The Great Victor Herbert (1939)

In his last film assignment portly Walter Connolly fills the title role in more ways than one in The Great Victor Herbert Very little of Herberts life story is incorporated in the screenplay a closing title actually apologizes for the films paucity of cold hard facts instead the writers allow the famed composers works to speak for themselves In the tradition of one of his own operettas Herbert spends most of his time patching up the shaky marriage between tenor John Ramsey Allan Jones and Louise Hall Mary Martin Many of Herberts most famous compositions are well in evidence including Ah Sweet Mystery of Life March of the Toys and Kiss Me Again the latter performed con brio by teenaged coloratura Susanna Foster Evidently the producers were able to secure the film rights for the Herbert songs but not for the stage productions in which they appeared which may explain such bizarre interpolations as having a song from Naughty Marietta