User:Coin945/New Moon (1930 film)

New Moon is the name of the film version of the operetta The New Moon with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and others. The original stage version premiered on Broadway in 1928. New Moon is a 1930 black and white American musical film, and is also known as Komissa Strogoff in Greece, Nymånen in Denmark and Passione cosacca in Italy.

The 1930 film, directed by Jack Conway, starred Grace Moore and Lawrence Tibbett and had an entirely different plot set in Russia. A 1940 film of the same name, also based on the operetta directed by Robert Z. Leonard and W. S. Van Dyke (uncredited), starred Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy and also reworked the plot, though it was slightly more faithful than the 1930 version. However, the music was not always presented faithfully. The 1930 version added new songs not by Romberg, and the 1940 version turns the melancholy tango number "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise", originally sung by the hero's best friend, into a cheerful little ditty sung by Eddy while he shines his shoes.

Synopsis
New Moon is the name of the ship crossing the Caspian Sea. A young man named Lt. Petroff meets Princess Tanya and they have a ship-board romance. Upon arriving at the port of Krasnov, Petroff learns that Tanya is engaged to Governor Brusiloff. Petroff, disillusioned, crashes the ball to talk with Tanya. Found by Brusiloff, they invent a story about her lost bracelet. To reward him, and remove him, Brusiloff sends Petroff to the remote, and deadly, Fort Darvaz. Soon, the big battle against overwhelming odds will begin.

Cast

 * Lawrence Tibbett - Lieutenant Michael Petroff
 * Grace Moore - Princess Tanya Strogoff
 * Adolphe Menjou - Governor Boris Brusiloff
 * Roland Young - Count Igor Strogoff
 * Gus Shy - Potkin
 * Emily Fitzroy - Countess Anastasia Strogoff

Soundtrack

 * "Lover Come Back to Me"
 * (1928)
 * Music by Sigmund Romberg
 * Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
 * Played during the opening credits
 * Sung by Lawrence Tibbett at the tavern
 * Reprised by him and Grace Moore at the fort


 * "Farmer's Daughter"
 * (1930)
 * Music by Herbert Stothart
 * Lyrics by Clifford Grey
 * Played by the band on the ship and sung in a gypsy language by Lawrence Tibbett
 * Reprised by him with an English translation
 * Played on piano and sung in the gypsy language by Grace Moore


 * "Wanting You"
 * (1928)
 * Music by Sigmund Romberg
 * Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
 * Sung a cappella by Lawrence Tibbett on the ship
 * Reprised by him and Grace Moore on the ship


 * "One Kiss"
 * (1928)
 * Music by Sigmund Romberg
 * Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
 * Played on piano (and studio orchestra) and sung by Grace Moore


 * "What Is Your Price Madam?"
 * (1930)
 * Music by Herbert Stothart
 * Lyrics by Clifford Grey
 * Played by the orchestra at the ball and sung by Lawrence Tibbett


 * "Stout Hearted Men"
 * (1928)
 * Music by Sigmund Romberg
 * Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
 * Sung by Lawrence Tibbett and soldiers at the fort
 * Reprised by the men returning from the battle

Trivia

 * The operetta, "The New Moon," opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 19 September 1928 and closed on 14 December 1929 after 509 performances. The leads were played by Robert Halliday and Evelyn Herbert, and the supporting cast included Gus Shy, who is also in this movie.
 * Some production charts included Hale Hamilton and Marie Mosquini in the cast, but they were not seen in the movie.
 * Modern sources include in this film the songs "Marianne," Funny Little Sailor Man" and "Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise" (all from the original stage production), but they were not heard.
 * The credits list "New Moon" as the title of the original operetta, but its title was "The New Moon".
 * The produciton dates were from 22 July 1930 - 3 October 1930

Film Connections

 * New Moon is a version of New Moon (1940) and "Great Performances: The New Moon (#17.2)" (1989)
 * New Moon is featured in Deep in My Heart (1954) - the Romberg written production number