Tosca on AllMovie

Puccini's famous opera gets a royal treatment, a few million dollars worth of it, in costumes and sets for this 1956 cinematic production. Although this is filmed opera performed on a stage, the singing and the performance, as well as the visuals, are excellent. Floria Tosca (sung by Maria Caniglia, performed by Franca Duval) has fallen in love with Mario (Franco Corelli), an artist who helped Floria's brother when he needed to escape the evil clutches of Scarpia (Afro Poli), the nasty local police chief. Scarpia gets his revenge -- and Floria -- when he arrests Mario and is willing to release him only on the condition that Floria complies with his amorous demands.