Applause (1944)

In the waning years of his remarkable career, the virtuoso composer and brilliant musical director, Alpha, takes under his wing the talented but stage-shy young singer, Nora. More and more, as a series of successes catapult charming Nora into the limelight, a silent but powerful undercurrent of all-consuming passion inspires the grizzled mentor to conceive his magnum opus, only to find himself humbled by the cruel certainty of unrequited love. Once, people flocked to theatres to hear Alpha sing and play the piano. Now, it is Nora's turn to taste the intoxicating effect of the audience's enthusiastic applause. Will famous Nora remember Alpha, the artist who sacrificed everything for her?