Almost 40 years ago I heard John McCormack on an LP my sister had given my mother and I have been enthralled with his voice ever since!! I have collected just about every LP and CD collection of his songs and have a VHS recording of "Song O' My Heart" that is an excellent transfer......it is so wonderful to find this movie and all the contributions of his singing on UA-cam!! This legendary singer should never be forgotten!!! Thank you!!!..........Mike Fitzpatrick
Mi eyes started to cry, don't know why?...probably my granpa liked this long before I was born...now that he pasted away some 30 years ago, I tend to remember him through this, his music!!!Thanks very much for sahring thi jewel with us!!!
John McCormack is who talking pictures were made for in my opinion. This film being made in the first year or two of talking pictures shows what the future held for films and the potential they contained. How awesome to both see AND hear John McCormack!!! A real Irish treat!
"Past his prime " OMG, still so beautiful . What do we want, the early "Macushla" all the time, for Gods sake, we all change with the years. John is still fabulous in this film and the sound is great. Let's stop complaining !!
One of the absolute greatest of all tenors! McCormack was and still is the most eloquent of any singer past or present! Thanks John McMahon for uploading this marvelous film for all to see.And to respond to the one negative commenter here: McCormack was never a "bollox!" It is not good to speak of the dead in such a manner, for it reflects poorly on the character of those who do!God Bless John McCormack's memory!
My grandfather's brother helped John McCormack when he arrived the first time in NYC from Ireland. My mom always told me this story. And interestingly, my mom died on the anniversary of the death of John McCormack.
Was delighted to catch up with this after some 30 years. Picture quality excellent and film thoroughly enjoyable if one can take the sentiment. A charming entertainment and a treat for McCormack admirers. And, yes, I read that the American Film Institute were restoring the 70mm Grandeur version c1980. I can also recommend Borzage's LILIOM, put out by the BFI a couple of years back. Many thanks for this one! Robert Smith
That’s lovely! I take it she was the child with ringlets as well. Beautiful scene indeed. The child who kept saying Sing the song about the princess was also cute and you can see her mouthing her words and John’s as well. Such a simple era. Lovely film and I have it on dvd which a friend made for me from an old vhs recording.
Brian, I'm certainly not complaining. Living in the youtube generation, certain things should be made clear to those who may not have heard of John McCormack, let alone his early recordings. McCormack was one of a kind! Glad you enjoyed :)
Many thanks for uploading the entire film - I'm very impressed by the quality - I have it on a bootleg VHS I bought at Brick Lane market in London about 20 years ago - quality on that is pretty dire - I believe that it was made or processed in 70mm for projection on giant screens.
He was a great great singer who could sing a wide range of works. His breath control in "O sleep, why dost thou leave me?" is incredible, and he was wonderful in Mozart. But I have never seen him singing until now, so thank you for this film. The fact that he could sing like that (not miming either) when 'past his prime' just shows how great he was.
There's really the one McCormack so great he can never be replaced just like his close friend the great Sligo fiddler Michael Coleman God rest them both
McCormack was certainly a splendid tenor and deserving of his huge fan base, but I must take polite exception to the claim that he offered "a delightful snapshot of a time & place long ago." In fact, McCormack promoted an idealized image of Ireland and the Irish people that wasn't very realistic. This appealed mainly to Americans of Irish ancestry who, yearning to keep in touch with their roots, adopted a highly-sentimentalized attitude toward the old country. McCormack and other Irish entertainers with an international following --- Barry Fitzgerald, for example --- delivered a view of Ireland that was filtered through a Hollywood lens.
I've been a huge McCormack fan for over 20 years now, and only recently seen this fabled movie for the first time. Although it's interesting to see as well as hear him, it's surprising to see how little the visual element adds to the performance. For McCormack, it really was all in the voice- just as well, as it's as a disembodied voice that most of us know him! One can see why he found his métier as a recitalist and as a recording artist, and left opera so early in his career. Incidentally, it was his reluctance to do love scenes that meant the film's plot had to be revised even as filming was underway, and the lady who was supposed to be the love interest was killed off, expiring prettily to the strains of the Rose of Tralee! So says Gordon Leadbetter, biographer of McCormack.
