Mad About Opera

Aug 10, 1948

★ 7.5

Overview

This story took place during World War II. A group of Italians living in London are raising funds to rebuild a Catholic cathedral that was bombed by the Nazis. To this end, they organized a concert, the proceeds of which would go toward the construction. The project was led by journalist Carlo Scala. He faced and overcame many difficulties in organizing the event, but he handled them with honor, and the performance by leading Italian singers took place. He was assisted in this by the incomparable Dora Scala.

Genres

Comedy

Music

Production Companies

GE.S.I. Cinematografica

Scalera Film

Mad About Opera Trailers

No Trailers found.

Cast

Gino

Gino Bechi

Self

Maria Caniglia

Self

Tito Gobbi

Dora Scala - la fidanzata di Guido

Gina Lollobrigida

Carlo Scala - il zio di Dora

Carlo Campanini

Margaret Jones

Constance Dowling

Guido Marchi

Aroldo Tieri

Don Antonio Capenno

Aldo Silvani

McLean

Lamberto Picasso

Carmen

Franca Marzi

Il direttore del Covent Garden

Guglielmo Barnabò

L'amico scrocone di Scala

Nico Pepe

This time the "amici" (friends) are just four: Necchi, Meandri, Mascetti and Sassaroli. Nevertheless they are older they still love to spend their time mainly organizing irresistible jokes to everyone in every kind of situation. Mascetti is hospitalized in a geriatric clinic. Of course the place become immediately the main stage for all their jokes. After some jokes they decided to place an ultimate incredible and farcical joke to the clinic guests.

7.2

Awaara

Dec 14, 1951

A petty thief is put on trial for the attempted murder of a lawyer. Through a series of flashbacks, the intertwining lives of the thief, the lawyer, and the thief's defense lawyer are illustrated.

0.0

Traummusik

Oct 25, 1940

The young opera singer Carla is in love with the talented young composer Michele, who wants to make it big with classical music and writes his first opera, "The Return of Odysseus," for Carla. But Carla is more successful than he is and gets a gig at La Scala in Milan. Through her connections, she manages to find a publisher for Michele's opera. But when Michele learns what the publisher really thinks of his work, he leaves and abandons Carla. A year later, Carla finds Michele again. He has since become a sought-after composer, but is embittered because he is only successful with pop songs. His new revue "Dream Music," a reworking of his opera, is about to premiere. Carla then arranges for Michele's original opera to premiere in Budapest with her in the lead role.

5.2

Schrammeln

Mar 3, 1944

Without his brother's knowledge, Joseph Schrammel popularizes his songs in Vienna. When Johann learns of this, a dispute breaks out between the siblings and their two fellow musicians, which can only be resolved with the help of the singer Fiakermilli. The reconciled quartet then performs under the name "Die Schrammeln" and becomes famous. But another dispute is already looming.

6.9

The Emperor and the Golem

Jan 4, 1952

The Emperor's mismanagement of his country is provoking some in his court to plot to overthrow him. He feels successful, at least, when he discovers the legendary Golem, which he believes can protect him and even cure his imaginary illnesses but, when he disappears while on a bender, his kindly baker, who looks just like him, is mistaken for him, and begins to put things in order. However, the conspirators, not to be outdone, determine to bring the Golem back to life to do their bidding.

6.5

The Kaiser's Lackey

Aug 31, 1951

Diederich Heßling is scared of everything and everyone. But as he grows up, he comes to realize that he has to offer his services to the powers-that-be if he wants to wield power himself. His life motto now runs: bow to those at the top and tread on those below. In this way, he always succeeds: as a student in a duel-fighting student fraternity and as a businessman in a paper factory. He cajoles the obese district administrative president Von Wulkow and wins his favor. He slanders his financial rivals and hatches a plot with the social democrats in the town council. On his honeymoon with his rich wife Guste, he finally finds a chance to do his beloved Kaiser a favor. And when a memorial to the Kaiser is unveiled in the town where Diederich lives and works, he delivers the address. He stands behind the lectern in the pouring rain, saluting his Kaiser. The crowd is dispersed. Everything is laid in ruins...

