The New Moon and Naughty Marietta get understandably confused in the minds of some filmgoers. Both are set in New Orleans during the French colonial period, both star Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, both begin with a ship crossing from France.
But New Moon is set during the last days of Louis XVI while Naughty Marietta takes place during Louis XV's reign. This time it is Nelson who is the fugitive. He's a member of the aristocracy who's believing and preaching the ideals of the Revolution. He's slipped away as a bond servant sailing to New Orleans. In Naughty Marietta it's Jeanette who's disguised as a bondservant to escape an arranged marriage.
Also both films have Nelson singing a rousing fight song for his followers in Naughty Marietta, it's Tramp Tramp Tramp, while in this film he exhorts and rallies his troops with Stouthearted Men.
MGM did this film before with Lawrence Tibbett and Grace Moore at the beginning of the sound era. They made the mistake of changing the story line to fit the Russian Revolution. Here they wisely opted for the traditional locale.
Jeanette and Nelson are in their traditional roles in the romance game. She with her kittenish ways, him with his put downs of same.
The plot here calls for the two of them after escaping from New Orleans on the ship the New Moon (hence the title), to drop anchor at an island where the former bondservants set about to create at Utopian society. A little bit like Pitcairn Island in Mutiny on the Bounty. It only lasts a short while until news of the revolution in France arrives.
I've often wondered how portraying a Utopian socialist ideal must have sat with the very Republican Jeanette MacDonald. I'm guessing she would have been glad of rescue for more reasons than one would think.
Of course it's the music and the voices that one sees this film and the Sigmund Romberg-Otto Harbach-Oscar Hammerstein, II score was never better sung. The obligatory duet of Wanting You is heard and Jeanette is in particularly good voice in One Kiss. She also sings Lover Come Back to Me first alone and later with Nelson. That was the big hit of the score, sung by artists that range from Rudy Vallee to Ella Fitzgerald.
Personally speaking I'll listen to any kind of music as long as I can recognize the melody. This film will have melody lovers everywhere entranced.
But New Moon is set during the last days of Louis XVI while Naughty Marietta takes place during Louis XV's reign. This time it is Nelson who is the fugitive. He's a member of the aristocracy who's believing and preaching the ideals of the Revolution. He's slipped away as a bond servant sailing to New Orleans. In Naughty Marietta it's Jeanette who's disguised as a bondservant to escape an arranged marriage.
Also both films have Nelson singing a rousing fight song for his followers in Naughty Marietta, it's Tramp Tramp Tramp, while in this film he exhorts and rallies his troops with Stouthearted Men.
MGM did this film before with Lawrence Tibbett and Grace Moore at the beginning of the sound era. They made the mistake of changing the story line to fit the Russian Revolution. Here they wisely opted for the traditional locale.
Jeanette and Nelson are in their traditional roles in the romance game. She with her kittenish ways, him with his put downs of same.
The plot here calls for the two of them after escaping from New Orleans on the ship the New Moon (hence the title), to drop anchor at an island where the former bondservants set about to create at Utopian society. A little bit like Pitcairn Island in Mutiny on the Bounty. It only lasts a short while until news of the revolution in France arrives.
I've often wondered how portraying a Utopian socialist ideal must have sat with the very Republican Jeanette MacDonald. I'm guessing she would have been glad of rescue for more reasons than one would think.
Of course it's the music and the voices that one sees this film and the Sigmund Romberg-Otto Harbach-Oscar Hammerstein, II score was never better sung. The obligatory duet of Wanting You is heard and Jeanette is in particularly good voice in One Kiss. She also sings Lover Come Back to Me first alone and later with Nelson. That was the big hit of the score, sung by artists that range from Rudy Vallee to Ella Fitzgerald.
Personally speaking I'll listen to any kind of music as long as I can recognize the melody. This film will have melody lovers everywhere entranced.