theatrical company, who mu ...

'' and the Death Scene from ''

Otello ''Otello'' () is an opera in four acts by Giuseppe Verdi to an Italian libretto by Arrigo Boito, based on William Shakespeare, Shakespeare's play ''Othello''. It was Verdi's penultimate opera, first performed at the La Scala, Teatro alla Scala, M ...

'' for special praise, with Howard Thompson of ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'' calling it the tenor's "most disarming vehicle in years."

References

Cesari, Armando. ''Mario Lanza: An American Tragedy'' (Fort Worth: Baskerville, 2004).

External links

* * *
the First Time: Lanza's Sweet Little Swansong'', by Derek McGovern
{{Rudolph Maté 1959 films Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films Films about opera 1959 musical films English-language German films English-language Italian films West German films Titanus films German musical films Italian musical films American musical films Films directed by Rudolph Maté Films scored by Georgie Stoll Films shot at Spandau Studios 1950s English-language films 1950s American films 1950s Italian films 1950s German films English-language musical films