Things are not going well in the depression-era town of Castle Gate. Mr. Ribaldi, a mysterious rich man with a disfigured face and an abrasive personality, has just bought and moved into a long-vacant mansion. Bonnie, an adolescent girl who loves to sing, ends up working for Ribaldi so that her family can stay in their house. But Ribaldi is quite an accomplished musician himself, and he is soon giving Bonnie voice lessons. Meanwhile, local businesses are being shut down by foreclosures, and the townspeople suspect Ribaldi is responsible.
Score
Verdi opera reimagined as folk-pop ballads—bonkers but it works.
Acting
Joseph Paur's face-acting through heavy prosthetics.
Director
Leo D. Paur
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Shot in Utah with a mostly local cast; Joseph Paur is the director's brother. The Verdi opera connection is loose—think 'inspired by' rather than adaptation.
A rare 1990s Mormon cinema crossover hit that escaped niche status through sheer melodramatic sincerity. The 'beautiful voice/ugly face' trope here inverts typical disability narratives of the era.
US
