This is such a strange film for MGM to have made in 1954, given the decline in the interest of studio head Dore Schary in actually making new musicals.... they made an old musical instead, and used up the dwindling contracts of their roster of stars who were about to be abandoned. It is almost the "That's Entertainment" of operetta scenes and using Sigmund Romberg as the excuse to link together well staged and quite beautiful sequences that showcase many of his tunes. As played by Jose Ferrer, Siggy comes across as yet another overweight (overfed) mommies boy composer with an un natural attachment to the usual Euro cliché parent in which MGM specialised. I guess MGM couldn't get Danny Thomas and Jose owed them some weeks work like the guest stars we see. The production values are splendid and by far the best scenes are the most erotic Desert Song sequence with Cyd Charisse and James Mitchell and the very funny Anne Miller scene from Artists and Models recycling all the Singin In the Rain clothes.
Review of Deep in My Heart
