The Stars Are Singing (1953) User Reviews

It was a treat

[FyouGitive · 6/10 · 16 June 2006]

I have but two impressions from this film: I saw it with my mother, at a premier showing in Los Angeles. Rosie was there in front of the screen, skinny legs and all, and threw up her arms and shouted, "I've been waiting a year for this!" as the opening titles flashed her name into view.

Ana Maria Alberghetti's singing was beautiful, but the director made such a closeup of her face as she sang, I remember only that her lips were flattened into a funny shape, and the mechanics of her singing overwhelmed all else.

And that's the truth.

The stars sing and it's divine

[TheLittleSongbird · 7/10 · 20 February 2017]

As an opera and musicals fan, 'The Stars are Singing' may be imperfect but it is a treat for the most part and interesting to see Wagnerian heldentenor Lauritz Melchior and a very young Anna Maria Alberghetti on film as well as the film debut for Rosmary Clooney.

Clooney is splendid, with great comic timing and her solo songs are performed and staged with a lot of exuberance (especially "Come On-A My House"). In his final film, Melchior is in thrilling voice and is a warm, cuddly and amusing presence, his "Vesti La Giubba" is heart-wrenching. This is very much Alberghetti's film however, she personifies radiance and charm and she sings divinely singing repertoire beyond her years (how many women in their late teens even try and attempt 'Lucia Di Lammermoor's' "Mad Scene"?) in a way but she shows no signs of sounding taxed.

'The Stars are Singing' is particularly worth seeing for them, and also for two other primary things. One being the charming sisterly chemistry between Clooney and Alberghetti, and the other being the music, the operatic excerpts are infinitely more memorable but the songs are pleasant and full of energy. They are staged with fun and emotion.

It is a nice-looking film too, beautifully photographed in Technicolor and the sets and fashions are equally attractive. Norman Taurog directs with skill and at a good pace. Most of the script is gently witty and emotive.

However, Bob Williams drags the film whenever he appears, his rapport with the lethargic dog bores rather than endears and his performance just feels annoying. John Archer is also dull, while the story is contrived and at times routine outside of the musical scenes.

In summary, not perfect but a nice film all the same. 7/10 Bethany Cox

Surprisingly enjoyable musical comedy that is quite timely 65 years later.

[mark.waltz · 7/10 · 13 July 2018]

Outside of "Flower Drum Song", I can't think of a musical that deals with an illegal immigrant, here a sweet Polish girl played by the delightful Anna Maria Alberghetti. She is seen early in the film escaping from immigration officials and heading to Greenwich Village to meet up with Lauritz Melchoir, a lovable old Polish immigrant who knew her family back in the old country. Instead, she finds a hungover shell of a legendary opera singer, reeling in pain from the tap dancing going on in the floor above him. This makes her befriend handsome Bob Williams and dancer Tommy Morton, and later Williams' girlfriend (a perky Rosemary Clooney), and breaks out singing an aria while they spoof a dog food commercial jingle that Clooney is working on. Soon finding out that she's wanted by the U.S. Immigration department, Clooney and her friends decide to plug her anyway with a different name to appear on Don Wilson's talent show where her identity is revealed, and this leads to a country wide demand for immigration to allow the young girl citizenship, something that the justice department and local congressmen are extremely opposed to.

More political in nature than most light-hearted musicals of this era, this has some touching moments, one particularly where the lovable Melchoir (a mixture of S.Z. Sakall and Sydney Greenstreet) emotionally sings "Vesti la Giubba" after listening to a recording of him in his heyday, showing the actor behind the great opera star. Clooney, taking on a rather juicy Doris Day type part, gets to sing her pop standard "Come On-A My House" and leads the foursome of Alberghetti, boyfriend Williams and dancer Morton in a Barrow Street production number, "Haven't Got a Worry in the World", dealing with typical Greenwich Village type characters straight out of "My Sister Eileen" and 1953's musical version, "Wonderful Town". The political aspect of this, mixed with the show business aspect of the film, makes it unique with Fred Clark very good as a government big wig doing his job but obviously not liking what he has to do, and Don Wilson obviously having fun spoofing himself. The always likable Lloyd Corrigan is amusing as Clooney's agent. Considering the immigration controversies in 2018, this shows how a film, probably considered dated for decades (if remembered at all), can all of a sudden become timely.

