Films

Mr. Imperium (MGM 1951)

Lana and Enzio Pinza sharing a tender moment in 1951's "Mr. Imperium". Lou Valentino Collection.

Production Dates: Late July, 1950-Mid September, 1950. Additional music sequences filmed during early January of 1951.

Release Date: March 2, 1951.

Credited Cast and Crew:

Lana Turner, Ezio Pinza, Marjorie Main, Barry Sullivan

Directed by: Don Hartman

Writing Credits: Don Hartman and Edwin H. Knopf

Produced by: Edwin H. Knopf

Original Music by: Bronislau Kaper and Harold Arlen

Synopsis: Every time actress Fredda Barlo and Prince turned Monarch, Mr. Imperium want to get together, complications arise.

My Review: The Lana Turner that we all know and love is no where to be found here. Usually, even if the film is bad, you can count on there being some kind of chemistry between Lana and her male co-star. Not so here. Lana and tenor Enzio Pinza are like oil and water on the screen. They are both horribly miscast as an actress and a prince who are forever trying to get together, but things (such as him being crowned King after his father dies or she being involved with someone else) are always in their way. Barry Sullivan, who is cast as Lana's love interest, would have brought an extra dimension to the film if his part wasn't so small. A good idea may have been to focus the film on a love triangle between the three characters. The character that Sullivan plays somehow gets lost in the shuffle and the audience doesn't hear from him again. This film was a box office bomb at the time of it's release as was the film that preceded it, 1950's A Life of Her Own. Luckily for Lana, a new script called The Bad and the Beautiful was right around the corner.

Your Review: What are YOUR thoughts on this film? Contact me at Liza@lanaturneronline.com

Highlights and Trivia

*Lana was pregnant with then hubby Bob Topping's baby during the filming of this picture, though she would lose the child due to an RH negative blood problem.

*Enzio Pinza's habit of eating raw garlic at lunch revolted Lana whenever they had to do a love scene together

*Although Enzio Pinza was a successful opera singer in real life, Lana Turner was not. Her voice was overdubbed by Trudy Erwin, who was uncredited. (Note from me: It is obvious that Lana is lip-syncing her songs in the first 10 minutes of the film, as her lip movements don't always match the words in the song).

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Photo Gallery

Lana has her makeup touched up while tenor Enzio Pinza looks on, 1951.    Lana and Keenyn Wynn in a scene for "Mr. Imperium" that ended up on the cutting room floor. Lou Valentino Collection.    Lana, Enzio Pinza, Majorie Main and Debbie Reynolds in 1951's "Mr. Imperium".    Lana sitting on costar Enzio Pinza's lap in between scenes of 1951's "Mr. Imperium".    Lana in her pj's in a scene from 1951's "Mr. Imperium".

                           

 

 

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