6.9

Three Little Pigs

May 27, 1933

The two pigs building houses of hay and sticks scoff at their brother, building the brick house. But when the wolf comes around and blows their houses down (after trickery like dressing as a foundling sheep fails), they run to their brother's house. And throughout, they sing the classic song, "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?".

7.3

Meet John Doe

Mar 14, 1941

As a parting shot, fired reporter Ann Mitchell prints a fake letter from unemployed "John Doe," who threatens suicide in protest of social ills. The paper is forced to rehire Ann and hires John Willoughby to impersonate "Doe." Ann and her bosses cynically milk the story for all it's worth, until the made-up "John Doe" philosophy starts a whole political movement.

6.9

Der Fuehrer's Face

Jan 1, 1943

A marching band of Germans, Italians, and Japanese march through the streets of swastika-motif Nutziland, serenading "Der Fuehrer's Face." Donald Duck, not living in the region by choice, struggles to make do with disgusting Nazi food rations and then with his day of toil at a Nazi artillery factory. After a nervous breakdown, Donald awakens to find that his experience was in fact a nightmare.

7.1

It Started with Eve

Sep 26, 1941

A young man asks a hat check girl to pose as his fiancée in order to make his dying father's last moments happy. However, the old man's health takes a turn for the better and now his son doesn't know how to break the news that he's engaged to someone else, especially since his father is so taken with the impostor.

0.0

Träumerei

May 3, 1944

A musical film based on biographical facts about Clara Wieck's love for composer Robert Schumann (1810-1856), her marriage against her will, Schumann's triumph, and his tragic end due to mental illness. The film is beautiful and entertaining, full of noble spirit and beautiful words about art and love, which only conflict in a theoretical context; not least thanks to its solid cast, this film is quite serious and far from kitsch. Completed in 1944, during World War II, the film was rejected by the Nazi leadership, but was eventually released and enjoyed success with an audience already weary of war.

5.3

Tosca

Jan 31, 1941

Non-musical account of Puccini's opera: Tosca and Cavaradossi are in love, but the tyrant Scarpia desires Tosca and oppresses Cavaradossi who is fighting for freedom.

3.5

L'elisir d'amore

Jan 31, 1947

Nemorino is hopelessly in love with Adina but she is attracted to a dashing captain.

6.5

Janika

May 19, 1949

After a 15-year absence, the famous actress' expatriate husband returns to Hungary to settle their divorce. The actress is rehearsing the role of a young boy back home when her husband walks in. Seeing the little boy, the husband thinks that Janika is his child, but the actress fails to inform him of the mistake.

8.0

Die Fledermaus

Aug 16, 1946

Theater director Falke, dressed as a bat, ends up in prison after a merry carnival night. Director Frank only releases him after some time. Falke decides to take revenge on his friend Gabriel von Eisenstein, to whom he owes the whole affair. The annual masked ball at Prince Orlofsky's provides the opportunity. Falke stages a game of mistaken identity in which Eisenstein does not recognize his own wife and courts her, while maid Adele appears as the countess. Eisenstein is duped, Falke has taken his revenge.

8.3

Modern Times

Feb 5, 1936

A bumbling tramp desires to build a home with a young woman, yet is thwarted time and time again by his lack of experience and habit of being in the wrong place at the wrong time..

7.8

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

Oct 19, 1939

After the death of a United States Senator, idealistic Jefferson Smith is appointed as his replacement in Washington. Soon, the naive and earnest new senator has to battle political corruption.

6.6

Damals

Apr 23, 1943

Vera Meiners' life was sweet but unfortunately for her, it was not to last. Her husband, Jan, left her after she met a former lover in a harmless friendly meeting. Forced to resume her disrupted medical career, she worked in a Swiss clinic but, without the knowledge of the chief surgeon, Vera ordered a risky operation to be performed and was thereafter fired. Penniless, she then works in Spanish nightclubs in order to provide for herself and her child. After many years, she runs into her friend Frank again in one of these nightclubs...