My Song for You (film)

My Song for You is a 1934 film directed by Maurice Elvey and starring Jan Kiepura.^[1][2] Kiepura sang the title song "My Song for You" written by Mischa Spoliansky and Frank Eyton. The song was released on an EP "Tell Me Tonight" (also a song by Spoliansky and Eyton) in 1957.^[3][4]

My Song for You
Gina Malo as Fifi
Directed by	Maurice Elvey
Produced by	Michael Balcon Arnold Pressburger
Starring	Jan Kiepura Sonnie Hale Emlyn Williams
Cinematography	Charles Van Enger (as C. Van Enger)
Edited by	Charles Frend
Music by	Mischa Spoliansky
Production companies	Ciné-Alliance Gaumont British
Distributed by	Gaumont British Distributors (UK)
Release dates	30 July 1934 (1934-07-30) (London, UK)
Running time	85 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

Plot

Arriving in Venice for a production of "Aida", young tenor Ricardo Gatti meets the attractive Mary, who has sneaked into the opera house in an attempt to get her fiancé hired as a pianist. Ricardo invites Mary to tea and she tells her story, describing her fiancé as her "brother". Captivated by her, the tenor uses his influence to obtain the job with the orchestra. However, filled with guilt at her deception, Mary breaks off her engagement and consents instead to marry her parents' choice, a wealthy society man. But just before the wedding, she changes her mind and marries Ricardo instead.

Cast

• Jan Kiepura as Ricardo Gatti
• Sonnie Hale as Charlie
• Emlyn Williams as Theodore Bruckner
• Aileen Marson as Mary Newberg
• Gina Malo as Fifi
• Muriel George as Mrs Newberg
• George Merritt as Mr Newberg
• Reginald Smith as Baron Johann Felix Kleeberg

Critical reception

The New York Times wrote, "the film is at its best, of course, while its star is attuning his magnificent tenor to a variety of classic arias. The musical high spots of the show are the "Ave Maria" of Gounod, which M. Kiepura sings impressively during a church wedding, and the "Celeste Aïda," which he rehearses during an amusing backstage sequence at the opera house while "Aïda" is being trundled through its paces";^[5] and TV Guide called the film "charming in parts, this is a nicely done musical with some good detailed direction."^[6]

See also

• A Song for You (Ein Lied für Dich, German-language film, 1933)
• All for Love (Tout pour l'amour, French-language film, 1933)