A most enjoyable film, all the stars are on great form, especially Melchior singing Vesti La Giubba from Pagliacci

[Golden Oldie 41117262728 · 30 August 2002]

I saw this film in my early teens, I can not remember all the details of the film but I remember Anna Maria Alberghetti, Rosemary Clooney and Lauritz Melchior playing outstanding parts. At about the same time I saw Tonight We Sing with Jan Peerce and Ezio Pinza. These two films started me on the road to operatic record collecting and I await patiently for them to be issued on VHS or DVD.

Very Fifties--squeaky clean and phony

[rhoda-9 · 3/10 · 14 October 2023]

A horrible product of that horrible decade, this oppressively wholesome movie stars a seventeen-year-old playing a fifteen-year-old dressed as someone half her age and addressed as "little girl" (a decade earier, Linda Darnell, at sixteen, was making love on screen with Tyrone Power.) Rosemary Clooney, a Doris Day clone, sings her big hit, the slinky "Come on a My House," but is otherwise routine. Nothing to suggest the very dark side that led her to marry Jose Ferrer, especially as she is always wearing outfits that make her look like the leader of a girl-scout troop.

Two youngish actors playing Rosie's friends were, fortunately, never heard from again, particularly the one who acts as if he is on speed while acting in a children's TV show. He has THREE scenes with his dog which are supposed to be funny because he keeps commanding the dog, who does nothing. This is just as funny as when someone you know does it.

Then there is another guy who loves Rosie but tells her that she is not normal because she wants to be a singer rather than marry him and have lots of kids. At the end they are together, so good luck with that, Rosie.

Rosie's debut

[tday-1 · 10/10 · 30 November 2007]

This was one of the films the U.S.A. channel used to show before they got their current boring line--up. A sweet musical comedy,featuring Rosemary Clooney befriending a young refugee and helping her to stay in country and be a star. Not much plot but light and airy entertainment with some good songs. Anna Maria and Rosie make lovely singing stars. The supporting cast is great,including the comics who play Rosie's friends. It proved Paramount was just as capable and MGM,making musicals. I wish this one was on DVD,hopefully there'll be a groundswell of interest so people can buy it.Another good Rosie picture is Here Come the Girls,with Bob Hope and Arlene Dahl.Paramount hoped Rosie would replace Betty Hutton as their resident singing star but the decline of musicals and Rosie's decision to be a wife and mother prevailed and she did mainly television.

The one with Rosemary Clooney singing

[jarrodmcdonald-1 · 17 September 2014]

Recently, I had the opportunity to watch THE STARS ARE SINGING on Netflix streaming. It was not one of those films I actively sought out to watch, but since I like musicals from the 1950s, I decided to give it a try. Although I found the plot to be more than a bit contrived, and let's face it—what musical comedy plot is not contrived?—Rosemary Clooney is in splendid form here, and the time spent viewing the picture was worth it. Apparently, it was her first role at Paramount, and it's interesting to see her at this stage of her career. Clooney's costar in this venture is Anna Maria Alberghetti, and while the two ladies have very different singing styles, their professionalism is top-notch, and they work together nicely. Opera tenor Lauritz Melchoir, in his final film, is an added bonus.

Rosie's first movie remains a charming delight.

[davidallen-84122 · 9/10 · 8 July 2017]

I well remember seeing this delightful movie in 1955 at my local cinema in Auckland. Having already enjoyed "'White Christmas" on three occasions,I was totally sold on Rosemary Clooney and I loved her just as much in "The Stars Are Singing".Her star quality was evident from the outset and I always thought she had the nicest hair of almost all the ladies of her day.Her singing voice was divine during this period and I know I'll be enjoying my vast collection of her recordings for as long as I live. I will be forever grateful that I instinctively wrote to her when I did (I received her reply only weeks before she passed away).This is what she said:"Dear David.Thank you for your lovely letter.I will keep it always.With my love, Rosemary". Regarding Anna Maria Albergetti,what a gorgeous voice and so mature sounding too. What a pity she didn't get the breaks she deserved in Hollywood. I get chills up my spine with her final song; 'My Heart Is Home'.Wow,that final top note! When it comes to movie nostalgia,the years 1953 and 1954 are pretty hard to beat. Heartfelt thanks for your contributing this underrated gem of a movie.