Sweethearts (1938)

MGM, 1938
Starring Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy, Frank Morgan, and Florence Rice
Directed by W.S Van Dyke
Music by Victor Herbert and others; Lyrics by Bob Wright, Chet Forrest, and others

Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy were still riding high as MGM's top musical team in 1938, despite the failure of their Girl of the Golden West earlier that year. Looking for something totally different, they hired legendary writer Dorothy Parker and her husband Alan Campbell to transform the original Victor Herbert fairy-tale operetta into a romantic comedy about married Broadway stars who are crazy about each, until Hollywood comes calling and their producer and his crew interfere. Let's go straight to the Melody Theater in New York, where Sweethearts is starting its sixth year on the boards, and find out how well they did...

The Story: Gwen Marlowe (MacDonald) and Ernest Lane (Eddy) are indeed the married stars of Sweethearts, their smash-hit operetta that's run for six years on Broadway. They're crazy about each other, to the point where he sends her love notes every day, but they don't have much time to spend together. Their producer Felix Lehman (Frank Morgan) and press agent Dink (Allyn Joslyn) keeps throwing them into radio shows and publicity stunts, while their families live with them in their home and off their money and their fading theatrical legacies. They're both fed up, enough to listen to Hollywood talent scout Norman Trumpett (Reginald Gardiner) when he encourages them to leave New York and take a contract with his studio. Desperate, Lehman uses the terrible play written by musical playwright Kronk (Mischa Auer) to convince Gwen that Ernest is having an affair with their secretary Kay Jordan (Rice).

The Song and Dance: After the false start of Maytime the year before, this was MGM's first full-length 3-strip Technicolor movie. They couldn't have picked better stars to showcase. MacDonald's warm coppery waves and Eddy's short golden locks were made for Technicolor. The cinematography is absolutely glorious, glowing with a ravishing array of rainbow colors, finishing with a well-done montage of Gwen and Ernest becoming more lonely as they travel with their two road companies. The screenplay's almost as good. You can tell Dorothy Parker had a hand in this one; the dialogue is witty and delightful, with zingers flying fast and furious from just about everyone. MacDonald's having a fine time, and Eddy's far more relaxed here than he was in most of their earlier movies. Morgan and Rice are also up to the script as the flustered producer who wants to keep his golden couple intact and the sarcastic secretary.

Favorite Number: MacDonald joins Ray Bolger for the first big number, the charming Dutch-themed dance routine "Jeanette and Her Wooden Shoes." MacDonald keeps up with Bolger admirably and acquits herself quite well with the choreography to the catchy clip-clop rhythm. She and Eddy get the more dramatic "Every Lover Must Meet His Fate" as they're held back by what I presume to be his guards. The first version of the title song is performed on a massive flowery hill, showing off its romantic couples in a sweeping duet. "Pretty as a Picture," sung at the sixth anniversary party, starts simply with MacDonald and Eddy at the piano, but ends with a chorus bringing out flower garlands and encores for more.

What I Don't Like: At it's core, this is a romantic comedy with operetta sequences. The second half, when the plot contrivances kick in, is considerably less interesting than the first half. Even the movie acknowledges how unlikely it is that Gwen would fall for such a ridiculous plot with the play and love letters. Though Ray Bolger partners MacDonald well in "Wooden Shoes" and gets to announce their "Pretty as a Picture" number, I really wish he had more to do. And frankly, the onstage numbers are so lovely, for all the fun banter and nifty modern costumes, I wonder what would have happened if they'd stuck to a revised version of the original fantasy story about a seamstress' adopted daughter who falls for a prince.

The Big Finale: If you love MacDonald and Eddy or romantic comedy or just want to see them in a different light, give this one a try.

Home Media: Currently DVD only from the Warner Archives.

DVD