Ama-me Sempre

When Grace Moore scored such a big hit in One Night Of Love the year before, Harry Cohn decided to repeat it with the same formula. Grace once again plays a budding opera singer with the same director, Victor Schertzinger. Schertzinger also wrote the title song of that film with Gus Kahn and the songwriting team does the same here in Love Me Forever.

One thing that Cohn did try with decent results was for maybe the only time in his career Leo Carrillo was a leading man. Carrillo's part is similar to the one that James Cagney had in Love Me Or Leave Me. Carrillo is a guy from the streets who worked his way up to proprietorship of a nightclub, gambling palace, and restaurant. He's always on the lookout for the gentleman's toys that symbolize class.

At an auction where a woman who has now slipped into genteel poverty is selling off her possessions, Carrillo hears her sing and is entranced with Grace Moore. She's got a millionaire in Robert Allen who's already interested in her, but she won't marry him just for his money. But she sure don't mind Carrillo spending everything on her and I do mean everything.

If the whole incident with Ruth Etting and her present and past husband had not occurred yet, I would have said that Love Me Forever was based on her story done for grand opera. They even have a best friend for Carrillo in the person of Luis Alberni. He functions in the exact same way that Harry Bellaver does vis a vis Cagney in Love Me Or Leave Me.

In addition to the title song which became part of Moore's concert repertoire, Grace gets to sing several arias and gives the movie going public a taste of some really great and serious music. Like we sure don't today. She also carries off the part of the diva quite well, then again it was typecasting to the max.

This film features charming performances and wonderful music. Some have said that the story is a bit "corny". However I disagree, as it is a beautiful and moving story filled with drama and enlivened with wit. It absolutely amazes me that it is virtually impossible to obtain a copy. As far as I know, none of Grace Moore's films have been restored. Here we have a superlative American cultural treasure in Grace Moore and her film performances and yet no institution recognizes it ! Is anyone awake at the Library of Congress or any of our pretentious motion picture academies and organizations ?

The story line is kind of corny, but probably very serious for its time..the depressing '30's. I don't know if the Met or any opera house has any film on Miss Moore, so we are fortunate that a small movie studio at that time, Columbia studios saw the potential to get her in the movies Like I said the story line is corny, how a woman who 'sang a little' did not know she had a voice. It takes years of training to put that voice in affect. Another, is the ending, where Leo's character finds the gamblers waiting for him, when they had already been paid off by Miss Moore...Some Italians today may be disturbed the way the Italians are portrayed, and their Englishese..back in those days. Watching this movie brought to mind a couple of movies that ran along the same theme..."Love Me or Leave Me" with Doris Day playing the "Moore" part and James Cagney, "Leo Carillo's" part and in real life, Sophia Loren and Carlo Ponti, and Cion and her husband. BTW, I think I read somewhere that Leo Carillo spoke perfect English, and even displayed in a couple of early movies, before he eventually became "The Cisco Kid's", sidekick.

I taped this film several years ago and fell in love with the haunting singing of lovely Grace Moore as well as the love story. I Was quite impressed with Steve Corelli (portrayed beautifully by Leo Carrillo) who is already facing bankruptcy and is giving up his antiques for an auction. He meets and falls in love with this lovely singer. He gives up everything to get her the introduction to the Met. Though he realizes she does not love him, he continues on, even sacrificing his safety to a loan shark who will kill him if he does not return the money he borrowed.

This all transpires just as Grace's character decides to marry a man she doesn't love, but admires. When urged by her friend, Alan, she finally agrees.

Here I will not create a spoiler. Suffice it to say that I look forward to the last few minutes of the film as Marguerite gives her fine performance. I love her blowing kisses to someone in the audience.

Luis Alberni is fantastic as his best friend and co-night club owner who imparts a certain revelation to Marguerite before her performance...

'Love Me Forever' is alongside 'Louise' and 'One Night of Love' one of Grace Moore's best. This said, while disappointed with 'When You're in Love' (despite it having Cary Grant in it) all of Moore's films are worth seeing at least once.

Sadly, 'Love Me Forever' (or 'On Wings of Song' in the UK) is also her most obscure and it doesn't deserve to be. It is very hard to find, saw it myself on a very old worn out cassette found when sorting through old videos in the attic and decided to watch it on a Grace Moore binge. The song is pure corn admittedly and there are a few moments where it gets sappy.

However, the production values are elegance and sumptuousness personified all round, and Schertzinger directs adeptly. It is very hard to put into words how good the music is, and 'Love Me Forever' also is one of the more successful of her films in how opera is integrated into the storyline. The 'La Boheme' duet and the title song are particularly noteworthy here, and the 'Rigoletto' Quartet is done cleverly.

The script is funny and smart, a standout being the opening, with some tenderness and poignancy, most of it apart from the odd moment avoids the sappy factor.

Moore sings sublimely, and this is the film where every song/aria suits her voice without problem. She is a natural comedienne too, and she delights and charms effortlessly. Leo Carrillo is a splendid leading man, combining comedy and pathos with great skill, while Luis Alberni and Spring Byington are riots in their roles.

Overall, it is sad that 'Love Me Forever' is obscure and hard to find, as it's a very entertaining and beautifully done film and one of Moore's best. 8/10 Bethany Cox