The boy and girl featured in the sequence where John McCormack sings "The Princess" are my father Ernest Goulding and his younger sister Beatrice (Betty) Franklin (née Goulding). It was filmed in Moore Abbey, Monasterevin Co. Kildare. The Princess scene is about 15m into the film.
... yes... Moore Abbey .... which was where he then lived. The lovely scene, by the bend in the river, where he entertained the children and had the church in the background just beyond the bridge can be recreated on google map with a bit of imagination..
The soundtrack of John's solos (with Edwin Schneider at the piano) was issued on LP by McCormack's "Association of Greater Kansas City" society in 1971.
He sang essentially Italian tenor roles in his early operatic career. He was the tenor lead in the production of "Boheme" that marked Melba's twenty-fifth year at Covent Garden. Melba was Mimi of course, possibly the greatest Mimi of them all. Although he and Melba were often at loggerheads off stage, he counted that appearance with her as one of the great events of his life. He was quoted as saying "I think, no I know that I sing better with her than with any other singer." A few of the great singers had that effect on other singers, lifting them up to heights they only had dreamed of. He left the operatic stage early on for the concert hall. His departure may have been hastened by the contraction of his top notes. One noted musical authority wrote "The notes from B flat upwards were not his by divine right and he lost them early on." Whatever. He was a great singer and brought joy to many more than he would have if he had remained in opera.
Yes, Brian, this 1930 film WAS once considered "lost" because the original negative was destroyed in a studio fire in 1940. Fortunately, a print was discovered in the early '70s......
Sorry John. It wasn't my intention to get at you. You're quite right to point out to a new generation that John McCormack in the film was past his prime. He can be heard here on UA-cam in some fine early recordings. As you said John, John McCormack should be seen as well as heard. The "Irish" accents of the actors are .....!!
I'm assuming this is the 35mm print. is the Fox Grandeur print around? I'd love to visually compare them, as I understand that all the action and singing was since separately for each of the 2 masters.
PS. John hurtuk my husband. My mom's parents were from Sligo. And they had the Old Elk Hotel on Times Square on w 42nd street. A popular place for Irish when first arrived in America. Fr. Francis Duffy was their pastor, across the street from the Elk Hotel. Fr. Duffy of the fighting 69th. Close to my mom's brother, jim coen, who died with 800 on the Leopoldville Ship Christmas eve of 44, The 40 year govt secret of America.
For anyone interested, I have posted the International version of the film. It contains all the songs McCormack performed for the film. ua-cam.com/video/RPSFV1Nxna8/v-deo.html
mc cormack was a southern irish catholic who would not record any songs by percy french, simply because the latter was a ... hush! hush! ... a protestant!! yet most of ireland's greatest rebels were protestant, and proud of it. even the first president of the republic was a protestant. i bet mc cormack diddent approve of THAT. to me, mc cormack was a bollox, and i am a lapsed catholic, but he is still a bollox. ireland;s biggest traitors were catholix.
As a lapsed Catholic, I could never discriminate against any Protestant or any other non-Catholic, not even any atheist. At the end of day, we are all human beings created by same God. FYI, I have not been to Mass in months or to confession in years.
A little research McBloggs and you would have discovered McCormack sang and recorded hundreds of songs written by non-Catholics, Irish and foreign. As a contemporary of McCormack, French's songs were strongly identified with French himself who earned his living by performing them in music halls and clubs. Can you imagine McCormack standing by the piano singing Abdullah Bulbul Ameer? French never recorded his own work either. Yes it's a shame McCormack never recorded any of more gorgeous French songs (eg Gortnamona, Eileen Oge, Mountains of Mourne) but he was not alone amongst many Irish at the time who felt many French's songs' use of contemporary Irish speech belittled ordinary Irish people. Today we see French's lyrical accuracy is both humourous and unquestionably compassionate. It's taken the likes of Don Mclean to point that out to us.
