Rose Marie1936
Rose Marie (1936)
Rose Marie Photos
Movie Info
It was standard operating procedure at MGM to cast their favorite singing team of Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald in new versions of old operettas, then retain only the music, drastically altering the plotlines to conform to popular tastes. This was the treatment afforded the Rudolf Friml-Herbert Stothart-Oscar Hammerstein-Otto Harbach musical Rose Marie--and thank heaven that MGM decided to jettison the original's creaky libretto about a woman who offers her body to the villain to save the hero from a trumped-up murder charge (this chestnut seemed old-fashioned even in 1928, when Joan Crawford starred in the silent version). In lieu of this wearisome storyline, the Eddy-MacDonald version casts MacDonald as a spoiled, temperamental Canadian opera star who learns that her uncontrollable brother (James Stewart), serving a prison sentence, has escaped to a cabin in the North Woods and needs someone to tend his wounds. MacDonald travels to northern Canada incognito, where in a hilarious sequence she tries and fails to pass muster as a dance-hall girl. Upon meeting likeable mountie Nelson Eddy, who unbeknownst to her has been assigned to locate her brother, MacDonald fabricates a story about needing an escort for a rendezvous with her lover. Such latter-day parodies as Dudley Do-Right notwithstanding, the Eddy-MacDonald sequences are often deliberately played for laughs, even when Nelson is uttering such lines as "Heavy? Why, I could carry you for hours!" Gradually, Nelson and MacDonald fall in love, only to fall out of love when Nelson tracks down and captures MacDonald's brother. Despite this rift, a happy--and logical--ending is not long in coming. It might be hard to watch such Eddy-MacDonald duets as "Rose Marie" and "Indian Love Call" with a completely straight face; it is reassuring, however, to find out that the filmmakers knew that "Rose Marie" was ripe for ridicule, and decided to laugh at themselves first in order to disarm the audience. To avoid confusion with the 1955 remake, the 1936 Rose Marie was retitled Indian Love Call for TV showings.
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Cast
Jeanette MacDonald
as Marie de Flor
as Marie de Flor
Nelson Eddy
as Sergeant Bruce
as Sergeant Bruce
James Stewart
as John Flower
as John Flower
Reginald Owen
as Myerson
as Myerson
George Regas
as Boniface
as Boniface
Robert Greig
as Cafe Manager
as Cafe Manager
Una O'Connor
as Anna
as Anna
Jimmy Conlin
as Joe the Piano Player
as Joe the Piano Player
Lucien Littlefield
as Storekeeper
as Storekeeper
Dorothy Gray
as Edith
as Edith
Alan Mowbray
as Premier
as Premier
Mary Anita Loos
as Corn Queen
as Corn Queen
Aileen Carlyle
as Susan
as Susan
Halliwell Hobbes
as Mr. Gordon
as Mr. Gordon
Paul Porcasi
as Emil the Chef
as Emil the Chef
David Niven
as Teddy
as Teddy
Herman Bing
as Mr. Danielle
as Mr. Danielle
Gilda Gray
as Belle
as Belle
Allan Jones
as Romeo/Mario Cavaradossi
as Romeo/Mario Cavaradossi
Bert Lindley
as Pop
as Pop
Edgar Dearing
as Mounted Policeman
as Mounted Policeman
Pat West
as Traveling Salesman
as Traveling Salesman
Milton A. Owen
as Stage Manager
as Stage Manager
David Clyde
as Doorman
as Doorman
Russell Hicks
as Commandant
as Commandant
Rolfe Sedan
as Admirers in Hall
as Admirers in Hall
Louis Mercier
as Admirers in Hall
as Admirers in Hall
Jack Pennick
as Brawler
as Brawler
Leonard Carey
as Louis
as Louis
David Robel
as Dancer
as Dancer
Rinaldo Alacorn
as Dancer
as Dancer
Matty Roubert
as Newsboy
as Newsboy
Sam Harris
as Guest
as Guest
Ernie Alexander
as Elevator Operator
as Elevator Operator
Jim Mason
as Trapper
as Trapper
John George
as Barfly
as Barfly
Lee Phelps
as Barfly
as Barfly
Fred Graham
as Corporal
as Corporal
Agostino Borgato
as Opera Fan
as Opera Fan
Adrian Rosley
as Opera Fan
as Opera Fan
Delos Jewkes
as Butcher at Hotel
as Butcher at Hotel
Critic Reviews for Rose Marie
All Critics (4) | Fresh (3) | Rotten (1)
the movie is primarily for fans of the source material or the stars
July 21, 2006 | Rating: 2/5
Charming version of the operetta. Perfect of its type.
July 19, 2004 | Rating: 4/5
Audience Reviews for Rose Marie
Although the movie has some funny parts, and good drama at times, the music is annoying, and it's predictable. Stewart has a part at the end, so that was interesting to see. Other than that, it's just so-so.
Aj V
Super Reviewer
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