Rose Marie

Rose Marie (1936)

Genres - Musical, Action, Adventure, Music  |   Sub-Genres - Musical Romance, Operetta  |   Release Date - Feb 1, 1936 (USA - Unknown)  |   Run Time - 110 min.  |   Countries - United States  |   MPAA Rating - NR
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Review by Craig Butler

Many modern viewers love to poke fun at operetta films, and Rose Marie in particular comes in for ribbing. After all, this is the film that contains not only Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy but also "Indian Love Call," the song that is most often mocked when discussing operetta. And it's true that much of Rose Marie is a bit silly. But those who are willing to accept that operetta is really a genre all unto itself will find a great deal to enjoy in Rose Marie, starting with MacDonald, Eddy and that infamous love song. Yes, Eddy is a bit stiff; but every now and then he uses that to his advantage, almost as if he's winking at the audience and saying, "I am a bit of a cluck, aren't I?" And MacDonald gets the chance to play the prima donna, which she does extremely well, and then go on to demonstrate her way not only with a gag line but with moments of tenderness. And for all it's "yoo-ooo-oo-oo"-ness, "Indian Love Call" works. The score as a whole is a gem, and the two stars are in magnificent voice, with second lead Allan Jones not too shabby on those high notes either. It's also a treat to see a young James Stewart in what was really his first important role. The screenplay is total nonsense, of course, but W.S. Van Dyke keeps things moving at a nice pace, there's some impressive costumes and scenery, and a great "Totem Tom Tom" number. Those who can ignore the silliness will enjoy it quite a bit.