I remember back in the sixties that they said this film was lost. Well here we have it thank God !! Fabulous for us all who love this great singer.
Almost 90 years ago ... Jesus but time flies ...
Thanks from 🇨🇦 for this lovely film.
This is by far one of the the most moving, yet completely normal, movies that I have ever watched.Ever.
C'est magnifique et raffiner.
Almost 40 years ago I heard John McCormack on an LP my sister had given my mother and I have been enthralled with his voice ever since!! I have collected just about every LP and CD collection of his songs and have a VHS recording of "Song O' My Heart" that is an excellent transfer......it is so wonderful to find this movie and all the contributions of his singing on UA-cam!! This legendary singer should never be forgotten!!! Thank you!!!..........Mike Fitzpatrick
Merci beaucoup pour ce film. Le premier film parlant de Borzage....
Grande rareté...
Mi eyes started to cry, don't know why?...probably my granpa liked this long before I was born...now that he pasted away some 30 years ago, I tend to remember him through this, his music!!!Thanks very much for sahring thi jewel with us!!!
John McCormack is who talking pictures were made for in my opinion. This film being made in the first year or two of talking pictures shows what the future held for films and the potential they contained. How awesome to both see AND hear John McCormack!!! A real Irish treat!
John McCormack was a beautiful singer.
"Past his prime " OMG, still so beautiful . What do we want, the early "Macushla" all the time, for Gods sake, we all change with the years. John is still fabulous in this film and the sound is great. Let's stop complaining !!
One of the absolute greatest of all tenors! McCormack was and still is the most eloquent of any singer past or present! Thanks John McMahon for uploading this marvelous film for all to see.And to respond to the one negative commenter here: McCormack was never a "bollox!" It is not good to speak of the dead in such a manner, for it reflects poorly on the character of those who do!God Bless John McCormack's memory!
Wonderful that a copy was found of this film. I remember in the 60s that it was thought that it had vanished completely
touch my heart very beautiful move and amazing
very fine morning spent watching this gem- thnx h
This was such a beautiful movie. His voice so sweet,so lovely. Thanx for uploading..happy tears,Cassie
Wonderful film thank you.
My grandfather's brother helped John McCormack when he arrived the first time in NYC from Ireland. My mom always told me this story. And interestingly, my mom died on the anniversary of the death of John McCormack.
Simply wonderful.
At the age of 45 years, he was certainly NOT past his prime. He was just in the middle of a beautiful quality in his voice.
Absolutely NOT!
Thank you for posting this!
Was delighted to catch up with this after some 30 years. Picture quality excellent and film thoroughly enjoyable if one can take the sentiment. A charming entertainment and a treat for McCormack admirers. And, yes, I read that the American Film Institute were restoring the 70mm Grandeur version c1980. I can also recommend Borzage's LILIOM, put out by the BFI a couple of years back. Many thanks for this one! Robert Smith
My mother was the little girl with the bow in her hair. When he sang the princess song to the children.Her name was Florence Ryan.
Wow! That is really amazing that is your Mom❤
very cool. you are essentially decended from film royalty....
btw, my daughters name is Kiera, the female 'form' of Kieran....
nice to meet you!
That’s lovely! I take it she was the child with ringlets as well. Beautiful scene indeed. The child who kept saying Sing the song about the princess was also cute and you can see her mouthing her words and John’s as well. Such a simple era. Lovely film and I have it on dvd which a friend made for me from an old vhs recording.
Brian, I'm certainly not complaining. Living in the youtube generation, certain things should be made clear to those who may not have heard of John McCormack, let alone his early recordings. McCormack was one of a kind!
