Before watching this biopic starring Kathryn Grayson, I'd never heard of the opera star Grace Moore. If you've never heard of her either, do an online search and learn about a woman who contributed her talents to films, Broadway, and opera. She was beautiful and had a beautiful voice, so it's no wonder Hollywood chose Kathryn Grayson to portray her!
The main problem with the film is, unfortunately, how John Monks Jr. wrote Grace's character. From her childhood through the end of the movie, she's portrayed as a snotty brat! As she pushes and pouts her way to the top, I found myself only halfway rooting for her. Kathryn is a very likable actress, so that helped me get through it. Still, Grace Moore wasn't painted out in a very favorable light. She's written to be selfish, arrogant, too big for her britches, disrespectful, and unwilling to pay her dues. I wonder why the script wasn't changed-or perhaps it had been, and Miss Moore was even more unlikable in real life!
Still, Kathryn gets to show off her beautiful voice and her distracting figure. She's joined by Walter Abel, Rosemary DeCamp, Merv Griffin, Joan Weldon, and Douglas Dick, but besides Walter-who plays her frustrated father-no one else is really given anything to do. As biopics go, this one's really only watchable because Kathryn Grayson is so cute and has such a beautiful voice. If you're looking for one that stands on its own merit, watch Love Me or Leave Me.
