Interrupted Melody - Marjorie Lawrence

Interrupted Melody is a 1955 biographical film which tells the story of Australian opera singer Marjorie Lawrence's struggle with polio. The film was made by MGM, directed by Curtis Bernhardt and produced by Jack Cummings from a screenplay by Marjorie Lawrence, Sonya Levien and William Ludwig. It stars Glenn Ford, Eleanor Parker, Roger Moore and Cecil Kellaway. The singing voice of Lawrence was provided by Eileen Farrell.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Interrupted
• Melody
• Marjorie
• Lawrence
• Eileen
• Farrell
• biographical
• Australian
• opera
• singer
• polio
• wagner
• tristan
• isolde

[pdclemens]

(See my reply to the above post) Thanks for your heartfelt words about the film! But, as it happens, she actually did not lip sync in the usual sense. She actually did SING, full-out, OVER the recordings of Eileen Farrell which they played very loudly on the soundstage as they shot the film. It's impossible to get that look of actually singing re. the throat muscles and diaghram control, etc. by just lip synching.

[pdclemens]

I agree with you, though I suppose I AM a bit biased. (Eleanor Parker is my Mom!) As it happens, 'Interrupted Melody' is my Mom's favorite of all her film roles, and mine too. Yep, I think she deserved the Oscar that year!

[ellandelachapelle]

@pdclemens Oh? What a pity she will be remembered as "the haughty lady who didn´t get captain von Trapp"! What was her singing voice like? Greet her from me! (I liked her best as Carmen. Unexpected seductive power and temperament.)

And Eileen Farrell sang all the arias? Very impressive! (very few could have sung both Carmen and Brünnhilde. I wouldn´t have believed it possible.)

[OperaMystery80]

In this movie, she sings Trovatore, Gotterdammerung, Carmen, Samson et Delilah, Madame Butterfly and Isolde. So was she also a mezzo since Carmen and Delilah are mezzo roles ? It is amazing how she can sing so many diverse roles. It's rare to find a singer who can sing Isolde and Carmen. I doubt Marjorie Lawrence was that talented

[mstrsims2]

It's a bit corny, but still wonderful stuff. Love the scene where she crawls across the floor to take the record off the player!

[selimsa803]

@pdclemens Your mom is beautiful! She's wonderful in this film and so convincing. (And whoo boy, that slinky Samson & Delilah sequence!) She gives me chills in this scene, every time. Her work is so varied and rich. She at least deserves an honorary Oscar!

[ThePrimobaritono77]

Your mom is fantastic in this roll. What an emotional part when she lifts herself up at the climax of the aria. Always brings tears to my eyes.

[ThePrimobaritono77]

Your mom is phenomenal in this film. For me, as a singer, there is no more emotional moment than when she lifts herself up at the climatic point of the aria, as though the power of God thru her voice overcame her illness. I have seen that part so many times and still it brings me to tears.

[norcross124]

I could not agree more with your comments. Eleanor Parker is one of the finest actresses ever. Nominated 3 times for Academy Awards - awards she deserved to win - especially for Interrupted Melody. As for Eileen Farrell - her singing - always beautiful - never more so than in this film. This is truly a GEM of a picture.

[Zva26]

Saw this film for the first time when it came out in 1955. I was twelve years old, and the film made me fall in love with opera, a love affair that continues today. Eleanor Parker was a great actress, and certainly did some great films like "Caged", "detective Story", "Many Rivers to Cross" (a comedy), "Man With the Golden Arm", and so many others. She was one of the great ones.

[AmericanEvita]

Wow...well I've never seen this movie in its entirety (just the clips from youtube) ..in the other video she is singing Brunhilde's Immolation from Gotterdamerung and here Isolde's Love Death Song...what a voice...these two arias are said to be very hard to sing and here it's an easy and beautiful breeze ...what talent! Marjorie Lawrence/Eileen Farrel both of them