Glad you enjoyed :)
Many thanks for uploading the entire film - I'm very impressed by the quality - I have it on a bootleg VHS I bought at Brick Lane market in London about 20 years ago - quality on that is pretty dire - I believe that it was made or processed in 70mm for projection on giant screens.
Thanks for posting. Great quality!
"He'll steal the sight out of your eyes." Never heard that one before. Love the film. Thanks for uploading it.
Thank you for sharing this sweet movie. What a beautiful voice...I can imagine the grueling training he went through when young.
He was a great great singer who could sing a wide range of works. His breath control in "O sleep, why dost thou leave me?" is incredible, and he was wonderful in Mozart. But I have never seen him singing until now, so thank you for this film. The fact that he could sing like that (not miming either) when 'past his prime' just shows how great he was.
+santoshseva centre
It's been said he had the greatest breath support and could hold a note longer than anyone!
How fabulous that when sound came in , it was used to capture this man 's talent in action.
blessOTMA - indeed, we're all lucky to have it!
great quality.
There's really the one McCormack so great he can never be replaced just like his close friend the great Sligo fiddler Michael Coleman God rest them both
great
McCormack was certainly a splendid tenor and deserving of his huge fan base, but I must take polite exception to the claim that he offered "a delightful snapshot of a time & place long ago." In fact, McCormack promoted an idealized image of Ireland and the Irish people that wasn't very realistic. This appealed mainly to Americans of Irish ancestry who, yearning to keep in touch with their roots, adopted a highly-sentimentalized attitude toward the old country. McCormack and other Irish entertainers with an international following --- Barry Fitzgerald, for example --- delivered a view of Ireland that was filtered through a Hollywood lens.
I've been a huge McCormack fan for over 20 years now, and only recently seen this fabled movie for the first time. Although it's interesting to see as well as hear him, it's surprising to see how little the visual element adds to the performance. For McCormack, it really was all in the voice- just as well, as it's as a disembodied voice that most of us know him! One can see why he found his métier as a recitalist and as a recording artist, and left opera so early in his career. Incidentally, it was his reluctance to do love scenes that meant the film's plot had to be revised even as filming was underway, and the lady who was supposed to be the love interest was killed off, expiring prettily to the strains of the Rose of Tralee! So says Gordon Leadbetter, biographer of McCormack.
The boy and girl featured in the sequence where John McCormack sings "The Princess" are my father Ernest Goulding and his younger sister Beatrice (Betty) Franklin (née Goulding). It was filmed in Moore Abbey, Monasterevin Co. Kildare. The Princess scene is about 15m into the film.
... yes... Moore Abbey .... which was where he then lived. The lovely scene, by the bend in the river, where he entertained the children and had the church in the background just beyond the bridge can be recreated on google map with a bit of imagination..
Great movie, brilliant tenor, Golden voice, athlones famous singing powerhouse.
class
This is a wonderful film. It should be a regular on EWTN.
The soundtrack of John's solos (with Edwin Schneider at the piano) was issued on LP by McCormack's "Association of Greater Kansas City" society in 1971.
I owned his early 78s and now you have made him visible as well-thanks!
Oh my goodness! His singing gives me chills. (In a good way) such a beautiful voice ❤
The song about the Prince and Princess was sung later by Master Billy Neely in 1950. Never head John McCormack sing it. It is great!
Two songs are missing, All meine Gedanken and Plaisir d`amour, the European release has the complete film.
EXCELLENT WONDERFUL MOVIE 🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥
JOHN MCCORMACK A REAL SUPERSTAR ⛦⛤⛥⛤⛦⛤⛥
MOVIE WORTH WATCHING ⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘
thankyou for showing this . most enjoyable tom
So lucky this film was re-discovered in the 70s. I think he made $500K for it, an unbelievable sum in Depression dollars.
