SO THIS IS LOVE

US, 1953, 101 minutes, Colour.
Kathryn Grayson, Merv Griffin, Joan Weldon, Walter Abel, Rosemary de Camp, Jeff Donnell, Douglas Dick, Mabel Albertson, Fortunio Bonanova.
Directed by Gordon Douglas.

So This is Love is a pleasant but not memorable musical from Warner Bros. in the early 1950s. It is the biography of popular singer, later opera star, sometime film star, Grace Moore. It is adapted from her autobiography. Direction is by Gordon Douglas who directed many films in the '50s and '60s - a wide range from westerns to gangster films and musicals. Kathryn Grayson, on loan from M.G.M., is attractive as Grace Moore. Her forte is in her singing rather than her acting. Merv Griffin, later a popular host of television talk show, is the hero. Regular character cast from Warner Bros. fill in the minor roles. The treatment is generally conventional Hollywood biography.

1. An attractive and entertaining musical? The interest in Grace Moore and her career? A memorable musical or not?

2. The production values of '50s musicals: the colour photography, the staging of the musical numbers, the opera score? The musical comedy conventions and stereotypes? How attractive a film?

3. Hollywood treatment of biographies: the highlighting of success after the explanation of origins, struggles, crises, career and romance? How conventional was this biography? Insight into Grace Moore? Into the period? The traditions of American musical comedy and opera?

4. The period of Grace Moore's life shown, 1917-28. The background of Grace Moore's childhood? Her early career? Her training? The indications of her later success? A sufficient view of Grace Moore?

5. Kathryn Grayson's presence and style as Grace? The explanations of her background? Her determination on a singing career? The sternness of her father and his military background? Her presence in the music school? The encounter with Mary Garden and her response to her praise? The concert with John McCormack? The continued clashes with her father? Buddy Nash and his audition? Her success? The straining of her voice? The time in the country? Her continued success in Broadway productions? Their staging? Her clash with her father? Love for Bryan Curtis? Her decision to postpone the marriage? Her making a bet about her opera career? Her study in Europe? The final triumph and the production of La Boheme?

6. The background of Grace Moore's father and his hostility? Her persuading him to let her go on? Her being vindicated?

7. Buddy Nash and his support and the Broadway shows? Her love for Bryan Curtis - but her choosing career?

8. Her friends and their support - especially Ruth? The support of Aunt Laura? Henrietta Van Dyke? Mary Garden and her encouragement, later encounter?

9. The conventional picture of training, Broadway musicals, studying music, the final triumph in the Metropolitan? Sufficiently entertaining musical of the 50s?