New Moon (1930 film)
Encyclopedia
New Moon is the name of two different film versions of the operetta
The New Moon
with music by Sigmund Romberg
and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
and others. The original stage version premiered on Broadway
in 1928. The 1930 version of New Moon is a 1930 black and white American musical film, and is also known as Komissa Strogoff in Greece, Nymånen in Denmark and Passione cosacca in Italy.
The 1930 film, directed by Jack Conway, starred Grace Moore
and Lawrence Tibbett
and had an entirely different plot to the original play and is set in Russia. A 1940 film of the same name, also based on the operetta directed by Robert Z. Leonard
and W. S. Van Dyke
(uncredited), starred Jeanette MacDonald
and Nelson Eddy
and also reworked the plot, though it was slightly more faithful than the 1930 version. However, the music was not always presented faithfully. The 1930 version added new songs not by Romberg, and the 1940 version turns the melancholy tango number "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise
", originally sung by the hero's best friend, into a cheerful little ditty sung by Eddy while he shines his shoes.
Operetta
Operetta is a genre of light opera, light in terms both of music and subject matter. It is also closely related, in English-language works, to forms of musical theatre.-Origins:...
The New Moon
The New Moon
The New Moon is the name of an operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Frank Mandel, and Laurence Schwab. The show was the third and last in a string of Broadway hits for Romberg written in the style of Viennese operetta...
with music by Sigmund Romberg
Sigmund Romberg
Sigmund Romberg was a Hungarian-born American composer, best known for his operettas.-Biography:Romberg was born as Siegmund Rosenberg to a Jewish family in Gross-Kanizsa during the Austro-Hungarian kaiserlich und königlich monarchy period...
and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Oscar Hammerstein II
Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II was an American librettist, theatrical producer, and theatre director of musicals for almost forty years. Hammerstein won eight Tony Awards and was twice awarded an Academy Award for "Best Original Song". Many of his songs are standard repertoire for...
and others. The original stage version premiered on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in 1928. The 1930 version of New Moon is a 1930 black and white American musical film, and is also known as Komissa Strogoff in Greece, Nymånen in Denmark and Passione cosacca in Italy.
The 1930 film, directed by Jack Conway, starred Grace Moore
Grace Moore
Grace Moore was an American operatic soprano and actress in musical theatre and film. She was nicknamed the "Tennessee Nightingale." Her films helped to popularize opera by bringing it to a larger audience.-Early life:...
and Lawrence Tibbett
Lawrence Tibbett
Lawrence Mervil Tibbett was a great American opera singer and recording artist who also performed as a film actor and radio personality. A baritone, he sang with the New York Metropolitan Opera company more than 600 times from 1923 to 1950...
and had an entirely different plot to the original play and is set in Russia. A 1940 film of the same name, also based on the operetta directed by Robert Z. Leonard
Robert Z. Leonard
Robert Zigler Leonard was an American film director, actor, producer and screenwriter.He was born in Chicago, Illinois...
and W. S. Van Dyke
W. S. Van Dyke
Woodbridge Strong "Woody" Van Dyke, Jr. was an American motion picture director.-Early life and career:...
(uncredited), starred Jeanette MacDonald
Jeanette MacDonald
Jeanette MacDonald was an American singer and actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier and Nelson Eddy...
and Nelson Eddy
Nelson Eddy
Nelson Ackerman Eddy was an American singer and actor who appeared in 19 musical films during the 1930s and 1940s, as well as in opera and on the concert stage, radio, television, and in nightclubs. A classically trained baritone, he is best remembered for the eight films in which he costarred...
and also reworked the plot, though it was slightly more faithful than the 1930 version. However, the music was not always presented faithfully. The 1930 version added new songs not by Romberg, and the 1940 version turns the melancholy tango number "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise
Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise
"Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise" is a song with music by Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein II from the 1928 operetta The New Moon. One of the best-known numbers from the show, it is a song of bitterness and yearning for a lost love, sung in the show by Philippe , the best friend of the hero,...
", originally sung by the hero's best friend, into a cheerful little ditty sung by Eddy while he shines his shoes.
