Song o' My Heart

The plot is melodramatic - created just for the purpose of capturing the singing of John McCormack on film.

McCormack was the most successful concert performer of the early twentieth century and the archetype for what we now call the "Irish Tenor".

The film is unique for an uninterrupted concert sequence that essentially replicates the sort of performance McCormack gave thousands of times all over the world to packed houses.

The story includes some brief "bits" of Irish humour and features the film debut of Maureen O'Sullivan.

The story of a middle-aged teacher living in a small Irish village who just happens have a world-class singing voice and is willing to give it all up to care for the children of his recently childhood sweetheart is too much to be taken seriously even for the very early 1930s.

There was a problem with the quality of the sound track on the videotape I saw. The fact that the only remaining copy of this film (once believed lost due to fire) was found after decades in a movie theatre basement may explain this loss of quality.

All that being said, as a lover of great singing I found the musical segments made it well worth the time spent watching the film.