Starring Jeanette MacDonald, Jack Buchanon, Claude Allister, and ZaSu Pitts
Directed by Ernest Lubitsch
Music by Richard Whiting; Lyrics by W. Franke Harling
Let's return to the frothy world of Ernest Lubistch for our first two musicals this week. After the success of The Love Parade the year before, Paramount wanted to get Lubistch, MacDonald, and Maurice Chevalier back together. Chevalier, however, was already engaged elsewhere, so Paramount opted to try another beloved European performer. Scottish stage star Buchanon made a sensation in Andre Charlot's Revues in London and New York and in English silents and early talkies. Paramount thought his debonair man-about-town would be the perfect pairing for MacDonald's desperate countess in this frothy tale. Were they right, or should this be left at the alter? Speaking of, let's begin with massive royal wedding and find out...
The Story: Countess Helene Mara (MacDonald) flees her wedding (for the third time) with her maid Bertha (Pitts) to Monte Carlo, where she hopes to make her fortune. She does win money at the casino, only to lose it quickly. Count Rudolph Falliere (Buchanon) admires her spunk and tries flirting over the telephone the next day. When that doesn't spark her interest, he takes the place of her hairdresser and passes himself off as a commoner. She's not pleased with his lack of ability, but does like that his stroking her head softens a headache.
Despite Rudy's ministrations, she's about ready to pack it in and marry her simpering fiance Duke Otto Von Liebenheim (Allister) for his money. She hasn't a sou. Rudy takes her money to win at the casino, but they run into the Duke there. She's delighted when he takes her out for a night on the town, and then when he goes to win her money. Bertha, however, reminds her that she's a countess, and he's a commoner, and she ends up sending him packing. It'll take a night at the opera Monsieur Beaucare and realizing how similar their stories are to finally get Helene to see the light.
The Song and Dance: MacDonald is the thing here. She runs with her rare chance to play solo, whether running away from her stultifying wedding in her slip or mussing her hair before Rudy can take her to the opera. Allister is also hilarious as her silly would-be groom who cares more about how his father feels than what his fiancee wants. Paramount spared no expense on the production, too. From MacDonald's gorgeous ruffly or sparkling gowns to the massive casino and hotel sets, everything is recreated in loving detail. Lubistch shows far more assurance than he did in Love Parade, with an even more fluid camera. Check out the "Beyond the Blue Horizon" number on the train and the range of responses at the opera, especially once she figures out how the opera relates to her current dilemma.
Favorite Number: We open with the wedding chorus proclaiming this to be the Duke's "Day of Days"...until it starts raining on the ceremony. Rudy tries to impress MacDonald on the phone the day after he meets her at the casino with "Give Me a Moment, Please," but she doesn't think much of it or him. "Always In All Ways" is the big love duet for MacDonald and Buchanon after their night on the town. The Duke tells his fiancee "She'll Love Me and Like It," and that includes for his money.
"Beyond the Blue Horizon" remains the standard here, and it gets a number more than worthy of it. As the train carries her away from her stiffing wedding, MacDonald joyfully sings of the new life just beyond the rolling hills seen as she leans out her window. It's an exhilarating moment, and one of the most delightful numbers in early sound cinema.
What I Don't Like: Too bad the rest of the movie doesn't live up to that moment. The biggest problem is Buchanon. Man-about-town or not, he's too mincing and goofy to be believable as a guy who could win the countess' heart over her only slightly less-silly fiance. No wonder he went back to England after this and wouldn't try Hollywood again until the 50's. The plot's also ridiculously fluffy, even for Lubitsch musicals, and the songs other than "Horizon" and a few witty rejoinders aren't good enough to disguise the holes.
The Big Finale: Mainly for fans of MacDonald, Buchanon, or Lubitsch. Otherwise, see if you can find "Blue Horizon" online and skip the rest.
Home Media: Only on DVD as part of a Criterion Collection set along with One Hour With You, The Love Parade, and The Smiling Lieutenant.
No comments:
Post a Comment