Besos de fuego

...was covered by Elvis Presley and was a big hit in 1960 as "It's now or never" .You can hear Corsican Tino Rossi croon this traditional accompanying himself on the guitar on his balcony looking over Napoli.As this is mainly a vehicle for the singer ,you can hear him every ten minutes ,notably "Tarantelle D'Amour" .

As for the plot itself ,it's the story of a good guy about to marry a good girl ,Assunta ,the niece of the owner of the restaurant where the boy ,Mario,sings .But alas,his room mate ,Michel (Michel Simon) takes in a very unfortunate orphan girl who's lost everything and tries to start all over again under the blue sky of Italy.Lolita (Vivianne Romance) is actually the perfect bitch (this actress was a specialist in this kind of part);when the two friends watch her sleeping ,she's hearing their conversation and a malicious smile forms on her lips . Vivianne Romance's portrayal verges on caricature :provocative poses,sheep's eyes at every man,swaying walk and the whole kit.

As always in this kind of mawkish melodrama,the best moments come from the supporting cast:Michel Simon having a quarrel with the aunt (Jeanne Lory) about what the fiancés bring (he brings his voice!she brings a house!) is much fun to watch;and Marcel Dalio plays Marcel Dalio,that is to say the part of a yellow-bellied coward.

Mario (Tino Rossi) is a crooner who works the tables at a Naples pavement café. He loves Assunta (Mireille Balin) and they plan to marry, but all that changes when Lolita the man-eater (Viviane Romance) shows up and gets her claws into him.

There's not much substance to this Tino Rossi vehicle, but Rossi sings sweetly, Viviane Romance has never been sexier, and there are comic turns from Michel Simon (who sings) and Marcel Dalio (who doesn't). Mireille Balin (Rossi's lover in real life at the time) is sublime as ever, but has little to do in this movie other than look petulant as her rivals circle around her fiancé. Rossi, a limited actor, essentially plays himself here.

Shooting was done partly on location in Naples (during a heatwave), and the local flavour adds some interest to Augusto Genina's otherwise flat direction. Genina went on to make Fascist propaganda films for Mussolini.