Mr Imperium
Channel: OLDTVMASTERS
Date: 2021-07-26

Mr. Imperium (UK title: You Belong to My Heart) is a 1951 romantic musical drama Technicolor film made by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, starring Lana Turner and singer Ezio Pinza. It was directed by Don Hartman who co-wrote the screenplay with Edwin H. Knopf, based on an produced play by Edwin H. Knopf. The music score is by Bronisław Kaper. Lana Turner's singing voice was dubbed by Trudy Erwin.


In 1979, the film entered the public domain in the United States because Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer neglected to renew the copyright registration in the 28th year after publication.


In Italy in 1939, a European man calling himself Mr. Imperium (Ezio Pinza) uses a ruse to meet an attractive American woman, Frederica Brown (Lana Turner). He eventually is revealed to be Prince Alexis, an heir to the throne and a widower with a five-year-old son. He nicknames her "Fredda", so she calls him "Al".

When his father becomes gravely ill, he must rush to be with him, but asks prime minister Bernand (Cedric Hardwicke) to deliver to Fredda a note of explanation. Bernand instead tells her the prince has left permanently, that this is his usual method of seducing and abandoning women.

Twelve years go by. One day in Paris, a cinema's marquee makes it clear that "Fredda Barlo" is now a movie star. Fredda's former love travels to California, where film producer Paul Hunter (Barry Sullivan) is now in love with her and proposing marriage.

Fredda decides to drive to Palm Springs to think about his proposal, as well as to decide which actor should co-star in her next film, about a girl who falls in love with a king. "Mr. Imperium" takes a room next to hers, and soon they meet and embrace. He explains the crisis that took place at home during the war and prevented him from looking for her. Now he wants a new life, and Fredda believes he could even portray a king in her film.

Bernand turns up, however, to say that his son is preparing to ascend to the throne. Mr. Imperium realizes he is needed there, so he must say goodbye to the woman he loves once more.