I DREAM TOO MUCH

US, 1935, 97 minutes, Black-and-white.
Lily Pons, Henry Fonda, Eric Blore, Osgood Perkins, Lucille Ball, Mischa Auer, Esther Dale, Billy Gilbert.
Directed by John Cromwell.

I Dream Too Much was the introductory film for French singer, Lily Pons, who would come to audition in the United States and was successful, almost immediately, at the Metropolitan in New York City. She was to have a long career as a singer and in opera, but was not so successful in film, making only three features at this time, The Girl from Paris and Hitting a High Note. She did appear in the concert film, Carnegie Hall.

She appeared in opera, entertaining the troops during the war, received the Legion of Honour, sang on radio and appeared in concerts with her husband, then ex-husband, Andre Kostelanetz.

She was not a particularly good actress but entered with a zest into her role in this film, a young Frenchwoman who wants to be an opera star, fell in love with an opera composer, played by Henry Fonda in one of his first three films, all in 1935. He has an unenviable role, drinking, falling in love, marrying, composing, promoting his wife, touches of jealousy, agreeing to her singing training and her success but, touched with jealousy again, drinking, separating – but finally having success, trying to overcome his high-handed pride, with his wife continually devoted – and finally having a success on the London stage with a musical comedy - and a baby.

The story is quite contrived, has music by Jerome Kern with lyrics by Dorothy Fields – but not particularly memorable.

Lily Pons is zestful, able to burst into song, wants to persuade an impresario (played by Osgood Perkins, father of Anthony Perkins) who backs her and reaps the reward of his and her success. She is willing to give everything up for love of her husband, rather more patient with him than he deserved.

Also in the cast is Eric Blore as an eccentric Englishman who entertains with seals – and there are some scenes with a seal. The composer has a part-time job taking tourists around Paris – and one of them is a gumchewing Lucille Ball in an early role. Mischa Auer is the piano accompanist.

The film was directed by John Cromwell who had a long career with a range of films including the 1937 Prisoner of Zenda, Algiers, Abe Lincoln in Illinois, and and the King of Siam.