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IMDbPro

Music for Madame

  • 19371937
  • PassedPassed
  • 1h 21m
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
170
YOUR RATING
Joan Fontaine and Nino Martini in Music for Madame (1937)
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Musical
A singer arriving in Hollywood is tricked by jewel thieves to distract a wealthy audience. After running away he'll have to find a way to prove his innocence to both the police and the young... Read allA singer arriving in Hollywood is tricked by jewel thieves to distract a wealthy audience. After running away he'll have to find a way to prove his innocence to both the police and the young girl composer he's fallen in love with. One of the few films made by operatic tenor Nino ... Read allA singer arriving in Hollywood is tricked by jewel thieves to distract a wealthy audience. After running away he'll have to find a way to prove his innocence to both the police and the young girl composer he's fallen in love with. One of the few films made by operatic tenor Nino Martini.
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
170
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • John G. Blystone
  • Writers
    • Robert Harari(original story)
    • Gertrude Purcell(screen play)
    • F. Hugh Herbert(contributor to screenplay construction)
  • Stars
    • Nino Martini
    • Joan Fontaine
    • Alan Mowbray
Top credits
  • Director
    • John G. Blystone
  • Writers
    • Robert Harari(original story)
    • Gertrude Purcell(screen play)
    • F. Hugh Herbert(contributor to screenplay construction)
  • Stars
    • Nino Martini
    • Joan Fontaine
    • Alan Mowbray
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 4User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos

    Joan Fontaine, Nino Martini, and Lee Patrick in Music for Madame (1937)
    Joan Fontaine, Alan Hale, Nino Martini, and Erik Rhodes in Music for Madame (1937)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Nino Martini
    Nino Martini
    • Nino Maretti
    Joan Fontaine
    Joan Fontaine
    • Jean Clemens
    Alan Mowbray
    Alan Mowbray
    • Leon Rodowsky
    Billy Gilbert
    Billy Gilbert
    • Krause
    Alan Hale
    Alan Hale
    • Detective Flugelman
    Grant Mitchell
    Grant Mitchell
    • District Attorney Ernest Robinson
    Erik Rhodes
    Erik Rhodes
    • Spaghetti Nadzio
    Lee Patrick
    Lee Patrick
    • Nora Burns
    Frank Conroy
    Frank Conroy
    • Morton Harding
    Bradley Page
    Bradley Page
    • Rollins
    Romo Vincent
    Romo Vincent
    • Gas Truck Driver
    George Shelley
    • Mr. Barret - a Tenor
    Jack Carson
    Jack Carson
    • Assistant Director
    Stanley Blystone
    Stanley Blystone
    • Policeman
    • (uncredited)
    Ward Bond
    Ward Bond
    • Violets
    • (uncredited)
    Ralph Brooks
    • Wedding Guest
    • (uncredited)
    Alan Bruce
    Alan Bruce
    • Groom
    • (uncredited)
    Mary Carr
    Mary Carr
    • Bus Passenger
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • John G. Blystone
    • Writers
      • Robert Harari(original story) (screen play)
      • Gertrude Purcell(screen play)
      • F. Hugh Herbert(contributor to screenplay construction) (uncredited)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The film lost $375,000 at the box office.
    • Soundtracks
      My Sweet Bambina
      (1937)

      (Listed on-screen as "Bambina")

      Music by Rudolf Friml

      Lyrics by Gus Kahn

      Played on accordion and sung by Nino Martini (uncredited) on the bus

    User reviews4

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    opera for the masses
    "Music for Madam" is a light film from RKO starring opera singer Nino Martini and Joan Fontaine. It's fascinating to note that in the 1930s-1950s, opera was used in film plots and opera singers were hired for the movies. Then suddenly, it all stopped, even as musical films continued in popularity for a time after. The last attempt, a disaster, was Pavarotti in "Yes, Giorgio." What happened? Good question. But I'm sure if you took a poll, opera attendance in the U.S. is way down. I would venture to say cultural pastimes can't compete with the likes of the Kardashians, bubblegum music, and Honey Boo-Boo.

    Martini plays a naive tenor Nino Maretti who comes to Hollywood to make it in the movies. While he's singing on the bus, some thieves planning to rob valuable pearls at the home of a famous film impresario a la Stokowski (Alan Mowbray) decide he's just the ticket to distract the guests while they do their pilfering.

    After telling Nino that they can make him a star with their connections, they throw him in a clown costume and clown makeup and have him sing Vesti la giubba, giving them a chance to steal the pearls. At first, everyone wants to know his identity and several want to sign him to lucrative contracts.

    Several minutes later, they think he helped steal the pearls. With no name and no look at his real face, they can't find him. And poor Nino, as a wanted man, can't cash in on his success. Broke and despondent, he is befriended by a lovely young composer (Fontaine) who attended the party to present her music to the maestro. Nino falls for her but can't tell her what happened.

    Martini possessed a beautiful lyric tenor voice which he exhibits here, and also shared with audiences from the stage of the Metropolitan Opera. Though he was a lyric tenor, for some reason in those days lyrics often tended to heavier repertoire, as he did, singing some Verdi and Puccini, though the works of Donizetti and Rossini were really his specialty. Here, we get to hear part of Una furtiva lagrima, which was right up his alley.

    It's a nice film, worth it to hear Martini and see a very young and pretty Joan Fontaine.
    helpful•0
    0
    • blanche-2
    • Jul 9, 2014

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 8, 1937 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Den stulna rösten
    • Filming locations
      • Hollywood Bowl - 2301 N. Highland Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production companies
      • RKO Radio Pictures
      • Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 21 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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