Customer Reviews

Student Prince [VHS]

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The title for this review is a reference to the scene in the movie in which Prince Karl's antics in a restaurant result in the dismissal of the heroine, Kathie Ruder, from her job as a waitress. After she turns in her uniform on that clear night, she subsequently has a hostile encounter with the Prince in the street, and shortly afterwards, he breaks into Romberg's immortal "Serenade", which no one to this day can sing quite like Mario Lanza.
While it is regrettable that Lanza lost the title role of this film in in a 1954 scandal that looks like absolutely nothing compared to the O.J. Case, his angelic vocalization is the main course of this colorful, delectable tale.
Edmond Purdom managed to do justice to the part of the prince who walks with kings but until he goes to the University of Heidelberg, has no idea how to keep the common touch. Betta St. John is his very regal fiance who, after being the guest of honor at a sumptuous ball, brings the Prince's lack of warmth and charm to the attention of the king and queen, setting the events of this story in motion. While this colorful film tanked at the box office, it is quite enjoyable to watch because many people can identify to having to drop out of school or a job because of a family crisis, as Prince Karl must during the course of this story. Ann Blyth has a lot of maturity as the love interest who helps a prince grow up, Edmund Gwenn as the jovial Professor Juttner and John Williams as the stuffy Lutz help give the prince a bit of balance as he saunders back and forth between the two worlds of royal tradition and University life. Interestingly, it was around this time that Britain's Prince Charles became the first Royal to be educated outside of Buckingham Palace--a major media event because it was hoped that he would become a better monarch if he was better acquainted with the people he would one day rule.
Louis Calhern is every inch the regal monarch, still maintaing a booming authority in his voice even when he is termianlly ill. Evelyn Varden is his shrewd Queen. In one of his last performances, S.Z. Sakall, the only cast member with a German accent, plays the inkeeper who watches as the prince learns to become a person, but tries to keep the relationship between the prince and his niece from becoming too serious.
In the end the paths of lovers may sever. But "The Student Prince" is a musical that will be remembered forever.Rather than being mournful, however, its motto is ever relevant:" Gaudeamus Igitur".--"Let us rejoice while we are young!"

I will not recap the story behind this beautiful musical....other reviewers have done this well. All I want to say is be prepared to be delighted by the music and destroyed by the ending of the story. No matter how many times I've seen The Student Prince I end up a whimpering mess at it's conclusion. Very bittersweet and all too real, impossible love situations destroy me. That look on Ann Blyth's face, as the Prince she loves but cannot have visits her one last time, haunts me well after the film concludes, at which time I'm crying like a baby. In fact, as I write these sentences I'm crying again!! Too bad that Mario Lanza was not given the acting role (for whatever reason). We do get to hear his glorious singing voice dubbed with actor Edmund Purdom doing a credible acting job. But it is the radiant Ann Blyth (with her own beautiful singing voice) that steals the show for me, and I'm a gay man!! I only hope the DVD will follow soon.
Recommended for all lovers of romance. Have the tissues ready for the ending.

I'd had this video for years and can't tell you how many times I watched. It's like watching a beautiful fairytale. The setting, the costumes, the music are all beautiful. The entire cast superb. The only disappointing thing about this movie is that Mario Lanza did not get to perform the part of the prince even though he had recorded all the songs for the movie--it's his voice you hear--and the screenplay was written especially for him. But because he had a problem controlling his weight, the studio replaced him with Edmund Purdom, whom I think did a superb job overall--you can not tell he's not the one really singing. I love Ann Blyth as the leading lady--so lovely and so is her voice. All the songs are beautiful, and Mario's voice is out of this world. I gave my video to Anthony Kearns(one of the Irish Tenors) at one of his concerts and told him they should do a remake of this movie using him as the prince (of course they would have to deal with the Irish accent). As it turns out, Anthony now sings two of the songs from this movie. I recently got another video of this movie from Amazon.com and can once again watch it over and over.

One of Sigmund Romberg's BEST...and beautifully adapted to film.
That said, WHY ISN'T WARNER STUDIOS TRANSFORMING IT TO DVD?!!!

Edmund Purdom does a fine job of lip-synching to Mario Lanza in this beautiful fairytale of a movie. The combination of Lanza's glorious romanticism and Purdom's very British demeanour is an odd combination, but it works - after a fashion. It helps that Purdom was actually singing along with Lanza's pre-recorded vocals - a daunting task for any singer, let alone a non-professional like Purdom. (The actor spent three months practising with the recordings, and commented 20 years later: "It was enough to make you sweat - just listening to the voice.")

