The Glass Mountain **** (1949, Michael Denison, Dulcie Gray, Valentina Cortese, Tito Gobbi, Sebastian Shaw) – Classic Movie Review 6275

Director Henry Cass’s poignant popular 1949 love story romantic drama stars Michael Denison as the married English composer Richard Wilder, who is moved to write an opera by two of Italy’s greatest delights – the sweeping Dolomite Alps and a beautiful Italian young woman – Alida Morrisoni (Valentina Cortese).

The composer joins the British Royal Air Force in World War Two, but is downed in Italy and rescued by the Italian young woman. He returns to England and his English wife Anne (Dulcie Gray), is inspired to write his opera but realises he loves the woman who saved his life and thereby loses interest in his wronged but understanding wife.

This delicious romantic tosh is done with great conviction, and is capably written by Cass, Joseph Janni and John Hunter, and expertly directed by Cass. The compelling performances, appearances by the distinguished baritone Tito Gobbi (24 October 1913 – 5 March 1984) and Elena Rizzieri, and the excellent Nino Rota score, as well as the Milan opera house La Scala’s finest talents in the opera sequence (filmed at Venice’s Teatro La Fenice opera house), make it a joy for romantically inclined theatre, opera and music buffs.

It was a big hit in its day. Dulcie Gray was of course Denison’s real-life wife, and this film brought the British couple international recognition.

It is written for the screen by Joseph Janni, John Hunter and Henry Cass, with additional dialogue by Emery Bonnett and John Cousins. It is shot in black and white by William McLeod and produced by Joseph Janni and Frederic Zelnik. It was made at Nettlefold Studios, Walton-on-Thames, England.

La Fenice was was completely destroyed by fire on 29 January 1996, but rebuilt in 19th-century style and reopened on 14 December 2003.

Henry Cass is also the director of Last Holiday (1950) and Blood of the Vampire (1958).

Valentina Cortese was born in Milan in 1923.

Valentina Cortese was born on 1 January 1923 in Milan, Italy.

Dulcie Gray (1915–2011).

Dulcie Gray died on 15 November 2011, aged 95. She was born on 20 November 1915.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6275

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com