Tonight or Never
Encyclopedia
Tonight or Never is a comedy film
directed by Mervyn LeRoy
, starring Gloria Swanson
and featuring Boris Karloff
.
whose latest performances include singing Tosca
in Venice
. Although she is praised by the audience, her music teacher Rudig feels that she can not be the greatest opera
singer in history until she performs in New York City
. When she is criticized for not putting her soul into the song, she gets mad, until she suddenly notices a mysterious man walking on the street. She becomes smitten with the man, until Rudig claims that he is a gigolo
whose latest client is Marchesa Bianca San Giovanni, a former diva with a notorious past.
Later that night, Nella decides to head to Budapest
, accompanied by Rudig, her butler Conrad, her maid Emma and her fiancé Count Albert von Gronac, whom she is not in love with. She is shocked when she finds out the mysterious man is on board as well, with the marchesa as his company. Rudig again suggests that she will never be a great singer if she does not experience love. The next day, Rudig announces that Fletcher is in town to sign European artists, an agent for the prestigious Metropolitan Opera
in New York. Later that afternoon, she finds out her fiancé is having an affair with one of her enemies.
Furious and upset with her love life, she goes to the hotel where she is staying and decides to hire the mysterious man, Jim, in hopes of experience love and thereby impress Fletcher. She is attracted to him, but is afraid to have her as his admirer. Jim, who is actually agent Fletcher, soon finds out that Nella thinks that he is a gigolo. Instead of revealing the truth, he pretends to be one and dominantly forces her to make a decision: spend the night with him or leave within 2 minutes.
Nella decides to spend the night with him, but leaves the next morning before he awakes. That night, she again gives a performance of Tosca, which is acclaimed as her best in her entire career. After returning home, she is overcome by joy to find out that she has landed a contract with the Metropolitan Opera, but feels guilty for what she has done the night before. The same day, Jim visits her, returning the necklace she has left to pay for his services and demanding her to chose between him and the contract. When she tears up the contract, he realizes that she is in love with him and he reveals himself to be a nephew of the marchesa and the famous talent scout. Now, Nella can have the successful New York career she has dreamt of.
, Ferdinand Gottschalk
, Robert Greig, Greta Meyer
and Warburton Gamble recreated their roles they had also played in the play. In June 1931, Adela Rogers St. Johns
was assigned to write the screenplay. A month later, she was replaced with Sheridan Gibney, who was eventually replaced as well. According to a January 1931 news article, George Fitzmaurice
was initially set to direct, but he was replaced by Mervyn LeRoy
.
Joseph Schenck
assigned Gloria Swanson
to play the lead role, thinking it would help the actress getting out of her career slump. The film was the only of her early talkies in which she did not sing, although ironically playing an opera singer. The film sparked Douglas' screen debut.
The Hays Code strongly objected to the film and demanded a lot of cuts to be made. The scene which the Code thought to be the most vulgar was the love scene between Nella and Jim. A staff member commented: 'This scene was one of the most offensive, if not the most offensive-in my recollection.' In 1931, it was allowed to be released, but the request of re-releases in 1935 and 1937 were rejected.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Mervyn LeRoy
Mervyn LeRoy
Mervyn LeRoy was an American film director, producer and sometime actor.-Early life:Born to Jewish parents in San Francisco, California, his family was financially ruined by the 1906 earthquake...
, starring Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson was an American actress, singer and producer. She was one of the most prominent stars during the silent film era as both an actress and a fashion icon, especially under the direction of Cecil B. DeMille, made dozens of silents and was nominated for the first Academy Award in the...
and featuring Boris Karloff
Boris Karloff
William Henry Pratt , better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein , Bride of Frankenstein , and Son of Frankenstein...
.
Plot
Nella Vargo is a Hungarian prima donnaPrima donna
Originally used in opera or Commedia dell'arte companies, "prima donna" is Italian for "first lady." The term was used to designate the leading female singer in the opera company, the person to whom the prime roles would be given. The prima donna was normally, but not necessarily, a soprano...
whose latest performances include singing Tosca
Tosca
Tosca is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900...
in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
. Although she is praised by the audience, her music teacher Rudig feels that she can not be the greatest opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
singer in history until she performs in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. When she is criticized for not putting her soul into the song, she gets mad, until she suddenly notices a mysterious man walking on the street. She becomes smitten with the man, until Rudig claims that he is a gigolo
Male prostitution
Male prostitution is the practice of engaging in sexual acts for money. Compared to female sex workers, male sex workers have been far less studied by researchers, and while studies suggest that there are differences between the ways these two groups look at their work, more research is needed.Male...
whose latest client is Marchesa Bianca San Giovanni, a former diva with a notorious past.
Later that night, Nella decides to head to Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, accompanied by Rudig, her butler Conrad, her maid Emma and her fiancé Count Albert von Gronac, whom she is not in love with. She is shocked when she finds out the mysterious man is on board as well, with the marchesa as his company. Rudig again suggests that she will never be a great singer if she does not experience love. The next day, Rudig announces that Fletcher is in town to sign European artists, an agent for the prestigious Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
in New York. Later that afternoon, she finds out her fiancé is having an affair with one of her enemies.
