Rigoletto (1993 film) facts for kids

Rigoletto is a 1993 musical fantasy and drama film. It was produced by Feature Films for Families, a company known for making movies for families. The movie tells a story inspired by the famous opera Rigoletto.

What the Story is About

The film's story takes place in the 1930s, during a difficult time in America called the Great Depression. Many people lost their jobs and homes during this period.

The main characters are Bonnie Nelson (played by Ivey Lloyd) and Ari Ribaldi (played by Joseph Paur). Bonnie loves to read the story of Rigoletto to her younger brother each night.

A Mysterious New Neighbor

One day, Bonnie enters a singing contest. She doesn't win, but a mysterious man notices her. He is Mr. Ribaldi, and he has just bought an old, run-down house in town. The house is quickly fixed up, which surprises everyone.

Soon after, Bonnie's family is told they must leave their home. Their house was sold to Mr. Ribaldi. Bonnie's mother goes to his mansion to get their home back. She meets Hans, Mr. Ribaldi's butler.

Mr. Ribaldi, who stays hidden in the shadows, offers to return their home. But there's a catch: Bonnie must agree to "work" for him. Bonnie's mother is worried, but Bonnie insists on taking the job to save their home.

Life in the Mansion

Bonnie starts working at the mansion. Hans, the butler, tells her she can go anywhere except the master suite. However, Bonnie hears singing from the forbidden room. She walks in and finds Mr. Ribaldi giving singing lessons to a woman named Gabriella.

Mr. Ribaldi gets angry, but Gabriella calms him down. Bonnie soon learns that Mr. Ribaldi is a gifted singer and composer himself.

Meanwhile, many people in town are struggling financially because of the Depression. They worry about losing their homes. Strangely, some townspeople start receiving money to pay for medical treatments or find new jobs. They don't know where this help comes from.

Secrets and Surprises

Some children in town become curious about Mr. Ribaldi's mansion. They sneak in one night. During their adventure, a young girl named Elaina, who has a limp, goes missing. The townspeople blame Mr. Ribaldi, thinking he is dangerous.

However, Elaina soon reappears, unharmed and, surprisingly, her limp is gone! This makes the townspeople even more confused about Mr. Ribaldi.

Bonnie is still preparing for another singing competition. The townspeople try to make her stop visiting Mr. Ribaldi. They say she will be disqualified if she doesn't. Bonnie refuses to stop, but Mr. Ribaldi tells her she must go to the competition. He casts her out of the mansion, which surprises both Bonnie and Hans.

A Hero Revealed

Bonnie goes to the competition with Hans. Back at the mansion, a young girl named Georgie visits Mr. Ribaldi for singing lessons. He offers to take her home, but Georgie takes a dangerous shortcut near a dam and falls into the water.

Mr. Ribaldi rescues Georgie. He carries her, unconscious, back to town. The townspeople, still angry and suspicious, attack him, thinking he hurt her. The town banker stops them, but Mr. Ribaldi is badly hurt.

The mob then rushes to the mansion to find Mr. Ribaldi's bank book. They want to see how he got his money. When they find it, they are shocked. The bank book shows that Mr. Ribaldi had been secretly paying for the townspeople's medical bills and helping them financially. He was helping them all along!

The banker admits he was the one who increased their house payments. The mob realizes their mistake and leaves, feeling ashamed. Mr. Ribaldi is taken to the hospital.

Bonnie wins the singing competition. When she and Hans return, they learn that Mr. Ribaldi has died. They hold a funeral for him. Hans then says he is returning to a "former employer."

The Final Mystery

After Hans leaves, some people walk past the mansion and hear familiar piano music. Bonnie goes inside and finds a man who looks just like Mr. Ribaldi, but without any scars. He seems to not remember anything.

Then, Hans and Gabriella appear. Bonnie asks the man his name. He replies, "Some people call me Rigoletto. But you probably don't believe that, do you?"

The movie ends with Bonnie reading the last lines of the Rigoletto story to her brother. He asks, "Do you believe that, Bonnie?" She smiles and says, "I do."

Main Characters

Here are some of the important characters you'll meet in Rigoletto:

• Ari Ribaldi - Rigoletto (played by Joseph Paur) - Mr. Ribaldi is a mysterious man with a scarred face and a limp. He was hurt when his home country was attacked. This made him bitter for many years. He moved to Castle Gate to find someone to help him heal. He is a talented singer and composer.
• Bonnie Nelson (played by Ivey Lloyd) - Bonnie is a kind and curious young girl. She agrees to work for Mr. Ribaldi to save her family's home. She eventually learns that Mr. Ribaldi is not the scary person he seems to be.
• Hans (played by John Huntington) - Hans is Mr. Ribaldi's butler. He has a German accent. He seems to be watching Bonnie at the beginning of the film. He helps Bonnie and Mr. Ribaldi throughout the story.
• Margie Nelson (played by Cynthia Jump) - She is Bonnie and Timmy's mother. She tries to protect her family and is worried about Mr. Ribaldi at first.
• Timmy Nelson - Timmy is Bonnie's younger brother. He loves listening to Bonnie read the Rigoletto story.
• Kathleen Hamilton (played by Natalie Terry) - Kathleen is another singer in the talent contests. She is a rival to Bonnie.
• Georgie Baker (played by Alyson Brienholt) - Georgie is one of Bonnie's friends. She wants to be a singer. Mr. Ribaldi saves her when she falls into the water.
• Porter Baker (played by Ryan Healey) - Porter is Georgie's brother. He has a stutter and runs away from home. Mr. Ribaldi helps him and even helps him with his speech.
• Elaina Papanikolas (played by Stephanie Paur) - Elaina is a young girl who wanders into Mr. Ribaldi's house. Her disappearance causes the town to panic, even though Mr. Ribaldi helps her.
• Gabriella (played by Tracey Williams) - Gabriella is a princess who loves Mr. Ribaldi and takes singing lessons from him.
• Dallin Avery (played by Dalin Christiansen) - Mr. Avery is a farmer who loves his pigs. He becomes the leader of the angry mob against Mr. Ribaldi.
• James McBride (played by Scott Wilkinson) - He is the town's banker. He causes trouble by raising house payments and selling properties. He also tries to stop Bonnie from competing.

Making the Movie

The movie was written, directed, and cast by Leo D. Paur. He is the brother of Joseph Paur, who plays Mr. Ribaldi. Leo D. Paur used to work on animated series like The Transformers.

The movie shares a few ideas with the famous opera Rigoletto by Verdi. For example, both have a beautiful daughter, conflicts between different worlds, and a "curse." However, the movie tells its own unique story.

Songs in the Film

The songs from the movie include:

• Let Me In
• The Curse
• April Child
• The Melody Within

April Child was written by Chance Thomas. The other three songs were written by Kurt Bestor.

Stage Performances

In the 1990s and early 2000s, Rigoletto was also performed as a musical on stage. It was very popular with church drama groups, middle schools, and community theaters. Even today, some church theaters still perform Rigoletto.