It stars Ermanno Randi as Enrico Caruso and Gina Lollobrigida.

The film follows the life of the legendary tenor from childhood poverty in Naples to the beginning of his rise to fame.

[4][5][6] Although an initial commercial success,[7] the film producers knew that the film was almost total fiction; indeed, an introductory title describes the plot as "a poetic interpretation of [Caruso's] youth.

[4] The family also successfully sued Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer who was forced to withdraw The Great Caruso from distribution in Italy because of that film's many inaccuracies.

Shortly after the film's release Ermanno Randi was murdered by his lover Giuseppe Maggiore in a jealous rage.