THE STUDENT PRINCE
US, 1954, 107 minutes, Colour.
Ann Blyth, Edmund Purdom, John Ericson, Louis Calhern, Edmund Gwenn, S.Z. Sakall, Betta St John, John Williams, Evelyn Varden, Richard Anderson, voice of Mario Lanza.
Directed by Richard Thorpe.
The Student Prince is based on the operetta by Sigmund Romberg and contains many popular and memorable songs. Ann Blyth had had a dramatic career but in the early 1950s had moved into musicals, The Great Caruso with Mario Lanza, Rose Marie with Howard Keel and Fernando Lamas, Kismet with Howard Keel and Vic Damone. She also starred with Paul Newman in The Helen Morgan Story. Edmund Purdom, who had appeared in The Egyptian, was the leading man because Mario Lanza had put on so much weight and was considered unsuitable for the role. However, the voice of Mario Lanza was used for all the songs. There is an entertaining supporting cast including Louis Calhern and Edmund Gwenn. Betta St John is the princess whom the prince is supposed to marry while Ann Blyth is Katie, who works in a tavern, and is his true love.
The film is light, has many of the popular themes of this kind of Central European operetta with its royalty and arranged marriages. The direction is by Richard Thorpe, better known for action films. At this time he made The Knights of the Round Table and Quentin Durward with Robert Taylor.
1. Was this a well made and enjoyable musical? What conventions of the musical were most used? How well?
2. The use of Cinemascope and colour, nineteenth century settings and romantic background? Audience response and satisfaction?
3. The importance of the music and song for the film? The operetta atmosphere for character expressed in the songs? Did the songs contribute to the plot?. How? Which songs were most impressive? Enjoyable? Why? The contribution of Mario Lanza’s voice and the use of Edmund Purdom as actor?
4. The fairy tale overtones of the film? The prince as commoner? His transformation by commoner? Why do people respond to this fairy tale atmosphere even in reverse?
5. How attractive a hero was Prince Carl? His stuffiness at home, his need for learning warmth to be king, his priggishness at university, his need for fellowship, the breaking down of barriers, his response to Kathy and an emotional response in life? His need for responsibility in order to be king? The impact of his father's death
and his return to court? Would he be a successful king?
6. Was Kathy an attractive heroine? Was it clear that the romance could come to nothing? Her role in the inn and the choices open to her? Her renunciation of love for Carl?
7. The aristocrats at the university? Were they stereotypes or enjoyable characters?
8. How much comedy and pleasant relief was provided by the tutor, the valet, the inn keeper?' How importanyt is comedy for operettas like this?
9. Audience response to nineteenth century monarchy? The king? And the role of kings?
10. Does the film seem dated? Does it seem conventional? Is it still enjoyable?
