Les étoiles chantent

I saw this film in my early teens, I can not remember all the details of the film but I remember Anna Maria Alberghetti, Rosemary Clooney and Lauritz Melchior playing outstanding parts. At about the same time I saw Tonight We Sing with Jan Peerce and Ezio Pinza. These two films started me on the road to operatic record collecting and I await patiently for them to be issued on VHS or DVD.

Recently, I had the opportunity to watch THE STARS ARE SINGING on Netflix streaming. It was not one of those films I actively sought out to watch, but since I like musicals from the 1950s, I decided to give it a try. Although I found the plot to be more than a bit contrived, and let's face it—what musical comedy plot is not contrived?—Rosemary Clooney is in splendid form here, and the time spent viewing the picture was worth it. Apparently, it was her first role at Paramount, and it's interesting to see her at this stage of her career. Clooney's costar in this venture is Anna Maria Alberghetti, and while the two ladies have very different singing styles, their professionalism is top-notch, and they work together nicely. Opera tenor Lauritz Melchoir, in his final film, is an added bonus.

I have but two impressions from this film: I saw it with my mother, at a premier showing in Los Angeles. Rosie was there in front of the screen, skinny legs and all, and threw up her arms and shouted, "I've been waiting a year for this!" as the opening titles flashed her name into view.

Ana Maria Alberghetti's singing was beautiful, but the director made such a closeup of her face as she sang, I remember only that her lips were flattened into a funny shape, and the mechanics of her singing overwhelmed all else.

And that's the truth.

This was one of the films the U.S.A. channel used to show before they got their current boring line--up. A sweet musical comedy,featuring Rosemary Clooney befriending a young refugee and helping her to stay in country and be a star. Not much plot but light and airy entertainment with some good songs. Anna Maria and Rosie make lovely singing stars. The supporting cast is great,including the comics who play Rosie's friends. It proved Paramount was just as capable and MGM,making musicals. I wish this one was on DVD,hopefully there'll be a groundswell of interest so people can buy it.Another good Rosie picture is Here Come the Girls,with Bob Hope and Arlene Dahl.Paramount hoped Rosie would replace Betty Hutton as their resident singing star but the decline of musicals and Rosie's decision to be a wife and mother prevailed and she did mainly television.

As an opera and musicals fan, 'The Stars are Singing' may be imperfect but it is a treat for the most part and interesting to see Wagnerian heldentenor Lauritz Melchior and a very young Anna Maria Alberghetti on film as well as the film debut for Rosmary Clooney.

Clooney is splendid, with great comic timing and her solo songs are performed and staged with a lot of exuberance (especially "Come On-A My House"). In his final film, Melchior is in thrilling voice and is a warm, cuddly and amusing presence, his "Vesti La Giubba" is heart-wrenching. This is very much Alberghetti's film however, she personifies radiance and charm and she sings divinely singing repertoire beyond her years (how many women in their late teens even try and attempt 'Lucia Di Lammermoor's' "Mad Scene"?) in a way but she shows no signs of sounding taxed.

'The Stars are Singing' is particularly worth seeing for them, and also for two other primary things. One being the charming sisterly chemistry between Clooney and Alberghetti, and the other being the music, the operatic excerpts are infinitely more memorable but the songs are pleasant and full of energy. They are staged with fun and emotion.

It is a nice-looking film too, beautifully photographed in Technicolor and the sets and fashions are equally attractive. Norman Taurog directs with skill and at a good pace. Most of the script is gently witty and emotive.

However, Bob Williams drags the film whenever he appears, his rapport with the lethargic dog bores rather than endears and his performance just feels annoying. John Archer is also dull, while the story is contrived and at times routine outside of the musical scenes.

In summary, not perfect but a nice film all the same. 7/10 Bethany Cox