This vibrant costume drama relies on a recognizable storyline, and it demonstrates Gina Lollobrigida's ability to perform dramatic musical pieces with considerable talent. In fact, her own singing of Verdi’s lovely “Vissi d’arte” initiates the narrative. She portrays "Lina," a music hall singer at the beginning of the twentieth century who has a short romance with visiting Russian Prince "Sergei" (Vittorio Gassman). They become deeply involved, but he is obliged to return to his military unit. While this happens, she’s taken in by musical director “Doria” (Robert Alda), who guides her and brings her to Paris, where she quickly becomes the subject of much discussion. A short but somewhat scandalous meeting with her former lover could jeopardize their aspirations, so she directs her attention toward her fellow performer "Silvani" (Gino Sinimberghi). However, when he suffers an accident onstage, her mentor attempts to take advantage of her uncertain situation as her popularity continues to grow. With a performance before the Russian imperial family in St. Petersburg on the horizon, it seems likely that she and “Sergei” will be reunited, but whether this will prove beneficial or detrimental remains to be seen. Gassman is acceptable in his role as the charmingly dressed prince, and the supporting cast performs well—but ultimately, this film exists to showcase a star who moves gracefully through the story, delivering numerous large-scale scenes alongside an energetic confrontation with her spirited competitor "Manolita" (Tamara Lees). The work of the production designers, costume creators, and orchestrators is as remarkable as anything being produced in Hollywood during the mid-1950s. While it feels somewhat disjointed at times, it’s a pleasant historical romance that I found to be quite entertaining.

Source on TMDB