''Rose Marie'' is a 1936 American
musical film
Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, but in some cases, they serve merely as breaks ...
starring
Jeanette MacDonald
Jeanette Anna MacDonald (June 18, 1903 – January 14, 1965) was an American singer and Actor, actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier (''The Love Parade'', ''Love Me Tonight'', ''The Merry Widow (1934 ...
,
Nelson Eddy
Nelson Ackerman Eddy (June 29, 1901 – March 6, 1967) was an American actor and baritone singer who appeared in 19 musical films during the 1930s and 1940s, as well as in opera and on the concert stage, radio, television, and in nightclub ...
, and
Reginald Owen
John Reginald Owen (5 August 1887 – 5 November 1972) was a British actor. He was known for his many roles in British and American films and television programs.
Career
The son of Joseph and Frances Owen, Reginald Owen studied at Sir Herbert ...
that was directed by
W. S. Van Dyke
Woodbridge Strong Van Dyke II (Woody) (March 21, 1889 – February 5, 1943) was an American film director and writer who made several successful early sound films, including '' Tarzan the Ape Man'' in 1932, ''The Thin Man'' in 1934, ''San Franc ...
. It was the second of three movie adaptations from
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...
of the 1924
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
musical of the same name. A
silent version was released in 1928 and a
color film
Color photography is photography that uses media capable of capturing and reproducing colors. By contrast, black-and-white or gray-monochrome photography records only a single channel of luminance (brightness) and uses media capable only of ...
in 1954. All three versions are set in the Canadian wilderness. Portions of
and
Herbert Stothart
Herbert Pope Stothart (September 11, 1885February 1, 1949) was an American songwriter, arranger, conductor, and composer. He was also nominated for twelve Academy Awards, winning Best Original Score for '' The Wizard of Oz''. Stothart was widel ...
's original score for the Broadway musical are utilized in both the 1936 and 1954 films.
Although the original plot was changed, and most of the songs were dropped, the 1936 film was a huge success and became MacDonald and Eddy's best-known film. Their duet of "
Indian Love Call
"Indian Love Call" (first published as "The Call") is a popular song from '' Rose-Marie'', a 1924 operetta-style Broadway musical with music by Rudolf Friml and Herbert Stothart, and book and lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II. Or ...
" was a major hit for the two singers and remained a
signature song
A signature (; from la, signare, "to sign") is a Handwriting, handwritten (and often Stylization, stylized) depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and ...
throughout their careers.
[Bloom, Ken and Vlastnik, Frank. ''Broadway Musicals: The 101 Greatest Shows of all Time.'' Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, New York, 2004. ]
Plot
Marie de Flor (Jeanette MacDonald) is a Canadian
soprano
A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...
performing in ''
Roméo et Juliette'' in Montreal; the
Premier of Quebec
The premier of Quebec ( French: ''premier ministre du Québec'' (masculine) or ''première ministre du Québec'' (feminine)) is the head of government of the Canadian province of Quebec. The current premier of Quebec is François Legault of the ...
is in the audience. Inviting him and his entourage to supper after the performance, she learns from a 'half-breed' man called Boniface (George Regas), that her brother Jack (James Stewart), supposedly in prison for armed robbery, was wounded as he escaped from prison and has killed a
Mountie
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; french: Gendarmerie royale du Canada; french: GRC, label=none), commonly known in English as the Mounties (and colloquially in French as ) is the federal and national police service of Canada. As poli ...
in the process. Making her excuses, she leaves for the Canadian wilderness with Boniface, hoping to help Jack.
At the same time, Sergeant Bruce, of the Mounties (Nelson Eddy) reports to headquarters and receives his latest mission: he must find Jack Flower, believed to be hiding near Lake Chibougam.
Marie and Boniface reach an outpost near Lake Chibougam, where Boniface disappears with Marie's money. Marie falls in with Sergeant Bruce, but Marie cannot tell him the truth for fear of compromising Jack. Marie tries singing at a local cafe to earn some money, but is unused to such boisterous singing and fails to attract any tips.
