The Glass Mountain (1949 film)

The Glass Mountain
Original British quad poster
Directed byHenry Cass
Written byEmery Bonnet
Henry Cass
John Cousins
John Hunter
Joseph Janni
Produced byJoseph Janni
Frederick Zelnic
StarringMichael Denison
Dulcie Gray
CinematographyWilliam McLeod
Edited byLister Laurance
Music byNino Rota
Louis Levy (director)
Distributed byRenown Pictures Corporation (UK) Eagle-Lion Films (US)
Release date
  • 9 March 1949 (1949-03-09) (UK)
Running time
88 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

The Glass Mountain is a 1949 black and white British romantic film drama directed by Henry Cass. It starred Michael Denison, Dulcie Gray and Valentina Cortese.[1] The film was a popular success of its day, and was re-released in the UK in 1950 and 1953.[2] It features acclaimed classical vocalists Elena Rizzieri[3] as herself and Tito Gobbi as himself, with the orchestra and chorus of the Venice Opera House.[4] The theme music by Nino Rota is memorable, and was also a contemporary hit.[5][6] It was mainly filmed on location in the Dolomites and at Venice's La Fenice Opera House. Co-producer Joseph Janni also co-produced another film shot in Italy, the comedy Honeymoon Deferred, in 1951.

The Guardian wrote, "most reference books now deride the film, but at a time when Britain was emerging from the war into a period of grey austerity, The Glass Mountain and movies like it were a popular tonic. Set in the beautiful Dolomite mountains, with graceful performers and a nostalgically slow pace, it was one of the most successful British films to that date. The part of the composer was taken by Denison, with whom (Dulcie) Gray starred on stage and screen so many times that the Denisons became one of the "royal families" of the British entertainment scene."[7]

A tale from peasant folklore concerns a mountain made of glass and a man's attempts to climb it, to win the love of a princess. For each step he takes, he slides back two steps; so, cleverly, he turns about and climbs it backwards, gaining double elevation with each downward step.[8]

  1. ^ "The Glass Mountain | BFI | BFI". Explore.bfi.org.uk. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  2. ^ "CEL PAGE 9". Pathefilm.freeserve.co.uk. 16 November 2013. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  3. ^ "ELENA RIZZIERI, Soprano * 6 October 1922, Rome, Italy + 17 February 2016, Rome, Italy;". GREAT SINGERS OF THE PAST. 6 October 2017. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
  4. ^ "The Glass Mountain - Sky Movies HD". Skymovies.sky.com. 24 May 2002. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  5. ^ "ARCHIVE Gi - Gl: British Films of the 30s, 40s and 50s". Britishpictures.com. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  6. ^ "Nino Rota - The Legend of the Glass Mountain (1949)". Music Sales Classical. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  7. ^ Dennis Barker (16 November 2011). "Dulcie Gray obituary | Film". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 March 2014.
  8. ^ "The Glass Mountain Review". Movies.tvguide.com. Archived from the original on 5 March 2016. Retrieved 13 March 2014.