Cinema: Carusos v. Caruso

In Rome, the heirs of the late great Enrico Caruso were deeply offended by one of the more successful types of U.S. advertising—the tie-in ad. The offending tie-in involved MGM’s The Great Caruso, starring Mario Lanza (TIME, Aug. 6), and the Coca-Cola Co., sponsors of Tenor Lanza’s U.S. radio show. Caruso’s son Enrico Jr., 48,* and 28-year-old Grandsons Enrico and Roberto, were “disgusted” with Coke billboard and poster ads ballyhooing the picture. Not that they had anything in particular against Cokes, explained the younger Enrico, but “we Europeans look upon commercial advertising from a different viewpoint than Americans.” The family took the matter to court and the “disgusting” ads were ordered blocked out (see cut).

But the Carusos’ battle was only half won. Still on tap last week was their suit against M-G-M for depicting Tenor Caruso’s life without first getting their consent. Says Grandson Enrico, who looks like a small edition of Tenor Lanza: “The picture is full of historical inaccuracies. It gives the impression that Caruso arrived in the U.S. almost an unknown, that America launched him, glorified him and was responsible for his success. The picture denationalizes my grandfather.” Besides, added the family’s lawyer—although his point was not included in the legal complaint—the heirs regard Lanza as “just a beginner, with a crude, uneducated voice, unworthy of Caruso.”

At week’s end, The Great Caruso was breaking records in movie houses throughout Italy.

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Another case involving a late great Italian entertainer turned up in court this week. In Milan, Alberto Valentino and Mrs. Maria Strada, brother & sister of Cinemactor Rudolf Valentino, sued Columbia Pictures and Edward Small Productions for $700,000 damages. The picture Valentino (TIME, May 7), according to Alberto and Maria, is a clear case of “defamation of character and the unauthorized use of the name and likeness of the famous star.” As a result, brother & sister claim they have suffered “shame, annoyance, ridicule, humiliation and mortification.”

* Who, like his brother Rodolfo, now dead, was born as a result of the great Caruso’s grand passion with Soprano Ada Giachetti. Although Tenor Caruso never married Ada, he recognized the two boys as his own sons, thus gave them a legal status in the eyes of Italian law.