About Tonight or Never

Tonight or Never is a comedy-drama film released in 1931, directed by Mervyn LeRoy and produced by Samuel Goldwyn. The screenplay, written by Ernest Vajda and Frederick Lonsdale, is based on Lonsdale's play of the same name.

The movie revolves around the life of a young opera singer named Nella Vago (played by Gloria Swanson). The plot thickens and twists as a talent scout, convinced that Nella's singing lacks an emotional depth that can only come from life experience, encourages her to discover passion.

Making / Production

The movie was made within the early sound era of Hollywood's classic age and encapsulates the fluent style of comedy-drama popular during the time. It was distributed by United Artists and presented by Samuel Goldwyn.

Actors

• Gloria Swanson as Nella Vago - The lead role that demonstrated Swanson's ability to deftly combine comedy and drama. Her portrayal of an opera singer seeking emotional depth captivated the audience.
• Melvyn Douglas as Jim Fletcher - Douglas played the role of a talent scout striving to bring the best out of Nella.
• Alison Skipworth as Madame Peters - Madame Peters is a vibrant character played by Skipworth. The actor added depth to the character by portraying an affectionate yet assertive woman.
• Bobby Howes as Farn - Playing the role of Farn, Howes added a comedic touch to the film that nicely countered the drama.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film marked the first of three films the leading actors, Gloria Swanson and Melvyn Douglas, appeared together in.
• Tonight or Never is one of the few films of its time to merge drama and comedy in such a compelling way.

Music, Soundtrack

The film's soundtrack nicely complemented its comedy-drama genre. While the complete soundtrack's list may be scarce, it strongly contributed to the atmosphere and emotions conveyed throughout the movie.