"Serenade" is the seventh and final Mario Lanza film I have reprised recently and my least favourite. This is not what I had expected as many critics say it has greater dramatic stature and complexity that his other, more lightweight films. Serenade is a typical drama of its time, rather cheesy and unconvincing really as it lacks realism. It does allow Lanza to emote freely, which he does most convincingly in his "Otello" costume after having given utterance to some splendidly dramatic singing. The singing, which is after all the raison d'etre of the film, is plentiful and enjoyable. I thought Joan Fontaine was fine as the ultra-smooth and rather serpent-like Kendall. I did not like Sarita Montiel, she projected a rather sulky and arrogant quality and I was afraid Mario might impale himself on her super-pointy bazooms. But my chief discomfort was Lanza's appearance. Much is made of his weight fluctuation during this and some other movies, but it's not so much the bulk of his body that is the concern as his really fat, puffy cheeks, widening his face and squeezing his eyes. They do not go well with his chiselled nose, lips and chin. In some sections of footage he looks better than others, but altogether it is quite distressing. In his final two films he does not look so unhealthy, ironic when you consider that his premature death was even closer. The film has glamorous and colourful settings to enjoy, so together with the singing and some capable supporting actors complementing the principals, it seems a bit mean to rate it only a six, but that's my feeling overall.
