shep-19 Review of The Student Prince

The Student Prince (1954)

Where was the "Serenade sung: in the woods or at the inn?

[9/10 · 4 May 2011]

In other presentations (including live stage versions) of this lovely musical, the "Serenade" is sung by the Prince with a magnificent male choir backing him, and the locale is at the inn, where the prince is boarding,but outside of Kathy's window.The male choir is composed of the Prince's fellow students in the Westphalia club which the prince has joined and Prince Karl is all decked out in his prince uniform.(E.G. see the clip in movie "Deep in My Heart Dear.") But in the 1954 movie it's sung in a woods with the Prince & Kathy only. The scene with the Prince and a male choir backing him is infinitely grander than the 1954 movie version. If other readers have seen the version with the male choir, do you not think it is far better, more moving and romantic? Of course, Lanza's voice is totally magnificent and Edmond Purdom's lip syncing was flawless. The words are also different in different versions. In the "Deep in my Heart" clip, the Prince sings (quite different from the 1954 version) Love Me...or I Die!" NOW THAT'S ROMANTIC! Most folks who have seen the "Love me or I Die" version consider it THE musical highlight of the entire operetta.