Arrivederci Roma

Louisa DeMio, did a magnificent job singing, "Arrivaderchi Roma"...such a great voice.

Seeing her perform, brought me back to a memory of another little girl, Raphaela Fesano, who was dying of Hodgkin's Disease. She was a big fan of Mario Lanza, and her mother managed to contact co-workers, and when Mario was told about her, he flew her and her mother, to his Hollywood home to celebrate her last Christmas. His kindness will always be remembered.

Mario Lanza did another kindness, insisted Louisa DeMio sing with him in "Seven Hills of Rome. He enjoyed her upstaging him. Lovely man with a heart.

Mario Lanza is an American singer looking for his fiancé (Peggie Castle) in Rome in "Arrivederci Roma" aka "The Seven Hills of Rome." The threadbare plot consists of Lanza, as Marc Revere, meeting a destitute young woman, Raffaela (Marisa Allasio) on a train. He takes her to stay with his cousin Pepe. Pepe falls in love with her; she falls in love with Marc.

The plot exists only to take the audience on a dazzling tour of Rome and to have an opportunity to listen to some beautiful music. This was the film that introduced the hit song "Arriverderci Roma." Lanza also sings "The Seven Hills of Rome," and part of "M'appari." Marc blunders into a talent show where his cousin is playing accompaniment and announces he will sing an aria from the opera "Rigoletto" and somehow Pepe knows it's "Quest o' quella" instead of the more famous "La Donna e Mobile." Probably the most entertaining scene is Lanza entertaining some young rock and rollers in Pepe's courtyard with imitations of Perry Como, Frankie Laine, Dean Martin, and Louis Armstrong.

Having just heard Lanza do some of his best singing in "Because You're Mine," the change in the tenor's voice after six years of drinking was apparent, not to mention that he looked bloated. The voice had darkened; the top was sometimes strained, as well as the approach pushed, and some of the high notes had a covered sound. It's not unusual for a voice to change in this way - but not at the age of 37. However, he could still pull it out when he needed to, and often does throughout the film.

"Arrivederci Roma" is a pleasant film but heartbreaking to realize that Lanza is almost at the end of his downward spiral and that it would be stopped by his death. He was one of music's brightest lights.

Here,s a film after my own heart, not so much for its plot, which is limited, but rather for the beautiful 1950's atmosphere, romantic Italy, beeeeautiful women ( Rafaella in Particular ) and that lovely music. A feast for the eyes and ears. I m not much into Opera, but Mario Lanza's voice is just something else. I so much prefer the 1950's atmosphere of romance and beautiful music, to the violence and aggressiveness of today's films. That alone is more than a saving grace for a film of which the plot would be judged no doubt by today's critics as being too weak. You just have to hand it to the Italians, they have an innate sense of beauty, whether it be art, music or women ! For these reasons alone, the film is worth having.

Marc Revere is angry that his girlfriend Carol Ralston left him for another guy. He's half-Italian from Chicago. He's in Italy struggling to make it as a singer. He meets Raffaella Marini on the train to Rome. She lost her purse chasing the train in the rain. He spends his last lira for her ticket. She has no place to go, and they both stay with his penniless artist cousin Pepe Bonelli.

It's a good meet-cute although he could phrase getting out her clothes a little differently. I like the whole setup. The other aspect I love is 50's Italy. It's not touristy. It has an exoticism that isn't there anymore. The music is not my taste every time, but the exterior locations are always great. I don't know these actors. They're pretty good although the lead may be a better singer than an actor. This is fine rom-com with great locations.

Mario Lanza and the city of Rome get equal notice in this paean to all things Italian. The film industry turned itself inside out after World War II, romanticizing Italy and France. This movie could have been produced by a travel agency, introducing the world to the classic song "Arrivederci Roma." Lanza's glorious tenor voice shines as he bursts into song against the Eternal City backdrop; unfortunately the songs are too few and the drooling over Italian women a little sickening. All over the map, the movie even takes a couple of comic swipes at Cole Porter and rock 'n' roll, and Lanza's imitations of Perry Como, Dean Martin, Louis Armstrong, and Frankie Laine are hilarious.