‘I GIVE MY HEART

Evening Star, Issue 22326, 30 April 1936, Page 12

‘I GIVE MY HEART

CHARMING GITTA ALPAR Nothing one looks for in a picture of the glittering reign of Louis XV. of France is missing from ‘ I Give My Heart,’ the superlatively directed and brilliantly produced British film which will commence to-morrow at the Regent. All the glamour and: pageantry of the royal court, the intrigues of politicians, and the_ subtle scheming of lovely women is here woven into a dazzling and smoothly devised production which is a triumph for British studios. But there is something more than that in ‘ I Give My Heart,’ and it is the glowing personality and entrancing voice of Gitta Alpar, the celebrated Hungarian * soprano. She. gives something rare in screen performances, and no more captivating voice—or more winning way of using it—has yet been heard on the screen. ‘ I Give My Heart ’is the first authentic film version of the famous musical play, ‘The Dubarry,| which ran for record-breaking seasons in England and on the Continent, and the film contains the lovely musical score in its entirety. The starring _ role fits. Gitta Alpar like' the proverbial glove, for the operetta was originally written • especially for her. The score_ makes her an attractive girl who wins her monarch’s attention by her disrespect, an elusive elf who is more interesting to the king than Montgolfier’s historic balloon flight. It is when the Dubarry is enshrined in royal favour that intrigue tries to bring her to the gutter, and her one-time lover composes disrespectful ballads to be sung by the mob. But Dubarry garbs herself in a courtier’s clothes and takes hbr women to the streets, to sing ; a braver ballad and convince the mob .of her worth . . . and Choiseul the intriguer is beaten, and Dubarry is back on the royal balcony of Versailles.