Bruce insists that Marie report Boniface's theft, but she cannot admit her real identity, calling herself 'Rose'. But Bruce has recognised her via her voice. They travel together to an
Indian
Indian or Indians may refer to:
Peoples South Asia
* Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor
** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country
* South Asia ...
ceremony that night. Bruce, despite his strong sense of duty, proves to be a womaniser, and they sing together. Marie finds Boniface and they leave together. But Bruce has discovered that 'Rose Marie de Flor' is really Jack Flower's sister and sets off after her, knowing that she will lead him to Jack.
Boniface and Marie travel on horseback to Hayman's Landing where Jack is hiding. Sergeant Bruce, following her, rescues her from drowning as they cross a deep river and Boniface runs off into the forest.
Marie haughtily refuses the Sergeant's help, but realises that she will not reach John without that help. She and the Sergeant travel together for the next three days, before she leaves him with a new guide.
Marie finds Jack being nursed by Boniface's mother, and tries to persuade him to reform. She gives him the money necessary to escape and start over. But Bruce appears and arrests Jack. Marie begs him to let her brother go, but the Sergeant is unmoved by her plea.
No more is heard of Jack, but Marie, although unwell, returns to opera performance. She has the title role in the opera ''
Tosca
''Tosca'' is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900. The work, based on Victorien Sardou's 1 ...
''. She keeps imagining that she hears "Indian Love Call" throughout the opera and collapses onstage just before the final curtain. She retires to a mountain lodge and refuses to sing for six months. Her manager, Myerson, visits and tells her how disappointed he is not to hear her voice again. After he leaves, she begins singing "Indian Love Call". Myerson urges Sergeant Bruce, who has been waiting in the foyer, to join her, and they sing together.
Cast
*
Jeanette MacDonald
Jeanette Anna MacDonald (June 18, 1903 – January 14, 1965) was an American singer and Actor, actress best remembered for her musical films of the 1930s with Maurice Chevalier (''The Love Parade'', ''Love Me Tonight'', ''The Merry Widow (1934 ...
as Marie de Flor
*
Nelson Eddy
Nelson Ackerman Eddy (June 29, 1901 – March 6, 1967) was an American actor and baritone singer who appeared in 19 musical films during the 1930s and 1940s, as well as in opera and on the concert stage, radio, television, and in nightclub ...
as Sergeant Bruce
*
Reginald Owen
John Reginald Owen (5 August 1887 – 5 November 1972) was a British actor. He was known for his many roles in British and American films and television programs.
Career
The son of Joseph and Frances Owen, Reginald Owen studied at Sir Herbert ...
as Myerson
*
Allan Jones as Romèo and Mario Cavaradossi (opera scenes)
*
James Stewart
James Maitland Stewart (May 20, 1908 – July 2, 1997) was an American actor and military pilot. Known for his distinctive drawl and everyman screen persona, Stewart's film career spanned 80 films from 1935 to 1991. With the strong morality h ...
as Jack Flower
*
Alan Mowbray
Alan Mowbray (born Alfred Ernest Allen; 18 August 1896 – 25 March 1969) was an English stage and film actor who found success in Hollywood.
Early life
Mowbray was born in London, England. He served with distinction in the British Army in W ...
as Premier of Quebec
*
George Regas
George Thomas Regas (Greek: Γεώργιος Θωμάς Ρεγάκος; November 9, 1890 – December 13, 1940) was a Greek American actor.
Biography
Regis was born in the village of Goranoi near Sparta, Greece, the brother of actor Pedro Regas ...
as Boniface
*
Una O'Connor as Anna
*
Robert Greig
Robert Greig (December 27, 1879 – June 27, 1958) was an Australian-American actor who appeared in more than 100 films between 1930 and 1949, usually as the dutiful butler. Born Arthur Alfred Bede Greig, he was the nephew of Australian pol ...
as Saloon and Hotel Owner
* James Conlin as Joe, the pianist
*
Gilda Gray
Gilda Gray (born Marianna Michalska; October 24, 1901 – December 22, 1959) was a Polish-American dancer and actress who popularized a dance called the "shimmy" which became fashionable in 1920s films and theater productions.
