Song Of Norway (1970)

The young Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg (Toralv Maurstad) struggles to not only have his compositions performed and published but to give Norway a musical identity. Based on the 1944 operetta with Robert Wright and George Forrest (KISMET) providing lyrics to Grieg's music and directed by Andrew L. Stone (THE LAST VOYAGE). When the film premiered in 1970, the reviews were terrible and it was a box office flop. But honestly, I don't think it's any worse than those awful Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy operettas from the 1930s which some people adore. But this was 1970, the year of movies like FIVE EASY PIECES, MASH and WOODSTOCK and something like SONG OF NORWAY was straight out of 1930s MGM. Of course, it was updated with 70 millimeter wide screen and stereophonic sound but other than that, there was no concession to contemporary times. Norway's ministry of tourism (if it has one) couldn't have had a better advertisement for Norway. Davis Boulton's Super Panavision 70 lensing makes Norway look like a paradise. Stone's direction is heavy handed. With a deft touch for thrillers like CRY TERROR, JULIE or THE LAST VOYAGE, I don't know why he thought he could direct a huge musical. With Florence Henderson (in her only major film role), Edward G. Robinson, Robert Morley, Oscar Homolka, Frank Porretta, Harry Secombe and Christina Schollin.