Dialogue supervisors: Leon M. Lion, Rosse Thompson. Assistant music director: Boyd Neel. Production manager: F. Brunn. Produced by Max Schach.
A Max Schach Production for Trafalgar Films. New York opening at the Little Carnegie: 11 October 1938. U.S. release through Gaumont British. London trade show: December 1936. U.K. release through United Artists. 92 minutes. U.S. title: A CLOWN MUST LAUGH.
SYNOPSIS: A group of strolling players perform Pagliacci — with fatal results! (Available only on VHS tapes).
COMMENT: A most interesting curio — if only for its color sequences. Fascinatingly, the black-and-white credits jump straight into a colored Prologue. Then the movie itself starts in lustrous black- and-white, the color being held back for the long, climactic re- enactment of Pagliacci.
Of course, opera buffs will be in seventh heaven too. Not only is Tauber in fine voice, not only does he enact Canio in the opera itself and sing the famous "On with the Motley" aria but he has a number of lesser feasts as well. Tauber was often accused of coming on far too strong in his singing, so he has one number which he renders in a whisper!
Vibrant Steffi Duna makes a surprisingly effective Nedda, whilst it's a revelation to see a youthful Esmond Knight as the other point of the triangle.
Karl Grune's direction comes across with a stylish panache. Other credits are equally able, and a fair bit of money has found its way into attractive sets and colorful extras. And most importantly of all, the sound recording registers as absolutely impeccable.
A Max Schach Production for Trafalgar Films. New York opening at the Little Carnegie: 11 October 1938. U.S. release through Gaumont British. London trade show: December 1936. U.K. release through United Artists. 92 minutes. U.S. title: A CLOWN MUST LAUGH.
SYNOPSIS: A group of strolling players perform Pagliacci — with fatal results! (Available only on VHS tapes).
COMMENT: A most interesting curio — if only for its color sequences. Fascinatingly, the black-and-white credits jump straight into a colored Prologue. Then the movie itself starts in lustrous black- and-white, the color being held back for the long, climactic re- enactment of Pagliacci.
Of course, opera buffs will be in seventh heaven too. Not only is Tauber in fine voice, not only does he enact Canio in the opera itself and sing the famous "On with the Motley" aria but he has a number of lesser feasts as well. Tauber was often accused of coming on far too strong in his singing, so he has one number which he renders in a whisper!
Vibrant Steffi Duna makes a surprisingly effective Nedda, whilst it's a revelation to see a youthful Esmond Knight as the other point of the triangle.
Karl Grune's direction comes across with a stylish panache. Other credits are equally able, and a fair bit of money has found its way into attractive sets and colorful extras. And most importantly of all, the sound recording registers as absolutely impeccable.