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Wonderful character development!

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This story has more twists and turns than a second-rate soap opera.

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Once the highest paid star in Hollywood silent film Queen, Gloria Swanson looks uncomfortable and sounds a little like Gracie Allen in her shaky transition to sound in this solidly made racy comedy. Not her first or last sound picture during that era but a clear indicator her style of acting had become anachronistic overnight with new kids on the block like Joan Crawford and Jean Harlow preparing to take the heat up a notch and send Ms. Swanson packing, only to rise Phoenix like years later in Sunset Boulevard; along with Benji the canine (Petticoat Junction) the greatest comeback in Hollywood history.Talented opera singer Nella Vaga (Swanson) has the tools but not the passion to take her place among the big names in the business. After a solid performance (sans passion) in Venice, American, Jim Fletcher, (Melvyn Douglas) is enthralled and stalks Vaga. A man of nebulous means Nella is intrigued, conflicted and makes a clumsy pass. Fletcher toys with her in a lengthy seduction that cures her stage reticence. Turns out she simply needed to get laid. Her Budapest performance is gang busters and the Met calls on as she finds love and success. Tonight or Never is filled with ambiguous innuendo and dialogue giving it a rye subversive flavor as it keeps the audience in the dark along the way to do so. Directed by Mervyn LeRoy, a Wellman like director, I could have been easily persuaded it was a Lubitsch work with it's theme, tart insinuations, use of doors, "Touch" regular Melvyn Douglas and a large ethnic caricature supporting cast with Fernand Gottschalk, Allison Skipworth and Robert Grieg (who has the most touching moment in the film with Swanson) all contributing key moments all of quirky non- stereotype. . J. Carol Naish, uncredited, offers up a tiny gem while Karloff in his Frankenstein year is weirdly perverse as a waiter.This is Melvyn Douglas first major role and he brings the same self assured sophisticated suavity that would carry him through the next dozen or so years when he would loosen up Garbo this time in Lubisch's Ninotchka just before the black list and his own stunning comeback in later years as a multi award winning actor. Swanson looks lovely dressed in Chanel, lounging about lush interiors photographed by the iconic Greg Toland but her performance is inconsistent at best her with comic timing off whether going up against Douglas or the supporting cast. There remain moments however when it becomes crystal clear why Ms. Swanson was a silent superstar, especially in close-ups without dialogue in which LeRoy goes retro silent to capture the star in her halcyon past, only for a moment but with maximum impact.

This may be the only time Boris Karloff appeared in a sophisticated romantic comedy albeit as a waiter and trivia buffs will also note the uncredited J. Carroll Naish, already polished, as a radio announcer in an early scene. Melvyn Douglas had appeared in the play on Broadway and on the strength of its hit status was signed up for the film adaptation. It's interesting that his role - at least for four fifths of the running time - is a gigolo being 'kept' by an elderly titled lady, something to which he would return, albeit with more success, in Ninotchka at the end of the decade. It's also a revelation to see Gloria Swanson at very near her peak - strangely she made only three more 'talkies' between this and Sunset Boulevard some nineteen years later. The storyline is the usual froth that sustained numerous musical comedies but all hands weigh in with sound performances and a good time is had by all.

This film is truly a classic, directed by Mervyn LeRoy. Nella Vago(Gloria Swanson), a young singer, performs an operatic debut in Venice but discovers her reception disappointing. She is critized by her instructor (Ferdinand Gottschalk) claiming her voice lacks warmth and feeling. A mysterious young man stalks her everywhere, (Melvyn Douglas) who is really a talent scout for the Met. The cast with Gloria Swanson("Sunset Blvd." with Wm. Holden) and Melvyn Douglas and Boris Karloff who had gained famed as being the Frankenstein Monster made this film a great success during the early 1930's. Karloff gave a very good performance as a high classed waiter with no horror expressions on his face. It was a great picture during that period of time and is worth viewing.

Gloria Swanson proves easily here what a good talkie actress she could have been. She is funny and charming, and dressed superbly by Coco Chanel. Melvyn Douglas works well with her, but there is way too much chatter in this adaptation from a hit stage play. The screen-writers didn't seem to realise the kind of expansion they needed to give the piece to make it cinema rather than a filmed stage play. Still, in the lovingly restored print from UCLA that is on the DVD, the film looks great - as does glorious Gloria!