before sigmund romberg and dorothy donnelly write their immortal score for the student prince and it have originally be perform a a straight dramatic work by the great turn of the last century stage actor and richard mansfield . entitle in old heidelberg it be what we be in fact see here as oppose to a silent version of the musical and an oxymoron if there ever be one . i do so love the music of romberg and donnelly and especially what they write for the student prince . yet i be able to appreciate the fine dramatic work of ramon novarro a the prince of karlsbad and norma shearer a kathi the barmaid . they certainly be a romantic a couple a ever grace the silent screen . without the music and this version of the student prince go for characterization instead . there be a long sequence of about a quarter of the running time of the film that go into prince karl childhood with young philippe delacy play the prince a a child . we see the relationship with the very stern king play by gustave von seyfertitz and later on when he introduce to his tutor and close friend and jean hersholt . hersholt have the best performance in the film . novarro play a most charming prince and shearer be a fetching barmaid with whom he fall in love with . after the childhood prologue and the rest of the film be pretty much the same a the 1954 version with ann blyth and edmond purdom and the voice of mario lanza . for reason i do not understand mgm which hold the right to the student prince do not make a sound version until 1954. odd when you consider that during the thirty they have allan jones under contract who would have be wonderful in the part . have hear him sing deep in my heart i can attest to that . fail that it sure could have be a property for nelson eddy and jeanette macdonald . i believe the german locale of the story probably have something to do with it not be film . also the subject of an errant prince refuse to face his responsibility be a big international story with the once and future edward viii give it all up for the woman he love . i can believe that irving thalberg and louis b. mayer probably do not want to anger the british market at that time . though i miss the romberg or donnelly score and i still enjoy the performance of ramon novarro and norma shearer and the rest of the cast be transport back to old heidelberg under the masterful direction of ernest lubitsch . try to see this if it be ever broadcast again .