Because You’re Mine ** (1952, Mario Lanza, Doretta Morrow, James Whitmore, Eduard Franz, Bobby Van) – Classic Movie Review 11,685

Director Alexander Hall’s 1952 MGM musical comedy Because You’re Mine stars Mario Lanza as an opera singer who becomes an army rookie and romances the sister (Doretta Morrow) of his music-loving sergeant (James Whitmore). That is so lame that it could be the plot of an Elvis Presley movie.

The songs are OK and plentiful though, Sammy Cahn’s catchy title tune was Oscar nominated for Best Original Song, and there is a fine roster of MGM’s best support players.

Because You’re Mine is pleasant enough for Lanza fans, who made it a hit. Bobby Van adds an extraneous tap-dance routine that livens it up but seems intended for a different MGM movie entirely.

‘Because You’re Mine’, written by Sammy Cahn and Nicholas Brodszky, became Lanza’s third and final million-selling song.

Music highlights include ‘Granada’, ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ and ‘Addio, Addio’ from Rigoletto.

The cast are Mario Lanza, Doretta Morrow, James Whitmore, Eduard Franz, Bobby Van, Dean Miller, Paula Corday [Rita Corday], Jeff Donnell, Spring Byington, Don Porter, Celia Lovsky, Ralph Reed, Alexander Steinert and Curtis Cooksey.

Because You’re Mine had a troubled production. Principal photography was interrupted and Lanza put on weight at 230 pounds but dieted and ended filming at less than 160 pounds, resulting in challenges for the wardrobe staff and film editors.

Lanza hated the script and initially refused to appear in the film as a much inferior follow-up to The Great Caruso. MGM studio head Dore Schary alleged Lanza behaved in a petulant and boorish manner on the set.

Lanza wanted Lana Turner as his co-star but producer Joe Pasternak insisted on casting an actress who could sing so he cast Morrow but she found the experience so harrowing it was her only film. Doretta Morrow retired from performing in 1960 at the age of 33 and died in London on February 28, 1968, aged 41, from lymphoma.

It premiered on 25 September 1952 in New York City and was released on 3 October. It was a considerable popular success. It cost $1,870,000 earned $4,571,000, resulting in a profit of $735,000. In the UK it was the fifth most popular movie at the British box office in 1953 and was chosen for Queen Elizabeth II’s inaugural Royal Command Film Performance.

 © Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,685

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