Zeus

Music For Madame (1937)

• Director
  • John G. Blystone
• Writers
  • Robert Harari(original story)
  • Gertrude Purcell(screen play)
  • F. Hugh Herbert(contributor to screenplay construction)
• Stars
  • Nino Martini
  • Joan Fontaine
  • Alan Mowbray

  The "suspense" in the RKO Radio musical comedy Music for Madame lies in whether or not golden-voiced Operatic tenor Nino Martini will be permitted to sing. En route to Hollywood, Tonio (Martini) is hoodwinked into serenading a wedding party while a gang of jewel thieves clean out the place. The crooks head for the hills, but not before threatening to murder Tonio if he ever sings again (his voice, you see, is the only clue the police have to go by). While pondering the future of his career, our hero falls in love with beautiful Jean (Joan Fontaine) and is sorely tempted to express his ardor in song. Music for Madame was Jesse L. Lasky's first RKO production -- and very nearly his last when the picture lost $375,000 for the studio.