Tonight or Never (1931)

Once the highest paid star in Hollywood silent film Queen, Gloria Swanson looks uncomfortable and sounds a little like Gracie Allen in her shaky transition to sound in this solidly made racy comedy. Not her first or last sound picture during that era but a clear indicator her style of acting had become anachronistic overnight with new kids on the block like Joan Crawford and Jean Harlow preparing to take the heat up a notch and send Ms. Swanson packing, only to rise Phoenix like years later in Sunset Boulevard; along with Benji the canine (Petticoat Junction) the greatest comeback in Hollywood history.Talented opera singer Nella Vaga (Swanson) has the tools but not the passion to take her place among the big names in the business. After a solid performance (sans passion) in Venice, American, Jim Fletcher, (Melvyn Douglas) is enthralled and stalks Vaga. A man of nebulous means Nella is intrigued, conflicted and makes a clumsy pass. Fletcher toys with her in a lengthy seduction that cures her stage reticence. Turns out she simply needed to get laid. Her Budapest performance is gang busters and the Met calls on as she finds love and success. Tonight or Never is filled with ambiguous innuendo and dialogue giving it a rye subversive flavor as it keeps the audience in the dark along the way to do so. Directed by Mervyn LeRoy, a Wellman like director, I could have been easily persuaded it was a Lubitsch work with it's theme, tart insinuations, use of doors, "Touch" regular Melvyn Douglas and a large ethnic caricature supporting cast with Fernand Gottschalk, Allison Skipworth and Robert Grieg (who has the most touching moment in the film with Swanson) all contributing key moments all of quirky non- stereotype. . J. Carol Naish, uncredited, offers up a tiny gem while Karloff in his Frankenstein year is weirdly perverse as a waiter.This is Melvyn Douglas first major role and he brings the same self assured sophisticated suavity that would carry him through the next dozen or so years when he would loosen up Garbo this time in Lubisch's Ninotchka just before the black list and his own stunning comeback in later years as a multi award winning actor. Swanson looks lovely dressed in Chanel, lounging about lush interiors photographed by the iconic Greg Toland but her performance is inconsistent at best her with comic timing off whether going up against Douglas or the supporting cast. There remain moments however when it becomes crystal clear why Ms. Swanson was a silent superstar, especially in close-ups without dialogue in which LeRoy goes retro silent to capture the star in her halcyon past, only for a moment but with maximum impact.

Nella Vago (Gloria Swanson), a young singer makes her operatic debut in Venice but discovers her reception disappointing. She learns from her teacher (Ferdinand Gottschalk) that her voice lacks warmth and feeling. While appearing there, a mysterious young man (Melvyn Douglas) follows her everywhere. Returning to her native Budapest, she learns a scout from the Metropolitan Opera refused to sign her until she truly feels her songs. Depressed she goes to the young gigolo's apartment where they make love. The following night, Nella surprises everyone by her marvellous performance of "Tosca". After the Met offers her a contract, she visits the gigolo's apartment again and declares her love. Moved, he asks her to give up her profession and she tears up her contract. To her surprise, she discovers he is in reality a scout for the Met. The misunderstanding is over. Additional notes : The cast - with the exception of Alison Skipworth, Gloria Swanson and Boris Karloff (who plays a waiter) is the one which made the play a success in Manhattan where it was produced by David Belasco.

Gloria Swanson was a great star and her talkie films of the early 1930s were vastly underrated. Tonight or Never is a nice comedy that pits opera star Swanson against maybe gigolo Melvyn Douglas. She's a great singer but she lacks passion because she has never been in love. Douglas is the protégé of a countess (Alison Skipworth), but is secretly in love with Swanson. Swanson is wonderful, even though she does not sing--a major fault of the film--as the naive opera star. Douglas is suave; Skipworth is (as always) hilarious. And Ferdinand Gottschalk is wonderful as Swanson's teacher. Swanson should have had a major talkie career. She made the transition in the smash hit The Trespasser and made a series of delightful talkies before she hung it up in 1934. Her voice is so wonderful. It's ironic that a silent star would have such a terrific voice. As in Indiscreet, Swanson proves to be a star actress----one of the greats.Robert Greig, Greta Meyer and J. Carroll Naish co-star. And remember the motto: our spaghetti is longer than our name!

This film is truly a classic, directed by Mervyn LeRoy. Nella Vago(Gloria Swanson), a young singer, performs an operatic debut in Venice but discovers her reception disappointing. She is critized by her instructor (Ferdinand Gottschalk) claiming her voice lacks warmth and feeling. A mysterious young man stalks her everywhere, (Melvyn Douglas) who is really a talent scout for the Met. The cast with Gloria Swanson("Sunset Blvd." with Wm. Holden) and Melvyn Douglas and Boris Karloff who had gained famed as being the Frankenstein Monster made this film a great success during the early 1930's. Karloff gave a very good performance as a high classed waiter with no horror expressions on his face. It was a great picture during that period of time and is worth viewing.