He sang essentially Italian tenor roles in his early operatic career. He was the tenor lead in the production of "Boheme" that marked Melba's twenty-fifth year at Covent Garden. Melba was Mimi of course, possibly the greatest Mimi of them all. Although he and Melba were often at loggerheads off stage, he counted that appearance with her as one of the great events of his life. He was quoted as saying "I think, no I know that I sing better with her than with any other singer." A few of the great singers had that effect on other singers, lifting them up to heights they only had dreamed of. He left the operatic stage early on for the concert hall. His departure may have been hastened by the contraction of his top notes. One noted musical authority wrote "The notes from B flat upwards were not his by divine right and he lost them early on." Whatever. He was a great singer and brought joy to many more than he would have if he had remained in opera.
Yes, Brian, this 1930 film WAS once considered "lost" because the original negative was destroyed in a studio fire in 1940. Fortunately, a print was discovered in the early '70s......
+Barry I. Grauman
The print has been beautifully restored - thanks to all concerned for preserving this remarkable film!
very sweet
Nostalgia at its best
I agree. He was never passed his prime, and here only in his 40's.
Great print. Where is this DVD available?
Sorry John. It wasn't my intention to get at you. You're quite right to point out to a new generation that John McCormack in the film was past his prime. He can be heard here on UA-cam in some fine early recordings.
As you said John, John McCormack should be seen as well as heard.
The "Irish" accents of the actors are .....!!
Who are the 5 idiots who voted thumbs down? No class or taste!
I'm assuming this is the 35mm print. is the Fox Grandeur print around? I'd love to visually compare them, as I understand that all the action and singing was since separately for each of the 2 masters.
Is it possible to get this film on DVD? Thanks for sharing this gem with us.
it is available on DVD in a huge boxed set called "Murnau, Borzage and Fox". I think it costs about $250.
Chester H o.O WTF
"Little Boy Blue" (from a poem by Eugene Field) begins at 57:33
A terrific print and Johnny is hardly past his prime.
1930
Maureen Osullivan age 19
I agree 100%!
PS. John hurtuk my husband. My mom's parents were from Sligo. And they had the Old Elk Hotel on Times Square on w 42nd street. A popular place for Irish when first arrived in America. Fr. Francis Duffy was their pastor, across the street from the Elk Hotel. Fr. Duffy of the fighting 69th. Close to my mom's brother, jim coen, who died with 800 on the Leopoldville Ship Christmas eve of 44, The 40 year govt secret of America.
For anyone interested, I have posted the International version of the film. It contains all the songs McCormack performed for the film.
ua-cam.com/video/RPSFV1Nxna8/v-deo.html
Ann harding movie
mc cormack was a southern irish catholic who would not record any songs by percy french, simply because the latter was a ... hush! hush! ... a protestant!! yet most of ireland's greatest rebels were protestant, and proud of it. even the first president of the republic was a protestant. i bet mc cormack diddent approve of THAT.
to me, mc cormack was a bollox, and i am a lapsed catholic, but he is still a bollox.
ireland;s biggest traitors were catholix.
As a lapsed Catholic, I could never discriminate against any Protestant or any other non-Catholic, not even any atheist. At the end of day, we are all human beings created by same God. FYI, I have not been to Mass in months or to confession in years.
A little research McBloggs and you would have discovered McCormack sang and recorded hundreds of songs written by non-Catholics, Irish and foreign. As a contemporary of McCormack, French's songs were strongly identified with French himself who earned his living by performing them in music halls and clubs. Can you imagine McCormack standing by the piano singing Abdullah Bulbul Ameer? French never recorded his own work either. Yes it's a shame McCormack never recorded any of more gorgeous French songs (eg Gortnamona, Eileen Oge, Mountains of Mourne) but he was not alone amongst many Irish at the time who felt many French's songs' use of contemporary Irish speech belittled ordinary Irish people. Today we see French's lyrical accuracy is both humourous and unquestionably compassionate. It's taken the likes of Don Mclean to point that out to us.