By Frank Miller
A Lady's Morals
Brief Synopsis
Romantic biography of Swedish opera singer Jenny Lind and her famous affairs.
Cast & Crew
Read More
Sidney Franklin
Director
Grace Moore
Jenny Lind
Reginald Denny
Paul Brandt
Wallace Beery
P. T. Barnum
Gus Shy
Olaf
Jobyna Howland
Josephine
Film Details
Also Known As
Jenny Lind, The soul kiss
Genre
Drama
Biography
Musical
Release Date
Nov
8,
1930
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 15m
Sound
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Color
Black and White
Film Length
7,856ft
(10 reels)
Synopsis
Paul Brandt, a young composer, falls hopelessly in love with singer Jenny Lind, following her from city to city, hoping to impress her by his persistency. Jenny loses her voice while performing Norma , and in the chaos that ensues, Paul is struck on the head, gradually causing him to become blind. He is instrumental in bringing the songstress to a maestro who is able to restore her voice, thus proving his unselfish love. She returns with him to Sweden, still chaste and unstirred, but when it becomes evident that Paul is becoming blind, he leaves without explanation just as Jenny is beginning to respond to his love. She is about to make her American debut at the Castle Garden in New York under the direction of P. T. Barnum when she is happily reunited with Paul, now a wandering blind musician.
Director
Sidney Franklin
Director
Cast
Grace Moore
Jenny Lind
Reginald Denny
Paul Brandt
Wallace Beery
P. T. Barnum
Gus Shy
Olaf
Jobyna Howland
Josephine
Gilbert Emery
Broughm
George F. Marion
Innkeeper
Paul Porcasi
Maretti
Giovanni Martino
Zerga
Bodil Rosing
Innkeeper's wife
Joan Standing
Louise
Mavis Villiers
Selma
Judith Vosselli
Rosatti
Crew
Adrian
Gowns
George Barnes
Director of Photography
Margaret Booth
Film Editor
J. K. Brock
Recording Engineer
Dorothy Farnum
Story
Arthur Freed
Composer
Cedric Gibbons
Art Director
Clifford Grey
Composer
Carrie Jacobs-bond
Composer
Howard Johnson
Composer
Hans Kraly
Scen
Sammy Lee
Dance Director
John Meehan
Dial
Arthur Richman
Dial
Douglas Shearer
Recording Engineer
Herbert Stothart
Composer
Oscar Straus
Composer
Claudine West
Scen
Harry Woods
Composer
Film Details
Also Known As
Jenny Lind, The soul kiss
Genre
Drama
Biography
Musical
Release Date
Nov
8,
1930
Premiere Information
not available
Production Company
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures
Country
United States
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 15m
Sound
Mono (Western Electric Sound System)
Color
Black and White
Film Length
7,856ft
(10 reels)
Articles
A Lady's Morals - A Lady's Morals
Infamous as the film that sank Grace Moore's film career as it was starting, this musical biography has been unjustly maligned over the years. True, the fictional romance between famed Swedish soprano Jennie Lind (Moore) and a pianist (Reginald Denny) who goes blind was hokey even in 1930. But the also features a powerhouse cameo by Wallace Beery, getting his first crack at the role of famed showman P.T. Barnum, who brought Lind to the states. Beery would return to the role in 1934's The Mighty Barnum, with Virginia Bruce as Lind. The real attraction is Moore. Although uncertain as an actress, the singer dubbed "The Tennessee Nightingale" lights up when she sings, more than matching the legendary "Swedish Nightingale." MGM provides some new songs for Moore, but the real highlights, and the film's chief point of interest, are the operatic arias. Performing "Rataplan" from Donizetti's The Daughter of the Regiment and "Casta Diva" from Norma, Moore displays the supple voice and stage presence that made her one of the Met's greatest stars. Although the weak plot and sound problems made this film a box-office dud, Moore would get another shot at stardom when Columbia brought her back four years later in the much more successful One Night of Love.
By Frank Miller
By Frank Miller
A Lady's Morals - A Lady's Morals
Infamous as the film that sank Grace Moore's film career as it was starting, this musical biography has been unjustly maligned over the years. True, the fictional romance between famed Swedish soprano Jennie Lind (Moore) and a pianist (Reginald Denny) who goes blind was hokey even in 1930. But the also features a powerhouse cameo by Wallace Beery, getting his first crack at the role of famed showman P.T. Barnum, who brought Lind to the states. Beery would return to the role in 1934's The Mighty Barnum, with Virginia Bruce as Lind. The real attraction is Moore. Although uncertain as an actress, the singer dubbed "The Tennessee Nightingale" lights up when she sings, more than matching the legendary "Swedish Nightingale." MGM provides some new songs for Moore, but the real highlights, and the film's chief point of interest, are the operatic arias. Performing "Rataplan" from Donizetti's The Daughter of the Regiment and "Casta Diva" from Norma, Moore displays the supple voice and stage presence that made her one of the Met's greatest stars. Although the weak plot and sound problems made this film a box-office dud, Moore would get another shot at stardom when Columbia brought her back four years later in the much more successful One Night of Love.
By Frank Miller
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
Miss Moore sings the following arias in the film: "Casta Diva," from Norma by Bellini; and "Rataplan," from The Daughter of the Regiment by Donizetti. Originally reviewed as The Soul Kiss. This film was also produced in a French-language version-see record for Jenny Lind.
