Tonight's Movie: For the First Time (1959) - A Warner Archive Blu-ray Review

I've loved MGM musicals most of my life, but there have been a small handful of gaps in my MGM viewing.

One of the MGM films I'd never caught up with until now was Mario Lanza's final film, FOR THE FIRST TIME (1959), which was just released on Blu-ray by the Warner Archive Collection.

I'm happy to say I found FOR THE FIRST TIME quite enjoyable, a winning combination of music, glorious Capri locations, and a Cinderella romance.

Lanza plays Toni, a famous singer going through a "bad boy" phase. After turning up late for a concert, forcing audience refunds, Toni's loyal yet exasperated manager (Kurt Kasznar) ships him off to Capri to lay low for a while.

Soon after arriving in Capri Toni meets Christa (Johanna von Koczian) and falls head over heels for her. Christa reciprocates his feelings, but there's just one catch: Christa is deaf.

Toni doesn't care, but Christa is concerned about marrying a famed singer she can't hear and worries her deafness could impact their relationship over the long term.

Toni sets up a series of concerts in European cities with prominent hearing specialists and takes Christa and her uncle (Hans Sohnker) with him. A doctor agrees to try to restore Christa's hearing with an operation...

The idea that Christa's hearing could potentially be restored with an operation struck me as fanciful, but I was willing to suspend disbelief, especially as the overall film, from a story and screenplay by Andrew Solt, has a certain fairy tale quality. The promise of a "magical operation" fits, even if it's not especially realistic.

In essence Christa meets a world-famous Prince Charming who has resources to find a way to help her, and in return Christa helps Toni grow up and become a more responsible performer and man. As Christa says, "No more cancellations for you!"

The film is additionally buoyed by a lovely, colorful performance by Zsa Zsa Gabor as Gloria, who loves Toni but isn't resentful when he falls for someone else. Gloria is always ready to help ("one helpless woman against a thousand beastly music lovers"), with very amusing lines, and she's dressed to the nines while doing so.

The film was a reunion for Gabor and Kasznar, who had each appeared in LILI (1953) half a dozen years before. They have little screen time together in this, but each actor brings quite a bit of verve to the film.

Johanna von Koczian was a German-born actress who had made some prior films, including VIKTOR UND VIKTORIA (1957), but was billed as "Introducing..." in this, her first English-language film. She's not conventially beautiful, but she has a sweet appearance and a winning personality.

As for Lanza, he's great as the irresponsible performer matured by love. He's quite likeable, and he has the chance to sing a great many songs.

The movie was filmed from June to September of 1958 and released in the U.S. nearly a year after completing filming, in late August 1959. Lanza sadly died just a few weeks later, on October 7th, 1959, and the world lost a great voice and performer.

Lanza was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in Culver City. I've been honored to visit his final resting place.

FOR THE FIRST TIME was directed by Rudolph Mate and runs 92 minutes. It was filmed by Aldo Tonti in Technicolor.

The Blu-ray print is from a new 1080p HD master from a 6K scan of the original Technirama negative. It's in excellent condition, very sharp and colorful, with a strong soundtrack. Anyone who watches this disc should be pleased.

Blu-ray extras consist of the trailer; the cartoon LONG-HAIRED HARE (1949); and a very appreciated song selection menu.

FOR THE FIRST TIME is admittedly not a "great" movie, but it's a very likeable film which I quite enjoyed and will return to in the future. Recommended.

Thanks to the Warner Archive for providing a review copy of this Blu-ray. Warner Archive Blu-rays may be ordered from Movie Zyng, Amazon, and other online retailers.

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