Unter Palmen am blauen Meer (1957)

Marina Morini is spending her vacation with her aunt, Contessa Celestina, in Italy. For the past 20 years, the Contessa has banished all music from her villa, and a large sign on her estate announces that playing music is forbidden. Marina suffers under the ban, since she is a fan of Italian pop singer Teddy Reno. But Celestina’s housekeeper, Cesare, even takes away her radio, and, on the Contessa’s orders, never leaves Marina’s side. The rule is: no music and no boys. Celestina, who is always dressed in black, explains her dislike of music to Marina: 20 years ago, she fell in love with a musician who wrote the song “Serenata D’Amore” for her, but later abandoned her. The song became a hit, and Celestina sang it to earn a living until she collapsed onstage. Since then, she has had no voice and can no longer bear music. One person doesn’t mind this: violinist Helmut Zacharias is staying at the villa as a lodger during his vacation because he can be safe from music there and relax. But when he finds the grand piano locked, he has had enough. He manages to open it, and inside he finds the sheet music for the song once written for Celestina. Meanwhile, at the bar not far from the villa, a small jazz combo led by Freddy, with singer Kitty, arrives. They have been hired from Germany to provide dance music at the bar during the holiday season. The Contessa’s staff are delighted to hear the music while they work. When they sneak off to dance one evening, two of them are reprimanded by the Contessa. The cook eventually quits, saying she no longer wants to work in such a joyless house. Since the jazz band is having trouble with the Contessa because of its music, singer Kitty goes to see her to try to change her mind. Kitty is mistaken for the new cook and hired into the household. In the meantime, Marina has met an Italian singer who soon turns out to be Teddy Reno. She falls in love with him, and the Contessa is horrified, believing that her own fate will now be repeated with her niece. Only after Marina promises never to see Teddy again does Celestina leave to have her will amended in Marina’s favor. While Celestina is away, not only do all of Marina’s school friends and Teddy come to visit, but the bar’s jazz combo also performs a concert in the villa’s park. Cesare turns out to be an enthusiastic music lover who has kept and learned to play every instrument confiscated by the Contessa, storing them in his room. But the Contessa returns sooner than expected. Marina confesses that she has met Teddy again, and Celestina announces that the next day she will take Marina to Paris, where she is to forget Teddy. That very night, with Kitty and her bandmates’ help, Marina runs away and goes to Rome, where Teddy is currently recording. They return together to Contessa Celestina’s villa, and Teddy asks for Marina’s hand in marriage. Celestina refuses. At that moment, Helmut Zacharias begins playing “Serenata D’Amore” in the park on his enchanted violins, and Teddy Reno sings along. The Contessa feels transported back to her youth and is suddenly enchanted by the music. She now agrees to Teddy and Marina’s marriage, which takes place shortly afterward. The jazz band also gets a happy ending: it is allowed to go on a European tour with Helmut Zacharias.