Alt Heidelberg

THE STUDENT PRINCE should have been a lot better. After all, it's based on a famous operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg, features the golden voice of Mario Lanza at his singing peak, is cast with competent enough MGM players, and is filmed in glorious Technicolor.

But something happened--the uninspired Richard Thorpe was chosen to direct (Vincente Minnelli, where were you???) and the result is a tedious, slow-paced musical with stagebound sets and much of the Romberg score either missing or drastically altered with the insertion of two new songs (which, by the way, aren't bad at all). One of them, BELOVED, is sung with great feeling and style by Mario.

Lanza was at a difficult stage of his career by the time THE STUDENT PRINCE was set to roll, and his temperament and weight problems made it impossible for the studio to let him play the lead, even after he'd recorded all of the songs. EDMUND PURDOM, a relatively unknown newcomer, was given the chance to step in and, in all fairness to Purdom, it must be said that he does a commendable enough job in the acting department and does the lip-sync thing with professional results (he's right up there with Larry Parks in that department!) ANN BLYTH, never a particular favorite of mine, does her own singing with a pleasant soprano voice but is less than satisfying as the barmaid. She looks much too sophisticated and stylish for her lowly status to be believable and is rather arch and patronizing in her attitudes.

The rest of the cast isn't handed the best of material but they do workmanlike jobs with it: EDMUND GWENN, LOUIS CALHERN, JOHN ERICSON, S.Z. SAKALL and EVELYN ARDEN--but the extensive faults lie with the limp direction unable to give any luster to the proceedings. And the soundstage look for outdoor scenes doesn't help.

Worth hearing (if not watching) for Lanza alone on some delightful Romberg songs. His soundtrack recording of the music was a big seller and it's easy to understand why.

I personally enjoyed this film very much. It is a sweet trip to bygone times when musicals were just good entertainment. The character actors in it, (Cuddles Sakall in particular, and Louis Calhern as the king.) Edumund Purdom does an excellent job in the uneviable position of literally standing in for Mario Lanza.(And he's probably a better all around actor).There is an urban legend that says that Lanza is actually in one sequence in the film, and I think I have found it.

It is the beautiful scene in the cathedral after the old king has dies and Karl is standing in front of the catalfalque. There is a very wide angle shot of him singing 'I'll walk with God' and then a close up of Purdom. I really do think that this is the scene my friend was talking about. Anybody else think so??

This is a sparkling, romantic and heartwarming musical love story. Edmund Purdom makes a very charming, handsome and charismatic prince. Ann Blyth is wonderful and very beautiful as the little barmaid he falls in love with. I don't think it could have been better cast. Purdom perfectly lipsinks Mario Lanza's singing, and you are so consumed by the beautiful love story and the chemistry between Ann Blyth and Edmund Purdom, that you truly believe that it is Purdom singing. Even to this day when I hear the soundtract, I envision Purdom singing. I am a great Lanza fan and I am not one bit disappointed in this film without him. I do not believe that had Lanza done this movie it would have been as good as it is. Purdom, Lanza and Ann Blyth are all at their best in the wonderful musical.

One of the most beloved of operettas is The Student Prince and for a combination of reasons no sound film was made of it until this one in 1954. I venture to say that somewhere in North America or Europe there is some stock company giving a performance of it right now.

One of those reasons was a little thing called World War II. As Nazi Germany rose in power, stories with a German background weren't a real big sell in Hollywood. MGM which had produced a silent version of The Student Prince in 1927 with Ramon Novarro and Norma Shearer, held on to the property all that time. No doubt Louis B. Mayer thought the story perfect for either Nelson Eddy or Allan Jones. I have a recording of Jones singing Deep in My Heart and he would have been a fabulous Prince.

Edmond Purdom is the heir to the throne at mythical Karlsberg, one of the many minor kingdoms that made up the new Second Reich. It's been pointed out to the King, Louis Calhern,that Purdom lacks certain social graces and charm. The remedy suggested by Purdom's tutor Edmund Gwenn is to go to the University at Heidelberg which by coincidence is the alma mater of Gwenn.

He gets quite an education at Heidelberg including one from the innkeeper's niece played by Ann Blyth.

Of course what makes the Student Prince the classic it is are the words and music by Dorothy Donnelly and Sigmund Romberg. All the main songs of the score are retained with a few new ones added by Nicholas Brodzsky and Sammy Cahn.

Purdom's singing is of course the glorious voice of Mario Lanza who was originally supposed to do this. Lanza at the same time the film came out released an RCA Victor Red Seal album of The Student Prince which was a big hit, movie and album, reinforcing the success of the other.

Lanza was having a lot of trouble controlling his appetites for all the fleshly pleasures and was proving impossible to control. He got out of the film, but he had already taped his soundtrack singing. MGM settled with Mario with them retaining the rights to those recordings for the film. Good thing they did, because it's Lanza's singing voice as the Prince that makes this film.

If you like operetta and Mario Lanza, do not ever miss this one when it is on.

Mario Lanza's beautiful tenor soars on the soundtrack of this fairytale, loosely based on Sigmund Romberg's beautiful operetta.

In an interview on a Lanza bio program, Music Director George Stoll shared how Lanza came into the recording studio and rendered perfect one-takes on the entire score, within a remarkable single session.

The glorious timbre of his voice is a highlight of this film. A special treat is hearing the pleasant lyric soprano of Ann Blythe, who was a trained, experienced singer even before making her film debut. The two are heard to advantage in the lovely "Deep in My Heart" park scene duet.

Composer Nicholas Brodszky contributed two ravishingly beautiful added songs, "Beloved" and "I'll Walk With God," intoned to perfection by Lanza.

Alas, Director Richard Thorpe lets the production down with very routine and uninspired direction, allowing for often tedious pacing and formatting. Despite having a great cast to work with, his contribution produces a lethargic bent to the proceedings.

In the end, "The Student Prince's" attributes rest primarily on a beautiful soundtrack, rich score, attractive players, and Lanza's thrilling singing.