Tú eres mi pasión

This formula pic, while being one of Lanza's lamer projects, includes some impressive soundtrack renderings.

It's amusing to see how he manages to first be drafted at all (stretching age limits) then sail through basic training with a breeze, intoning ballads through boot camp.

From his real-life mom's requesting an autograph as he stands in recruit formation at train station, to his sergeant's begging same immediately upon entering barracks, this script's a hoot.

His fellow privates (while mildly ribbing him) quickly accept his "in with brass" status, as our hero's placed in charge of trainees, crooning Brahms melodies in sergeant's quarters, belting out Italian arias while riding a truck, and even traveling to New York for a recording session.

However, this is a quite special branch of the military--MGM Division to be exact--and everything yields to the song cue (could Joe Pasternak be Commander in Chief?)

Fun to see James Whitmore having a good time in a somewhat comedic, Keenyn Wynn type role. Spring Byington's sprightly as ever and Doretta Morrow's serviceable as love interest, with her light soprano being as pleasant here as in her Broadway work of "Kismet."

Interesting, too, to see Mario bouncing between 80-pounds-plus-minus (entering a chapel in uniform fairly slim and next walking down aisle wearing what looks like a tent).

Vocally the production's strong, with a consistently forceful approach. Lanza looks like this isn't exactly a labor of love, with his reactions appearing more dutiful than inspired.

He'd go on from this to render some of his most endearing work for the soundtrack of "The Student Prince." Like a comet that flashes briefly across the heavens, Lanza was a phenomenon of his particular time that entertained and uplifted millions for a few short seasons.

If anyone will notice, That Midnight Kiss and The Toast of New Orleans was the same movie with the same plot with maybe a change of characters. For instance, instead of Ethel Barrymore, we've got a male actor playing about the same thing that she did in Kiss, and there's still that Kathryn Grayson doesn't like Mario Lanza and Mario Lanza playing the brash singer. Same movie, same plot, same characters. So, along later comes Because You're Mine which is very entertaining without all that operatic music. Personally, I didn't care for The Great Caruso, although it's a odd thing that on the day that Caruso died, Mario Lanza was born. Now, I'm not saying that Mario Lanza was Caruso reincarnated, but it is a bit unusual that knowing this, Lanza played Caruso on the screen. It is probable that his family knew this and told this to him many times!

So, in Because You're Mine, you've got a great cast, great music with Mario Lanza singing Granada at the end of the movie looking like he was poured into his Army uniform which made him look a little larger than the uniform with the button about to pop, but we forgave him. Come on gang - this is Mario Lanza!

Now, we've got one problem with this movie. It's not a big problem but it's Doretta Morrow. Sure she can sing, beautifully, and she cat too. Well, no wonder. She was in the original Broadway cast of Kismet playing Marsinah in which Ann Blyth played the role in the movie version, but you couldn't see it on the stage, but Ms. Morrow always looked cross eyed on the screen, and after Lanza making a hit in Caruso singing Be My Love - did she really have too? At least they had the good sense not to make it a duet between here and Lanza.

So, when you come right down to it, the movie is very entertaining. Probably Mario Lana's best. He never sang better. And why isn't Kathryn Grayson in this movie instead of Doretta Morrow? Well, quite frankly, she and Mario Lanza did not like each other. In their two movies together, especially That Midnight Kiss, you could see something going on with her feelings for him, but they never made a match. Maybe she was personally afraid of him. Who knows? But there were a great singing team. It's a shame that they never made more movies together, but that was never to be! Once again, it's just a shame that movies like this cannot be seen on the big movie theater screen. That big screen makes the difference. Ask anyone who's recently seen The Wizard of Oz for the first time in a movie theater, or even one of you out there - then you'll know what I mean!

After the triumph of "The Great Caruso" in 1951, Lanza was all set to start work on "The Student Prince." MGM had other ideas and wanted to exploit his more popular image. When they approached him, his response was "You cannot put Caruso in the army!" He was persuaded eventually to start on "Because You're Mine" with the dangling carrot of Student Prince promised next in line. He did not like the script, or his co-star, who constantly smoked and was considered by him to be unsuitable, because of her limited experience and he also put on weight at an alarming rate, so that costumes had to be remade or altered almost daily, to accomodate his fluctuating size. This is all too apparent in some scenes, when he walks in slim and walks out again at least 40 pounds heavier. It was his way of rebelling against the system. Once completed, it was chosen as the 1952 Royal Command film in U.K. but the critics panned it. O.K. the plot is thin, the acting dated, but the voice - wow - that voice. He was truly on top form and the soundtrack and studio recordings of the songs from the film are still great favourites today. Just listen to "The Lord's Prayer" to see what I mean. Not a favourite film of mine, but I watch just for the voice and memories of a bygone era.

Lanza's character is inducted into the Army and undergoes basic training, during a season in which the summer uniform was prescribed. Normal summer "Class A" uniform for a private would have been a long-sleeved cotton khaki shirt with tie (tucked in between second and third buttons of shirt) and matching trousers, heavily starched (but no jacket or blouse). As an option, purchased at their own cost and only authorized for off-duty purposes, enlisted men could purchase an officer's summer Class A uniform, comprising shirt and tie in a tropical worsted material, topped with a jacket. Perhaps ten senior NCOs ever did this, of course. They and Lanza's character: the jacket hides a multitude of sins (and fat rolls), so Lanza's buck private is the best dressed enlisted man in the lower 48 during most of his military scenes. And he often looks as if he could play two NFL line positions simultaneously!

The studio's effort to cram in a piece exploiting Lanza's success in THE GREAT CARUSO before his promised fine (if unfaithful reduction of) STUDENT PRINCE, this film today is chiefly of interest for one of the too few opportunities to see the great Doretta Morrow and the last of Lanza appearing rather than merely dubbing on screen. It is well WORTH seeing, but could have been so much more.

Lanza was starting the uncontrolled fluctuation of weight which ultimately resulted in Edmond Purdom playing the student prince (with Lanza's singing voice) and his resulting (continuing?) insecurity affected his treatment of all around him. Morrow had the chance to do the film because Lanza's last leading lady refused to work with him again. On the weight front - when not an actual medical problem, frequently the outlet for emotional problems - we wouldn't see the like (a film lead's weight appearing to fluctuate drastically within a scene) until 25 years later when Elizabeth Taylor filmed A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC in 1977.

Just as bad, the studio hair, make-up and design departments did everything in their considerable power to hide Morrow's remarkable light under a bushel. Seek out her televised appearance opposite Alfred Drake in THE ADVENTURES OF MARCO POLO (Drake and Morrow had wanted to televise their original Broadway KISMET roles, but the studio had the rights tied up for lesser talents): Morrow's was a beauty and voice considerably superior to any of Lanza's other screen leading ladies!

Despite these severe handicaps the film, silly post-war plot (singing soldier falls for his sergeant's sister) and all, remains entertaining even if less than great art. It's a pity that we can only now get it in a *burned* DVD from Warner Archives (after an initial VHS release), but we'll be thankful for what we can get - even while noting the commercial doublethink. Warner Brothers doesn't think the film well sell well enough to justify a full (more permanent) *pressed* release, but heavily "copyblocks" the DVDs they do put out to try to make it harder for purchasers to share the disc if Warners' takes it out of print again.