Esta noche o nunca

Being a sucker for classic comedies, i really wanted to like this. But it's never a good sign when you start watching the clock instead of the movie. Isn't a comedy supposed to have jokes in it? Do we really need that much time to set up the plot? Ah yes the plot: opera diva can only become truly great after she has found Love. So thinking a night with a handsome gigolo will do the trick and get her booked at the Met, she gives in to her passions. And by golly it works! But then guilt creeps in... I'l stop here so as not to spoil the plot for those who are not discouraged by my review. (It's your own time to waste) Being mercifully short at 82 minutes, it really felt like it lasted quite a bit longer. It has period charm, Swanson and Douglas make a nice enough couple, but the material is too slight to make this into an enjoyable movie.

Gloria Swanson proves easily here what a good talkie actress she could have been. She is funny and charming, and dressed superbly by Coco Chanel. Melvyn Douglas works well with her, but there is way too much chatter in this adaptation from a hit stage play. The screen-writers didn't seem to realise the kind of expansion they needed to give the piece to make it cinema rather than a filmed stage play. Still, in the lovingly restored print from UCLA that is on the DVD, the film looks great - as does glorious Gloria!

In Venice, opera singer Nella Vargo (Gloria Swanson) is a successful diva although her music coach is dissatisfied with her singing. He tells her that she is not putting her heart into her performances. She becomes intrigued with mysterious admirer Jim Fletcher (Melvyn Douglas) and her heart follows.

For most of this movie, I kept imagining Norma Desmond. In an alternate universe, this could be the prequel to that classic. Swanson and her eyes give a compelling performance although I'm not taken with the character. She's such a diva early on. I don't like her at the beginning and it's hard to get into this.

A thirty two year old gloria swanson is nella, opera diva, in this restored version of "tonight or never". She has caught the eye of a handsome stranger (melvyn douglas), but she believes he is a gigolo. He has been spotted on the arm of an older, rich woman (the awesome alison skipworth). Nella is headstrong and impulsive, but she has never known true love; her teacher informs her that until she has really loved someone, she won't be able to put that passion into her singing. But when she finally meets fletcher, it doesn't go anything like she expected. And now she's not sure if she wants a husband or a singing career. Just one of many decisions she may have to make. If she plays her cards right! The film itself is no big deal, but it's fun to see skipworth, douglas, and swanson in an early (pre film code) talkie. Swanson was huge, starting in the silent films. She makes a lot of the same facial expressions she will use again in sunset boulevard, another great swanson film. Small role for boris karloff. Directed by mervyn leroy... was nominated for random harvest. Story by lily hatvany.

... and largely succeeds in this Continental romance from director Mervyn LeRoy. Gloria Swanson stars as famous opera singer Nella Vago, the toast of the European music scene who is just finishing a smashing engagement in Vienna. However, some view her style as too technical and lacking real emotion, and so the elusive American market is closed to her. Although engaged to the foppish Count Albert (Warburton Gamble), Nella notices a mysterious male figure that seems to be following her. When Nella heads off to Budapest, she finds that the man, Jim Fletcher (Melvyn Douglas) is on the same train. When she decides to confront him, it may just lead to her finding the emotional footing that she needs. Also featuring Alison Skipworth, Ferdinand Gottschalk, Robert Greig, Greta Meyer, Boris Karloff, and J. Carrol Naish.

Lubitsch had been very successful with a string of European-set romances featuring nobility, artistes, and sophisticates. Sam Goldwyn copies that formula, and while it doesn't all work, enough does to make this worthwhile. Swanson seems an odd casting choice for an opera diva, and thankfully her performances are heard and not seen. Douglas, making his film debut, was carried over from the stage version, and he's perfect. I actually watched this for Karloff, though, who ably plays a small role as a waiter. He was in 14(!!!) movies in 1931, the year of his breakout role in Frankenstein.