Ernst Lubitsch was at his wits end in trying to find a leading lady for his first talking picture which was going to star Maurice Chevalier, the discovery of the year. He needed someone who was young, could sing and dance, look regal enough to be a Queen but ravishing enough to wear a skimpy nightgown. He had almost decided on Bebe Daniels but then saw a screen test of a former chorus girl who had been bought to Hollywood as a discovery of Richard Dix - Jeanette MacDonald. Her work consisted of a couple of second rate Broadway shows but with Lubitsch to guide her, she was perfection!!!
With champagne bottles, the Eiffel Tower and dancing showgirls as a montage, the scene is set in Paris as dashing playboy Count Alfred Renard (Maurice Chevalier) has a narrow escape from the husband of his latest mistress - "She's terribly jealous" Chevalier says, in a typical audience aside. He and his loyal valet (Lupino Lane) bid adieu to Paris "Paris, Still Stay the Same", as the song is carried on by his score of female admirers - even the dogs have a chorus!!!
Meanwhile in Sylvania, beautiful Queen Louise (Jeanette MacDonald) is awakened from her sleep - "Why am I always awakened from my dreams?" - sweet lady-in-waiting (Virginia Bruce) asks "What did my lady dream?" That is Jeanette's cue to sing the beautiful "Dream Lover". The song takes her from her opulent bed to her bath!!! The most pressing concern for the country is the Queen's matrimonial state - she, for one, is sick of it!!! The Castle Band is forever playing the Wedding March!! The problem is the groom would only be a Prince Consort and not a King - and no red blooded male wants to take it on!!
Alfred goes back to his home in Sylvania and when Louise meets him she is not impressed - until she reads the accounts of all his scandalous affairs - together they sing "Anything to Please the Queen". At dinner that night Alfred sings of his "Love Parade" of women, but that she has the charms of them all, rolled into one - "the eyes of Dauphine, smile of Josephine"!! The next scene is the marriage and Louise is absolutely gorgeous in one of the longest trains ever, but the ceremony is causing Alfred second thoughts - he wants his manhood back!!! Marriage proves tough for Alfred - Louise has her engagements during the day, she arranges tennis and bridge for Alfred, plus an afternoon nap "to keep up his strength"!! His valet is finding life more harmonious with Lulu (lively Lillian Roth) - they do a comic song and dance to "Let's Be Common" - one of the highlights of this wonderful movie.
Alfred is so frustrated - he even sings a song about it - "Nobody's Using Now". In his spare time he has drawn up a budget to help the troubled country stay solvent but because he is only a Prince Consort his plans are not considered. When he is told that Sylvania is going ahead with a loan but it all depends on his behaviour during a night at the ballet - he takes a stand!! He walks into the performance late and amid cheers and claps manages to upstage Louise. Now the roles are reversed and Louise has a humiliating night as Alfred at last gets his manhood back!!
This is a dazzling film from the first scene of Lupino Lane deftly swishing a tablecloth out from under a set table as he sings "Champagne". The songs could almost tell the story on their own, each song was essential to the plot - unlike the Operetta tradition of the time which had characters bursting into song for no reason. There was also fluid camera movement ie when Victor Milmer sweeps his camera over the elaborate wedding and ballet sequences. Lupino Lane and Lillian Roth make a riotous "common" couple and compliment the more regal pair. Among the "Lubitsch touches" - an American tour group are driven through the beautiful Sylvania and are clearly not interested - however when they hear that the income is over $100,000,000 a year - they are all agog!! Silent comedian Ben Turpin also makes a cameo appearance as a crosseyed messenger - supposedly unlucky for Alfred!!!
Highly, Highly Recommended.
With champagne bottles, the Eiffel Tower and dancing showgirls as a montage, the scene is set in Paris as dashing playboy Count Alfred Renard (Maurice Chevalier) has a narrow escape from the husband of his latest mistress - "She's terribly jealous" Chevalier says, in a typical audience aside. He and his loyal valet (Lupino Lane) bid adieu to Paris "Paris, Still Stay the Same", as the song is carried on by his score of female admirers - even the dogs have a chorus!!!
Meanwhile in Sylvania, beautiful Queen Louise (Jeanette MacDonald) is awakened from her sleep - "Why am I always awakened from my dreams?" - sweet lady-in-waiting (Virginia Bruce) asks "What did my lady dream?" That is Jeanette's cue to sing the beautiful "Dream Lover". The song takes her from her opulent bed to her bath!!! The most pressing concern for the country is the Queen's matrimonial state - she, for one, is sick of it!!! The Castle Band is forever playing the Wedding March!! The problem is the groom would only be a Prince Consort and not a King - and no red blooded male wants to take it on!!
Alfred goes back to his home in Sylvania and when Louise meets him she is not impressed - until she reads the accounts of all his scandalous affairs - together they sing "Anything to Please the Queen". At dinner that night Alfred sings of his "Love Parade" of women, but that she has the charms of them all, rolled into one - "the eyes of Dauphine, smile of Josephine"!! The next scene is the marriage and Louise is absolutely gorgeous in one of the longest trains ever, but the ceremony is causing Alfred second thoughts - he wants his manhood back!!! Marriage proves tough for Alfred - Louise has her engagements during the day, she arranges tennis and bridge for Alfred, plus an afternoon nap "to keep up his strength"!! His valet is finding life more harmonious with Lulu (lively Lillian Roth) - they do a comic song and dance to "Let's Be Common" - one of the highlights of this wonderful movie.
Alfred is so frustrated - he even sings a song about it - "Nobody's Using Now". In his spare time he has drawn up a budget to help the troubled country stay solvent but because he is only a Prince Consort his plans are not considered. When he is told that Sylvania is going ahead with a loan but it all depends on his behaviour during a night at the ballet - he takes a stand!! He walks into the performance late and amid cheers and claps manages to upstage Louise. Now the roles are reversed and Louise has a humiliating night as Alfred at last gets his manhood back!!
This is a dazzling film from the first scene of Lupino Lane deftly swishing a tablecloth out from under a set table as he sings "Champagne". The songs could almost tell the story on their own, each song was essential to the plot - unlike the Operetta tradition of the time which had characters bursting into song for no reason. There was also fluid camera movement ie when Victor Milmer sweeps his camera over the elaborate wedding and ballet sequences. Lupino Lane and Lillian Roth make a riotous "common" couple and compliment the more regal pair. Among the "Lubitsch touches" - an American tour group are driven through the beautiful Sylvania and are clearly not interested - however when they hear that the income is over $100,000,000 a year - they are all agog!! Silent comedian Ben Turpin also makes a cameo appearance as a crosseyed messenger - supposedly unlucky for Alfred!!!
Highly, Highly Recommended.