Customer Reviews

Toast of New Orleans [VHS]

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Mario Lanza fans will love this musical souffle which was released a year before "The Great Caruso"; Lanza is in top form and even dances with a young Rita Moreno, and hardly five minutes goes by in the film without a song.
The skimpy plot consists of opera director Niven discovering bayou bumpkin Lanza and turning him into an opera star, where of course he tries to win the heart of soprano Grayson.

The music is fabulous, with original songs by Nicholas Brodszky and Sammy Cahn, including the Lanza hit and Oscar nominated "Be My Love"; others are "Tina Lina", "I'll Never Love You", "The Toast of New Orleans", "Song of the Bayou", and "Boom Biddy Boom Boom".
The operatic selections are what make the film for me, and include a terrific "La fleur que tu m'avais jetee" (from Bizet's "Carmen"), "O paradissortide l'onde" (Mayerbeer/"L'africaine"), "Je suis Titania" (Thomas/"Mignon"). "Libiamo, libiamo ne' lieti calici" (Verdi/"La Traviata"), and my favorite scene in the film, "Viene la sera" from Puccini's "Madame Butterfly".

The cast surrounding Lanza is great, with Kathryn Grayson excellent as Suzette the soprano and love interest, David Niven smooth and classy as Jacques the director, J. Carrol Naish as Uncle Nicky, and some humorous scenes belong to Clinton Sundberg as he tries to teach Lanza "social graces".
This lighthearted frothy film is delightful, and a must for Lanza fans. Total running time is 97 minutes.

I recently watched this video and found it one of the most entertaining that I have recently seen. I had forgotten just how lovely Mario Lanza's voice was, not having heard it very much since the 1950's. The plot was a little weak in parts but mostly amusing with some farcical moments. I loved the way in which Lanza played his character, sometime tough and sometimes vulnerable. The combination of voices was wonderful, and what a treat to hear the arias from various operas. Kathryn Grayson is so pretty and her singing and acting were perfect for the part she played. David Niven was his usual suave self, and suited his part perfectly.

This is without a doubt the most consistently cheerful of all Lanza's seven movies, and a real hoot. The tenor's hitherto-unknown comedic skills are a big surprise, and the film boasts a wonderful supporting cast that includes J Carroll Naish and David Niven. Kathryn Grayson is also back on hand as the romantic interest, and - like Lanza - gets more of substance to sing than in That Midnight Kiss.

This is the film that introduced the tenor's signature song, Be My Love. The scene in which the song is first sung (as a duet between Grayson and Lanza) is great fun to watch, with both singers trying to outdo the other, while impresario David Niven watches the pair with startled interest. The climactic Madama Butterfly Love Duet scene is even better, as Lanza throws caution to the wind and shows Miss Grayson the true meaning of passion. As Armando Cesari has amusingly revealed in his recent biography of Lanza, there is more going on in this scene than meets the eye: Kathryn really is not amused by her co-star's ardour!

In the role of Pepe Duvall, shrimp fisherman from the Bayou, Lanza plays a character not entirely dissimilar from his own personality, with his lusty ways and thorough lack of pretentiousness. He also sings impressively throughout, with highlights including Libiamo, Libiamo, nei Lieti Calici from La Traviata; and a beautifully rendered Bayou Lullaby, replete with some stunning mezza voce touches.

The comic scenes involving Lanza and Carroll Naish are a particular delight. Watching this film today, one is struck by how good the former's comic timing is - especially for a man who had only acted in one picture before this. Arguably the funniest scene of all does not involve Naish, but rather David Niven and Kathryn Grayson. Lanza, trying to play the gentleman in order to impress Miss Grayson, is simply hilarious as he fumbles all the rules of social etiquette on a visit to the latter's home.

The movie performed very well at the box office on its release in September, 1950. As with That Midnight Kiss the preceding year, the critics tended to single out Lanza for praise, rather than the film itself. The verdict of Howard S. Thompson, writing in The New York Times, was typical of his peers:

"There is no need to continue with the story, not when there is so much enjoyment to be had listening to Mr. Lanza's extraordinarily gifted tenor voice and Miss Grayson's accomplished soprano...Miss Grayson and Mr. Lanza give us just enough in a duet from Madama Butterfly to further the wish that more of the opera had been used."

Following Toast, Lanza would go on to star in The Great Caruso, the pinnacle of his movie career and the film that has inspired more singers than any other in cinematic history.

"Toast of New Orleans," is a wonderful musical and Mario Lanza and Katheryn Grayson are a lovely and beautiful couple very wonderful and romantic story. The costumes alone are worth seeing it. The acting is greta and Mario and Katheryn's song selection is wonderful. It's a must see film.

The best Mario Lanza movie ever made. I love the scene when Uncle Nikki, and MArio lanza come in with their silly suits and get it from David Niven. Choice movie. I love the song in it Be My Love Mario, and Kathryn Grayson did a grand job on this movie. This is also one of the funniest mario Lanza movies ever made.

I have all of his movies and this is certainly one of the best. He plays the easy going guy looking for some fun and just singing because he enjoys it,Until Grayson shows up. His style of singing instantly grabs you with his effortless range and warmth. I would like to know why isn't he ranked as one of the best in our century? of course besides Caruso. Buy this VHS and you will enjoy over and over again the lovely songs he sings from his heart.

The Toast of New Orleans is a fabulous feast for lovers of classical music, sung brilliantly, in a beautiful setting!!! This is the second and, unfortunately, the last teaming of the beautiful soprano, Grayson, and the handsome tenor, Lanza. But fortunately, the emphasis is on the beautiful music and the two superstars singing it. The quality of the VHS tape doesn't do full justice to the the colorful sets or the stars but doesn't detract too much from the enjoyment of the viewer.

First opera has very little place in the land of Zydeco, Jazz and the blues.
It is kind of like taking a heathen idle into a Christian Church?
A Prima donna who is really snooty steals the heart of a lowly French fisherman Pepe, so that his uncle gets no blessing on his boat and it sinks in a storm.
They go to New Orleans to earn a new boat by Pepe's singing.
The love aware is playing at fire, but the acting in contrast to the singing is very bad ( there is no passion in their playing at love).
It seems clear that Kathryn Grayson and Mario Lanza didn't much like each other?

recuerda al inolvidable Mario Lanza y la hermosa canción Be My Love....

What a match! Grayson, the beautiful physiognomy, clothes-model, and concert-quality singer was the best of her time (see her in "Kiss Me Kate"); and Mario has a magnificent voice. It was unfortunate that Mario was too out-of-condition to play "The Student Prince". Instead, the role went to Edmund Purdom. Also, Mario was made for the musical Carousel! None sings "If I Loved You" so well.
But, we are happy to have the video tapes and recordings of these
perfect performances available in the market place.