Early life and 'th ...
as Belle
*
David Niven
James David Graham Niven (; 1 March 1910 – 29 July 1983) was a British actor, soldier, memoirist, and novelist. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance as Major Pollock in ''Separate Tables'' (1958). Niven's other roles ...
as Teddy (as David Nivens)
*
Herman Bing
Herman Bing (March 30, 1889 – January 9, 1947) was a German-American character actor. He acted in more than 120 films and many of his parts were uncredited.
Biography
Bing was born in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. He was son of the opera ...
as Mr. Daniells
An extra in the film, Robert Barr Miller, appeared in the credits under his real name at the same time that he was being sought by authorities for robbery and murder in northern California.
Songs
* Overture: "
Indian Love Call
"Indian Love Call" (first published as "The Call") is a popular song from '' Rose-Marie'', a 1924 operetta-style Broadway musical with music by Rudolf Friml and Herbert Stothart, and book and lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II. Or ...
" and "Rose Marie"
* Scenes from Romèo et Juliette (music by Charles Gounod, libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré)
* "Pardon Me, Madame"
* "The Mounties"
* "Dinah" (music by Harry Akst, lyrics by Sam Lewis and Joe Young)
* "
Some of These Days
"Some of These Days" is a popular song, written and composed by Shelton Brooks, published in 1910, and associated with the performer Sophie Tucker.
Background
Shelton Brooks and "Some of These Days" was brought to Sophie Tucker's attention in 1 ...
" (Shelton Brooks)
* "Rose Marie"
* "Totem Tom-Tom"
* "Just For You"
* "Three Blind Mice"
* "Indian Love Call" (sung four times)
* Act III of
Tosca
''Tosca'' is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma, Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900. The work, based on Victorien Sardou's 1 ...
, from Tosca's entrance (music by Giacomo Puccini, libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica)
* "Indian Love Call (reprise)"
Production
While footage of the Mounties in boot camp was filmed in Canada, location filming with the lead actors was at
Lake Tahoe
Lake Tahoe (; was, Dáʔaw, meaning "the lake") is a Fresh water, freshwater lake in the Sierra Nevada (U.S.), Sierra Nevada of the United States. Lying at , it straddles the state line between California and Nevada, west of Carson City, Nevad ...
. The film was originally slated to be in color but makeup man
Fred Phillips explained that when this was dropped, the studio ordered him to change Eddy's makeup for the worse. Phillips stated that orders came from
Louis B. Mayer
Louis Burt Mayer (; born Lazar Meir; July 12, 1882 or 1884 or 1885 – October 29, 1957) was a Canadian-American film producer and co-founder of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studios (MGM) in 1924. Under Mayer's management, MGM became the film industr ...
, who was angry at Eddy for his personal involvement in MacDonald's life.
Reception
''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' reviewer
Frank S. Nugent enthused that "this is Miss MacDonald's and Mr. Eddy's picture", a "musical feast" in which "whether singing solo or in duet, they prove to be fully as delightful a combination here as they were in the film of Victor Herbert's 'Naughty Marietta'".
The film is recognized by
American Film Institute
The American Film Institute (AFI) is an American nonprofit film organization that educates filmmakers and honors the heritage of the motion picture arts in the United States. AFI is supported by private funding and public membership fees.
Leade ...
in these lists:
* 2002:
AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions – Nominated
* 2004:
AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs:
** "
Indian Love Call
"Indian Love Call" (first published as "The Call") is a popular song from '' Rose-Marie'', a 1924 operetta-style Broadway musical with music by Rudolf Friml and Herbert Stothart, and book and lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II. Or ...
" – Nominated
References
* Green, Stanley (1999) Hollywood Musicals Year by Year (2nd ed.), pub. Hal Leonard Corporation page 51
External links
*
*
*
*
''Rose-Marie''at Virtual History
{{W. S. Van Dyke
1936 films
American romantic musical films
American black-and-white films
Films directed by W. S. Van Dyke
Films set in Canada
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films
Royal Canadian Mounted Police in fiction
Films about law enforcement in Canada
Operetta films
Films scored by Herbert Stothart
Films scored by Rudolf Friml
1930s romantic musical films
1930s English-language films
1930s American films