A gorgeous and sweeping musical, “The Student Prince” has been one of my most favorite movies since the first time I saw it. I believe I was around ten, and the magic of it captured me and carried away.
Edmund Purdom stars as Prince Karl, the selfish, stubborn prince of Karlsberg who is supposed to get married in order to secure the future of his kingdom. A lovely princess has been chosen for him, a gracious girl named Johanna, and they meet for the first time when the engagement is announced. He does very little to make her feel welcome, and she can’t imagine joining her life to his when he’s so cold and impersonal. The king doesn’t know what to do. If Johanna won’t marry Karl, the kingdom is in trouble. How can he make his son exhibit more personality?
Karl’s tutor, Dr. Juttner, has a wonderful idea. If Karl were to be subjected to real life, outside the palace, and to other young men and their sports and games, surely he would loosen up. The good doctor attended Heidelburg University as a young man and thinks it would be a wonderful place to send Karl, who is reluctant to go, but if it’s for the good of the kingdom, so be it.
Off Karl goes to the university, anonymously. Only the keeper of the inn where he is to stay will know who he is. Kathie, the innkeeper’s niece and also the head barmaid, knows as well, but she’s not impressed. Karl makes a pass at her almost as soon as he gets there, and she lets him know in very clear terms that her affections are not part of the service.
As time goes on, Karl graduates from the school of hard knocks, realizing that in the real world, you must do your best to be kind to others and that friendships are some of the most valuable things you’ll ever have. He also falls head over heels in love with Kathie, but what future will there be in that?
Italian tenor Mario Lanza provides the singing voice for Karl in the film, creating such masterpieces as “Golden Days,” “Drink, Drink, Drink,” and “I’ll Walk With God.” You’ll swoon to the music, sigh over the romance, and come away feeling as though you’ve been swept off to Europe.
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