It's to Purdom's credit that he persevered, for Lanza's singing is at the very core of this movie. The Serenade, Drinking Song, Beloved, Golden Days and I'll Walk With God are without peer, and represent the pinnacle of Lanza's achievement in English language song. Lanza's timbre was at its most ravishing by this time (1952) and he imbues these songs with such magic that every word sparkles - a feat not lost on Purdom, who later compared Mario's poetic artistry to that of the great soprano Elizabeth Schwarzkopf.

The Student Prince is loosely based on Sigmund Romberg's operetta, with three new songs (Beloved, I'll Walk With God and Summertime in Heidelberg) by Nicholas Brodszky replacing some of the more dated Romberg numbers. The film is a decided improvement on the creaky original and boasts a witty script, replete with memorable one-liners from the screen-writing duo of Sonya Levien and William Ludwig, scenarists for Lanza's The Great Caruso.

Ann Blyth provides worthy support as Kathy, the barmaid with whom The Student Prince falls in love, and the hilarious supporting cast includes such seasoned pros as Edmund Gwenn, SZ (Cuddles) Sakall and John Williams.

Aside from Lanza's absence, what ultimately makes this merely a good movie rather than a classic is Richard Thorpe's uninspired direction. His stolid by-the-numbers approach (ie long shot, then medium shot, then close-up) is at its most obvious during the musical numbers, where he lacks the magical touch that the story - and the music - demands. Still, he was undoubtedly a better choice than Curtis Bernhardt, the "Prussian pickle" (to paraphrase one of the characters in this movie) originally slated to direct, and the real reason for Lanza walking out on The Student Prince.

But watch this movie for its irresistible fairytale appeal, and the magic of Mario Lanza at his extraordinary best.

I finally got the opportunity to purchase this movie, and it is the singing of Mario Lanza that blows me away . My favorites are "Beloved" , "Serenade" and "Summertime in Heidelberg", and "Deep in My Hear, Dear" , everytime I hear Mario sang those songs to Kathie , my heart just melts. Edmund Purdom does make a very handsome prince and very good lip synching too. Must of been a very tough job for him. Ann Blyth was perfect in her role as the barmaid, and what a lovely soprano voice she has!! Edmund and Ann make a great couple and they had very good chemistry working together, no wonder they did a movie together again the following year "The King's Thief" . A must watch for musical lover's fan. 5 stars for singing and acting !!!!

Mario Lanza was slated to star in this great movie. Unfortunately, he gained a lot of weight and was replaced - not just directorial differences, but Lanza's eating/drinking were taking him over - a sad by-product of fame for some. Edmund Purdom is not Lanza but he does make a handsome prince. When I first saw the close-ups, I noticed that the synching wasn't quite in-synch...but one soon forgives and forgets. This is a lovely story with outstanding music - in all, a delight.

The first time I saw this movie ,someone told me that there is actually a scene in which Mario Lanza does indeed appear.... after about the third time, I think I found it....It is the scene in the cathedral after the King dies and the Prince is singing "I'll walk with God". Not the close up, mind you, but the very long wide angle shot. That said, regardless of why Lanza was fired or quit or got too fat(All stories that go around).This is a delightful old fashioned film. Edmund Purdom does an admirable job(especially of the dubbed songs)in a really tough turn.Ann Blyth is a perfect Kathy and the supporting cast is among the best.What a hoot to see Richard Anderson and John Ireland as the leaders of the rival corps. I dont suppose they could really sing either,but...
An all around good time!

This is a fine film, I give it 5 stars because of the excellent music. But I am so very distracted by hearing Mario Lanza's voice and seeing Edmund Purdom, that I have to close my eyes during the singing parts and visualize Lanza.

The Student Prince is good, old-fashioned musical entertainment. There are no explosions or murders. What there is is lovely: A fairy tale operetta about first love played by beautiful actors with a poignant musical score that will leave you singing. The story is about a snooty prince who is sent to college in Heidelberg to learn the common touch. There he falls in love with a waitress and they decide to marry, but then...duty calls. The songs include Deep in My Heart, Seranade, Golden Days, and so many other familiar tunes. They are so beautifully and emotionally done, that you may wish it were true. 5 stars for an outstanding musical.