Starring Irene Dunne, Donald Woods, Ned Sparks, and Hugh Herbert
Directed by Mervyn LeRoy
Music by Jerome Kern; Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Though she's remembered primarily for her non-musical comedies and dramas nowadays, Irene Dunne was an accomplished singer who performed on Broadway before coming to Hollywood in the early 30's. By 1934, she was one of the top stars in Hollywood, able to easily glide between melodramas, brittle comedy, and operettas like this and Show Boat. How does this backstage romance of the 1890's look nowadays? Let's head to a beer garden in Hoboken, New Jersey as the all-woman band begins their first number to find out...
The Story: Adeline Schmidt (Dunne) is in love with songwriter Sid Barnett (Woods). Her father, the owner of the beer garden, would prefer she court wealthy military hero Major Day (Louis Calhern). Adeline's sister Nellie (Nydia Westman) is more in love with the idea of being on the stage. She runs off to New York after producer Rupert Rockingham, and Adeline and her Major go after her.
Meanwhile, Sid is trying to find someone who can sing the music for his new operetta. The producers want to star Spanish beauty Alysia, who is a star but no great shakes as a singer. Sid insists on Adeline appearing in the show the moment she comes in asking about her sister. Everyone is so impressed by her performance, she gets the role then and there. Alysia is not only jealous, she's a spy who is being pursued by inept government agent Rupert. Alysia wants that role and will do anything to get it, even harm her rival. Meanwhile, Sid is going crazy as Adeline goes between his attention and the Major's, but the Major isn't quite as wholesome as he appears.
The Song and Dance: Dunne is definitely the thing here. She beautifully performs several Kern and Hammerstein songs and shows off some smashing gowns amid the hustle and bustle of Broadway and beer gardens in the end of the 19th century. Herbert and Sparks get the occasional good bits as the harried producer and the incompetent agent, and Westman is cute as Adeline's goofy sister with stars in her eyes.
Favorite Number: The all-female orchestra kicks things off well with "Play Us a Polka Dot" giving us a lively dance routine at the beer garden. Dunne sings the throbbing hit ballad "Why Was I Born?" when Sid asks her for what amounts to an audition. Noah Beery attempts "Oriental Moon" as a sultan in rehearsal, but keeps getting interrupted by people moving scenery. "We Were So Young" is one of the big Busby Berkeley-style numbers in the operetta, with Dunne on a swing and dancers swinging in the air behind her as she and singer Phil Rosen recall their past love. Dunne gets Woods back by performing "Don't Ever Leave Me" as she pieces together the ripped parts of his song in the finale.
Trivia: This debuted as a vehicle for singer Helen Morgan on Broadway in 1929. It did well enough, but the Depression cut into its business, and it closed after six months.
What I Don't Like: This feels like Warners tried to make an operetta in the same style as their Busby Berkeley spectaculars. It doesn't work. First of all, what's with the spy subplot? It has nothing whatsoever to do with the rest of the story. Shaw doesn't look or sound like a spy. She sounds more vaguely French than Spanish and acts like a spoiled child. The love triangle is even less interesting. Woods has all the charisma of the piano he plays at the beer garden, and Calhern is so obviously smarmy, you wonder what either Adeline or her father see in him. References to the Spanish-American War and a young Al Jolson feel more forced than authentic. Apparently, it doesn't have much in common with the original show either besides "Why Was I Born?," "Here Am I?" and the 1890's setting.
The Big Finale: As lovely as the songs are, the story and most of the performances are too dull to make this of interest to anyone but the most ardent fans of Dunne, 30's musicals, or operetta.
Home Media: Currently DVD-only from the Warner Archives.
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