Joseph Schmidt’s voice is the only reason to watch My Song Goes Round the World

Is this thing worth the time?

If you have a thing for vintage tenors, absolutely. If you’re looking for a tight, logical plot, you might want to look elsewhere. It’s a bit of a weird relic, honestly.

Joseph Schmidt is the whole show here. He’s got this massive, booming voice that sounds like it’s coming out of someone twice his size. Watching him try to navigate the romantic subplots is… well, it’s a bit painful.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of My Song Goes Round the World (1934) through its definitive frames.

He plays Ricardo, who is clearly insecure about his height. The movie spends a lot of time hovering around that fact. It’s a little mean-spirited, really. You can feel the script pushing him into these awkward situations where he has to hide behind his tall friend, Rico.

The whole bit with the mistaken identity? It goes on way longer than it needs to. I found myself checking my watch, wondering why they didn’t just have him come clean in the first twenty minutes. But then he starts singing.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of My Song Goes Round the World (1934) through its definitive frames.

And when he sings, you stop caring about the weak dialogue. It’s almost like the film forgets it’s a drama and turns into a concert for a few minutes. The contrast is sharp, like switching from a dusty radio to a live performance.

I couldn't help but compare the slightly clumsy pacing to something like Yes, Yes, Nanette. Both films have that feeling of trying to balance light comedy with actual stakes, but this one is way more obsessed with its lead singer’s tragedy.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of My Song Goes Round the World (1934) through its definitive frames.

Odd little notes from my notepad:

• The way people look at Schmidt when he isn't singing is just uncomfortable.
• Venice looks nice, but it’s clearly a set in half these shots.
• The chemistry between the leads is sort of… non-existent?
• I’m not sure why everyone in this movie is so surprised that a short man can sing well. It’s not exactly a secret.

It’s not a polished masterpiece. It’s a bit of a vanity project that happens to have a genuine star at the center of it. You’ll find yourself rolling your eyes at the script, then immediately being impressed by the next musical number. It’s a total tug-of-war.

If you’ve seen The Side Show of Life, you might appreciate the way this film handles the ‘outsider’ narrative, though it’s definitely not as sharp. It’s a bit softer around the edges. Maybe even a little mushy. 🎶

I don't know, maybe I’m just a sucker for that old-school vocal power. It’s worth a watch, but don't expect to be blown away by the storytelling.