Tu es à moi

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!

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.

Because You're Mine was Mario Lanza's fourth movie, and was much criticised on its release as artistically a step backwards for the celebrated tenor. Certainly, coming straight after The Great Caruso it suffers badly in comparison with that considerable achievement, but is Because You're Mine really THAT bad?

Actually, this is a fun movie. It lacks the polish of That Midnight Kiss and the sheer high spirits of Toast of New Orleans, but vocally at least this film has more going for it than either of those two movies. Highlights include a definitive Granada (in a key one and a half tones higher than the Three Tenors have ever dared to attempt!), a moving Lord's Prayer and several pleasing operatic and popular selections. My only regret is that All the Things You Are was inexplicably cut from the movie. One of Lanza's loveliest recordings, it was recently restored on the Mario Lanza at MGM soundtrack CD released by Rhino.

The film also boasts a fine co-star in James Whitmore, who provides much of the movie's comic relief, and a pleasant leading lady in Doretta Morrow of the Broadway Kismet fame. She's no great shakes as a singer, but then - unlike Kathryn Grayson in the earlier movies - she isn't meant to be.

Lanza hated making this movie, and did his best to sabotage it, gaining a huge amount of weight in the vain hope that this would discourage the producers from going ahead with it. As a result, Lanza's weight varies from 240 pounds to 159 pounds (often in successive scenes), a distracting but intriguing sight.

But none of this need detract from your enjoyment of a pleasant movie that includes some agreeable singing from the finest tenor of his generation. And you can always watch Serenade (Lanza's next movie) straight after it for a reminder of what this man could do with a much meatier tale.

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.

By the time Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer started Mario Lanza in his fourth film, the formula was wearing thin. In That Midnight Kiss, he was an opera singing truckdriver. In The Toast of New Orleans, he was an opera singing fisherman. And in The Great Caruso he was, the greatest opera singer of all. Now he was going to be cast as an opera singer drafted into the army.

So you can understand that Mario was feeling in a bit of a career rut. Why he wasn't cast in some of the classic musicals and operettas of old is beyond me. So despite the fact that the title song became a big hit for him, Mr. Lanza was unhappy.

He set records for binging on food, on liquor, on women that outstripped even what Mario previously did. Looking at some of the scenes filmed out of sequence you can see how his weight went up and down. Reportedly he behaved so outrageously to co-star Doretta Morrow that she up and quit Hollywood and never returned.

That was a pity because Ms. Morrow was certainly a great talent in her own right. She had just come off playing Tuptim on Broadway in The King and I and would soon go back to Broadway in Kismet.

Despite that Doretta and Mario made some beautiful music together. Especially with the title song and Doretta sings a beautiful version of Cole Porter's You Do Something to Me.

I actually rather liked the premise of this film. Mario Lanza, opera star gets drafted into the army where by the merest of chance he gets an opera loving sergeant James Whitmore who has an aspiring singer for a sister. That would be Ms. Morrow.

Put them together with a whole lot of situations that come up in military service comedies and you have Because You're Mine.

It's not a bad film, not particularly great. But a rut is a rut is a rut.