Furious and upset with her love life, she goes to the hotel where she is staying and decides to hire the mysterious man, Jim, in hopes of experience love and thereby impress Fletcher. She is attracted to him, but is afraid to have her as his admirer. Jim, who is actually agent Fletcher, soon finds out that Nella thinks that he is a gigolo. Instead of revealing the truth, he pretends to be one and dominantly forces her to make a decision: spend the night with him or leave within 2 minutes.
Nella decides to spend the night with him, but leaves the next morning before he awakes. That night, she again gives a performance of Tosca, which is acclaimed as her best in her entire career. After returning home, she is overcome by joy to find out that she has landed a contract with the Metropolitan Opera, but feels guilty for what she has done the night before. The same day, Jim visits her, returning the necklace she has left to pay for his services and demanding her to chose between him and the contract. When she tears up the contract, he realizes that she is in love with him and he reveals himself to be a nephew of the marchesa and the famous talent scout. Now, Nella can have the successful New York career she has dreamt of.
Cast
In credits order:- Gloria SwansonGloria SwansonGloria Swanson was an American actress, singer and producer. She was one of the most prominent stars during the silent film era as both an actress and a fashion icon, especially under the direction of Cecil B. DeMille, made dozens of silents and was nominated for the first Academy Award in the...
as Nella Vago - Melvyn DouglasMelvyn DouglasMelvyn Edouard Hesselberg , better known as Melvyn Douglas, was an American actor.Coming to prominence in the 1930s as a suave leading man , Douglas later transitioned into more mature and fatherly roles as in his Academy Award-winning performances in Hud...
as Jim Fletcher - Alison SkipworthAlison SkipworthAlison Skipworth was an English stage and screen actress. She was born Alison Mary Elliott Margaret Groom in London....
as Marchesa Bianca San Giovanni - Ferdinand GottschalkFerdinand GottschalkFerdinand Gottschalk was an English film actor. He appeared in 76 films between 1917 and 1938. He was born and died in London, England....
as Rudig - Robert Greig as Conrad
- Warburton Gamble as Count Albert von Gronac
- Greta MeyerGreta MeyerGreta Meyer was a German actress in motion pictures beginning in the silent film era. She performed for almost seventy years...
as Emma - Boris KarloffBoris KarloffWilliam Henry Pratt , better known by his stage name Boris Karloff, was an English actor.Karloff is best remembered for his roles in horror films and his portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in Frankenstein , Bride of Frankenstein , and Son of Frankenstein...
as Waiter
Production
The film is based on the Hungarian play of the same name, which was performed on Broadway between November 18, 1930 and June 1931. In the film, Melvyn DouglasMelvyn Douglas
Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg , better known as Melvyn Douglas, was an American actor.Coming to prominence in the 1930s as a suave leading man , Douglas later transitioned into more mature and fatherly roles as in his Academy Award-winning performances in Hud...
, Ferdinand Gottschalk
Ferdinand Gottschalk
Ferdinand Gottschalk was an English film actor. He appeared in 76 films between 1917 and 1938. He was born and died in London, England....
, Robert Greig, Greta Meyer
Greta Meyer
Greta Meyer was a German actress in motion pictures beginning in the silent film era. She performed for almost seventy years...
and Warburton Gamble recreated their roles they had also played in the play. In June 1931, Adela Rogers St. Johns
Adela Rogers St. Johns
Adela Rogers St. Johns was an American journalist, novelist, and screenwriter. She wrote a number of screenplays for silent movies and, late in life, appeared with other early twentieth-century figures as one of the 'witnesses' in Warren Beatty's Reds, but she is best remembered for her...
was assigned to write the screenplay. A month later, she was replaced with Sheridan Gibney, who was eventually replaced as well. According to a January 1931 news article, George Fitzmaurice
George Fitzmaurice
George Fitzmaurice was a film director and producer. Fitzmaurice's career first started as a set designer on stage...
was initially set to direct, but he was replaced by Mervyn LeRoy
Mervyn LeRoy
Mervyn LeRoy was an American film director, producer and sometime actor.-Early life:Born to Jewish parents in San Francisco, California, his family was financially ruined by the 1906 earthquake...
.
Joseph Schenck
Joseph Schenck
Joseph Michael Schenck was a pioneer executive who played a key role in the development of the United States film industry.Born in Rybinsk, Yaroslavl Oblast, Russia to a Jewish household, he and his family-including younger brother Nicholas- emigrated to New York City in 1893, he and Nicholas...
assigned Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson
Gloria Swanson was an American actress, singer and producer. She was one of the most prominent stars during the silent film era as both an actress and a fashion icon, especially under the direction of Cecil B. DeMille, made dozens of silents and was nominated for the first Academy Award in the...
to play the lead role, thinking it would help the actress getting out of her career slump. The film was the only of her early talkies in which she did not sing, although ironically playing an opera singer. The film sparked Douglas' screen debut.
The Hays Code strongly objected to the film and demanded a lot of cuts to be made. The scene which the Code thought to be the most vulgar was the love scene between Nella and Jim. A staff member commented: 'This scene was one of the most offensive, if not the most offensive-in my recollection.' In 1931, it was allowed to be released, but the request of re-releases in 1935 and 1937 were rejected.