Synopsis
New Moon is the name of the ship crossing the Caspian Sea. A young man named Lt. Petroff meets Princess Tanya and they have a ship-board romance. Upon arriving at the port of Krasnov, Petroff learns that Tanya is engaged to Governor Brusiloff. Petroff, disillusioned, crashes the ball to talk with Tanya. Found by Brusiloff, they invent a story about her lost bracelet. To reward him, and remove him, Brusiloff sends Petroff to the remote, and deadly, Fort Darvaz. Soon, the big battle against overwhelming odds will begin.Cast
- Lawrence TibbettLawrence TibbettLawrence Mervil Tibbett was a great American opera singer and recording artist who also performed as a film actor and radio personality. A baritone, he sang with the New York Metropolitan Opera company more than 600 times from 1923 to 1950...
– Lieutenant Michael Petroff - Grace MooreGrace MooreGrace Moore was an American operatic soprano and actress in musical theatre and film. She was nicknamed the "Tennessee Nightingale." Her films helped to popularize opera by bringing it to a larger audience.-Early life:...
– Princess Tanya Strogoff - Adolphe MenjouAdolphe MenjouAdolphe Jean Menjou was an American actor. His career spanned both silent films and talkies, appearing in such films as The Sheik, A Woman of Paris, Morocco, and A Star is Born...
– Governor Boris Brusiloff - Roland YoungRoland YoungRoland Young was an English actor.-Early life and career:Born in London, England, Young was educated at Sherborne School, Dorset and the University of London before being accepted into Royal Academy of Dramatic Art...
– Count Igor Strogoff - Gus Shy – Potkin
- Emily FitzroyEmily FitzroyEmily Fitzroy was a British film actress who eventually became an American citizen. She made her film debut in 1915 and retired in 1944, with exactly 100 films to her resume...
– Countess Anastasia Strogoff
Soundtrack
- "Lover, Come Back to MeLover, Come Back to Me"Lover, Come Back to Me" is a popular song. The music was written by Sigmund Romberg with lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II for the Broadway show The New Moon, where the song was introduced by Evelyn Herbert and Robert Halliday...
"
- Music by Sigmund Romberg
- Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
- Played during the opening credits
- Sung by Lawrence Tibbett at the tavern
- Reprised by him and Grace Moore at the fort
- "Farmer's Daughter"
- Music by Herbert Stothart
- Lyrics by Clifford Grey
- Played by the band on the ship and sung in a gypsy language by Lawrence Tibbett
- Reprised by him with an English translation
- Played on piano and sung in the gypsy language by Grace Moore
- "Wanting You"
- Music by Sigmund Romberg
- Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
- Sung a cappella by Lawrence Tibbett on the ship
- Reprised by him and Grace Moore on the ship
- "One Kiss"
- Music by Sigmund Romberg
- Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
- Played on piano (and studio orchestra) and sung by Grace Moore
- "What Is Your Price Madam?"
- Music by Herbert Stothart
- Lyrics by Clifford Grey
- Played by the orchestra at the ball and sung by Lawrence Tibbett
- "Stout Hearted Men"
- Music by Sigmund Romberg
- Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
- Sung by Lawrence Tibbett and soldiers at the fort
- Reprised by the men returning from the battle
Trivia
- The operetta The New Moon opened on Broadway in New York City on 19 September 1928 and closed on 14 December 1929 after 519 performances. The leads were played by Robert Halliday and Evelyn Herbert, and the supporting cast included Gus Shy, who is also in this movie.
- Some production charts included Hale Hamilton and Marie Mosquini in the cast, but they were not seen in the movie.
- Modern sources include in this film the songs "Marianne", "Funny Little Sailor Man" and "Softly, As in a Morning SunriseSoftly, As in a Morning Sunrise"Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise" is a song with music by Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein II from the 1928 operetta The New Moon. One of the best-known numbers from the show, it is a song of bitterness and yearning for a lost love, sung in the show by Philippe , the best friend of the hero,...
" (all from the original stage production), but they were not heard. - The credits list New Moon as the title of the original operetta, but its title was The New Moon.
- The production dates were from 22 July 1930 until 3 October 1930.
Film Connections
- New Moon is a version of New Moon (1940) and Great PerformancesGreat PerformancesGreat Performances, a television series devoted to the performing arts, has been telecast on Public Broadcasting Service public television since 1972...
: The New Moon (#17.2)" (1989), as they are all based on the stage play The New MoonThe New MoonThe New Moon is the name of an operetta with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Frank Mandel, and Laurence Schwab. The show was the third and last in a string of Broadway hits for Romberg written in the style of Viennese operetta...
. - New Moon is featured in the 1954 film Deep in My Heart – the Romberg written production number.