The Tales of Hoffmann (London Films; Lopert) works hard to arrange the happy marriage of opera and movies that has always eluded cinematic matchmakers. It is a ceremonious attempt, two hours and 18 minutes long, dripping with Technicolor, crowded with talented performers and bearing the stamp of Britain's producing-directing-scripting team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, whose The Red Shoes turned many a moviegoer into a ballet fan. But Tales of Hoffmann is not likely to win many new converts to opera.
Despite such voices as Robert Rounseville's in the title role, the impeccable playing of Sir Thomas Beecham and the Royal...
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