The Toast of New Orleans

1950 film by Norman Taurog

The Toast of New Orleans

Theatrical release poster

Directed by| Norman Taurog
Written by|

* Sy Gomberg
* George Wells

Produced by| Joe Pasternak
Starring|

* Mario Lanza
* Kathryn Grayson
* David Niven

Cinematography| William Snyder
Edited by| Gene Ruggiero
Music by|

* Nicholas Brodszky
* Johnny Green

Production
company

Metro Goldwyn Mayer

Distributed by| Loew's Inc.[1]

Release date

* September 19, 1950 (1950-09-19) (New Orleans)[2]

Running time

| 97 minutes
Country| United States
Language| English
Budget| $1,889,000[3]
Box office| $3,251,000[3]

The Toast of New Orleans is a 1950 MGM musical film directed by Norman Taurog and choreographed by Eugene Loring. It stars Mario Lanza, Kathryn Grayson, David Niven, J. Carrol Naish, James Mitchell and Rita Moreno. The film was made after That Midnight Kiss, Lanza's successful film debut, as an opportunity for Lanza to sing on the big screen again.

## Plot

[edit]

Set in Louisiana in 1905, the plot revolves around Pepe Abellard Duvalle, a bayou fisherman with a natural singing talent, who falls in love with opera star soprano Suzette Micheline (Grayson). Micheline's manager (Niven) hears Duvalle sing and invites him to come to New Orleans to sing. Reluctantly, Duvalle allows himself to be groomed for the opera. At first resistant to his advances, Micheline also falls in love with Duvalle, but is disenchanted by his transformation into a cultured gentleman. Ultimately, Duvalle regains his former rough charm and the couple unite.[4]

## Cast

[edit]

* Kathryn Grayson as Suzette Micheline
* Mario Lanza as Pepe Abellard Duvalle
* David Niven as Jacques Riboudeaux
* J. Carrol Naish as Nicky Duvalle
* James Mitchell as Pierre
* Richard Hageman as Maestro P. Trellini
* Clinton Sundberg as Oscar
* Sig Arno as Mayor
* Rita Moreno as Tina
* Romo Vincent as Manuelo

## Music

[edit]

In addition to selected arias from the operas Carmen, Madama Butterfly, and La traviata, the film includes the song "Be My Love", which was nominated for an Academy Award.[5]

## Production

[edit]

The success of the first screen pairing of Grayson and Lanza, That Midnight Kiss (1949), led quickly to the production of The Toast of New Orleans. Shooting began in late December 1949 and concluded in early March 1950.[1] Thirty-five sets were required; three adjoining sound stages on the MGM lot were combined to house one of the largest indoor sets constructed for a film musical.[6]

From the film Toast of New Orleans, Lanza's character Pepe as Lt. Pinkerton USN, in re-creation of the opera Madama Butterfly

The climactic scenes feature Lanza and Grayson's characters performing in a production of Madama Butterfly. Previously, Lanza had made his debut on the operatic stage as Pinkerton in 1948.

Lanza earned $50,000 for his appearance in the film, twice what his contract provided.[7] The Toast of New Orleans also marked Hageman's acting debut,[5] and was Moreno's first role in a movie musical.[7]

## Reception

[edit]

Distributed by Loew's, The Toast of New Orleans premiered at the Loew's State in New Orleans on September 19, 1950;[2] it was released nationally on September 29.[1]

According to MGM records the film earned $1,671,000 in the US and Canada and $1,580,000 elsewhere, leading to a profit of $22,000.[3][8]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "The Toast of New Orleans (1950) – Original Print Information". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2015-01-30.
2. ^ a b "M-G-M Stages Bow of 'New Orleans'". Motion Picture Daily. September 20, 1950. p. 11. Retrieved 2015-01-30.
3. ^ a b c The Eddie Mannix Ledger, Los Angeles: Margaret Herrick Library, Center for Motion Picture Study.
4. ^ "The Toast of New Orleans (1950) – Full Synopsis". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2015-01-30.
5. ^ a b "The Toast of New Orleans (1950) – Notes". Turner Classic Movies. Retrieved 2015-01-30.
6. ^ "Music Film Uses 35 Sets". Los Angeles Times. Oct 7, 1950.
7. ^ a b Cesari, Armando (2004). Mario Lanza: An American Tragedy. Baskerville. pp. 104, 107. ISBN 978-1-880909-66-9.
8. ^ "Top Grosses of 1950". Variety. January 3, 1951. p. 58.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Toast of New Orleans (film).

* The Toast of New Orleans at IMDb
* The Toast of New Orleans at the TCM Movie Database
* The Toast of New Orleans at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Norman Taurog

* Lucky Boy (1929)
* The Diplomats (1929)
* In Holland (1929)
* The Medicine Men (1929)
* Troopers Three (1930)
* Sunny Skies (1930)
* Hot Curves (1930)
* Follow the Leader (1930)
* Finn and Hattie (1931)
* Skippy (1931)
* Forbidden Adventure (1931)
* Huckleberry Finn (1931)
* Sooky (1931)
* Hold 'Em Jail (1932)
* The Phantom President (1932)
* If I Had a Million (segments "Prologue" and "Epilogue", 1932)
* A Bedtime Story (1933)
* The Way to Love (1933)
* We're Not Dressing (1934)
* Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch (1934)
* College Rhythm (1934)
* The Big Broadcast of 1936 (1936)
* Strike Me Pink (1936)
* Rhythm on the Range (1936)
* Reunion (1936)
* Fifty Roads to Town (1937)
* You Can't Have Everything (1937)
* The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1938)
* Mad About Music (1938)
* Boys Town (1938)
* The Girl Downstairs (1938)
* Lucky Night (1939)
* Broadway Melody of 1940 (1940)
* Young Tom Edison (1940)
* Little Nellie Kelly (1940)
* Men of Boys Town (1941)
* Design for Scandal (1941)
* Are Husbands Necessary? (1942)
* A Yank at Eton (1942)
* Presenting Lily Mars (1943)
* Girl Crazy (1943)
* The Hoodlum Saint (1946)
* The Beginning or the End (1947)
* The Bride Goes Wild (1948)
* Big City (1948)
* Words and Music (1948)
* That Midnight Kiss (1949)
* Please Believe Me (1950)
* The Toast of New Orleans (1950)
* Mrs. O'Malley and Mr. Malone (1950)
* Rich, Young and Pretty (1951)
* Room for One More (1952)
* Jumping Jacks (1952)
* The Stooge (1953)
* The Stars Are Singing (1953)
* The Caddy (1953)
* Living It Up (1954)
* You're Never Too Young (1955)
* The Birds and the Bees (1956)
* Pardners (1956)
* Bundle of Joy (1956)
* The Fuzzy Pink Nightgown (1958)
* Onionhead (1958)
* Don't Give Up the Ship (1959)
* Visit to a Small Planet (1960)
* G.I. Blues (1960)
* All Hands on Deck (1961)
* Blue Hawaii (1961)
* Girls! Girls! Girls! (1962)
* It Happened at the World's Fair (1963)
* Palm Springs Weekend (1963)
* Tickle Me (1965)
* Sergeant Deadhead (1965)
* Dr. Goldfoot and the Bikini Machine (1965)
* Spinout (1966)
* Double Trouble (1967)
* Speedway (1968)
* Live a Little, Love a Little (1968)

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