Because You're Mine is a little disappointing after The Great Caruso, Mario Lanza's best film and one that was even better on re-watch(even if it wasn't perfect either), but it still has many fine merits.The music and Lanza's singing are particularly good here. The operatic excerpts from Il Trovatore, Rigoletto, L'Africaine and Cavalleria Rusticana are masterpieces in themselves, and there's also a great rendition of Granada, the charming duet Because You're Mine and the welcome reappearance of Be My Love. Lanza is in sensational voice, his vocal production sounding easy and with a bright ring and he sings with sensitive phrasing and a good range of musicality, even if the emotion doesn't translate in his acting skills his singing has it aplenty. Because You're Mine looks absolutely glorious, being shot in lavish Technicolour while the sets are colourful and the costumes filled with charm. In supporting roles, a very funny and charming James Whitmore and sparkling Spring Byington stand out.Doretta Morrow, apart from singing beautifully, is a less-than-winning partner for Lanza. She looks miserable and displays no chemistry with Lanza, the two hated each other and it shows in a chemistry that is even colder than that between Lanza and Kathryn Grayson in The Toast from New Orleans. While Lanza's singing is superb, his acting is some of his stiffest and least natural-looking for any of his films, his comic timing is very flat and somewhat heavy, and when he does try to be funny it comes over as forced. To be honest, the way some of the comedy is written here doesn't help matters either; it sparkles with Whitmore and Byington but is very obvious and banal with Lanza and everybody else. The story is wafer-thin and painfully predictable, even for a film starring Lanza, lacks crispness pace-wise and also lays it rather thick with the schmaltz. And while Bobby Van's dance routine was very winningly danced and niftily choreographed, it served no point to the story and had little reason, if any at all, for being there.In summary, worth seeing for the music and Lanza, but a let-down after The Great Caruso and one of his weaker films overall. 5.5/10 Bethany Cox

The studio's effort to cram in a piece exploiting Lanza's success in THE GREAT CARUSO before his promised fine (if unfaithful reduction of) STUDENT PRINCE, this film today is chiefly of interest for one of the too few opportunities to see the great Doretta Morrow and the last of Lanza appearing rather than merely dubbing on screen. It is well WORTH seeing, but could have been so much more.Lanza was starting the uncontrolled fluctuation of weight which ultimately resulted in Edmond Purdom playing the student prince (with Lanza's singing voice) and his resulting (continuing?) insecurity affected his treatment of all around him. Morrow had the chance to do the film because Lanza's last leading lady refused to work with him again. On the weight front - when not an actual medical problem, frequently the outlet for emotional problems - we wouldn't see the like (a film lead's weight appearing to fluctuate drastically within a scene) until 25 years later when Elizabeth Taylor filmed A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC in 1977.Just as bad, the studio hair, make-up and design departments did everything in their considerable power to hide Morrow's remarkable light under a bushel. Seek out her televised appearance opposite Alfred Drake in THE ADVENTURES OF MARCO POLO (Drake and Morrow had wanted to televise their original Broadway KISMET roles, but the studio had the rights tied up for lesser talents): Morrow's was a beauty and voice considerably superior to any of Lanza's other screen leading ladies!Despite these severe handicaps the film, silly post-war plot (singing soldier falls for his sergeant's sister) and all, remains entertaining even if less than great art. It's a pity that we can only now get it in a *burned* DVD from Warner Archives (after an initial VHS release), but we'll be thankful for what we can get - even while noting the commercial doublethink. Warner Brothers doesn't think the film well sell well enough to justify a full (more permanent) *pressed* release, but heavily "copyblocks" the DVDs they do put out to try to make it harder for purchasers to share the disc if Warners' takes it out of print again.

Mario Lanza belts them out beautifully with his co-star Doretta Morrow, in the only Hollywood film she ever made. The film was 1952's "Because You're Mine" and it was a perfect vehicle for both these very talented people.James Whitmore was fabulous as Lanza's sergeant whose sister is Morrow. When romance blossoms, Whitmore can't take it and the fun really starts. There is a memorable fist fight in the film between the 2 guys and naturally, both land in the brink following this altercation.Spring Byington and Don Porter as well as others give firm support. The singing is wonderful. I loved when Morrow sang You Do Something to Me. Naturally, they're rendition of the title song is memorable.The film is a musical treat.

With Kathryn Grayson refusing to work with him again, Mario Lanza has a new leading lady in "Because You're Mine," a 1952 film which also stars Doretta Morrow, James Whitmore, Paula Corday, Jeff Donnell, and Spring Byington. Lanza is a great opera star, Renaldo Rossano, who gets drafted into the army. Fortunately for him, his commanding officer, Sgt. Batterson (Whitmore) is a fan, so Rossano has it pretty easy. Batterson is also trying to promote his sister as a singer. Renaldo falls for her. His prima donna back at the opera house (Paula Corday) will have something to say about that.Broadway star Doretta Morrow is perky, and while not as pretty as Grayson, sings beautifully. Lanza was not very nice to her - that's putting it mildly - but apparently eventually apologized. Unhappy making this film after his triumphant "The Great Caruso," Lanza gained weight throughout the film so he's trim in one scene and chunky the next. It's a shame he felt that way - the film is pleasant enough, and he sings like a dream, doing a segment from "Il Trovatore," the "Addio" from "Rigoletto," the end of "Cavalleria Rusticana," the "Our Father," the title song, "Because You're Mine," and a very impressive "Granada." Not only does he impress with his glorious high notes, he does some very lyrical and soft singing as well.James Whitmore moves into the comedy of his role easily, and Spring Byington is delightful as a general's wife who needs Renaldo to sing at a reception.Very pleasant and a must for opera and Lanza fans.