Bruce Loeb on Piano

Rosita was Lubitsch's first American film, and it harks back in some ways to his German spectaculars, with its crowded, lavish sets and its story of a common woman winning the attentions of royalty. His star, however, was a far cry from Pola Negri: “America's sweetheart” Mary Pickford plays a Spanish street singer who turns the head of the king. The critics acknowledged that the casting was rather improbable, but agreed that the result was a success: Variety called Rosita “a romance full of thrills and dramatic intensity that makes it a joy to look at on the screen.” A rare opportunity to see this little-known gem.