A romance between two temperamental singing stars. Highlights include a lengthy selection from Faust, with Gigli making a most impressive Mephistopheles. The plot takes a melodramatic turn towards the climax, with the lives of the characters mirrored in their on-stage behavior. Director Carmine Gallone was something of an expert in the field of filmed opera, as witness his Tosca, Rigoletto and Il Trovatore.
Acting
Gigli's Mephistopheles: terrifying, seductive, unforgettable.
Direction
Gallone stages opera like psychological warfare.
Costume
Glamorous 1930s gowns meet Faustian robes.
Director
Carmine Gallone
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Gallone was Mussolini's favorite filmmaker; his operas served fascist cultural ideals of grand Italian art.
Maria Cebotari died tragically young at 39; this remains her most celebrated screen performance.
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