Mar 24, 2019 the merry widow spread from vienna to berlin and hamburg, and then to london and broadway, on a spectacular opening night at the new amsterdam theatre in 1907. Film adaptations of the merry widow were released in. When mgm released the 1952 remake of the merry widow, the studio ceased further distribution of the earlier versions so as not to compete with the remakes box office take. Released by metrogoldwynmayer, the film stars mae murray, john gilbert, roy darcy, and tully marshall, with prefame uncredited appearances by joan crawford and clark gable. At the very end, the widow and her glamorous paramour run off to boston to open a pub not in the original libretto. Stroheim clashed with mgm, which actually went so far as to offer him a cash bonus to finish the film on time, only for stroheim to ignore the studio and go over budget as usual.
These are the bare bones of the film s narrative setup, which. This is prime lubitsch, one of my two favorites that he directed. The merry widow 1925 rotten tomatoes movie trailers. The 1925 silent film disappeared entirely for decades, not to be seen again until it was reclaimed by turner classic movies. My all time favourite movie, watched it again yesterday. She gets on his nerves and he does not attract her any. Websters new eno merry widow can be considered a valiant and very entertaining nearmiss, but hopefully will prove a box office hit. The merry widow was originally a german language operetta by franz lehar. A frenchlanguage version was produced at the same time and released in. She is at last free to love the man shes been seeing on the sly for the past two years. She gets on his nerves and he does not attract her. The merry widow was a lavishlystaged production shot on a long schedule 19 weeks, very unusual for the time with a large cast of extras.
Pontevedro, her native country, will be left bankrupt if she weds a foreigner. The australian ballet presents the merry widow, a production filled with tangled affairs, narrow misses and jealous lovers. The chemistry between stars maurice chevalier and jeanette macdonald seems as. T his version of the merry widow based on the popular franz lehar operetta and directed by the great ernst lubitsch was the second of three made by mgm film studios. Originally undertaken in 1925 with a remake in 1934, this was the third and final adaptation of the franz lehar operetta. Let joy be unconfined a prince from a small kingdom courts a. At the time this movie was filmed 1934, it was done so in english and in french. Mar 23, 2014 the film the merry widow considerably changes the original lehar operetta which was, in turn, based on the 1861 french play lattache dambassade and adapted for the musical stage by leo stein and victor leon. The merry widow is so lighthearted, so frivolous, so silly, so deeply committed to gaity and enjoyment that its a masterpiece of froth. Mar 09, 2016 the merry widow 1952 originally undertaken in 1925 with a remake in 1934, this was the third and final adaptation of the franz lehar operetta. Alt film guide london stage star and olivier henry v leading. The merry widow was composed in 1905, shortly after a. Across profound generational shifts in popular taste, it remains to this day the most performed operetta of all time, which at the time of its birth 1905, december 30th was a more competitive title than you might think.
Lister also appeared on various other british tv series such as danger man and the avengers the seethrough man, 1967. For a limited time, get your first 4 months of audible membership for just. Winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. Moira lister started her career on the stage in south africa. Relieved that her failed marriage is at an end, annemarie now sees the chance to meet her lover more often, and is looking forward to being. Dec 26, 1983 the other principals are equally impressive. The dry gin and french vermouth bring the lady down to earth. Una merkel previously appeared as queen dolores in the 1934 film version of the merry widow 1934, starring maurice chevalier and jeanette macdonald.
Maurice chevalier as danilo with the opening number by franz lehar and lorenz hart, jeanette macdonald slipping in as the mysterious widow, from ernst lubitschs celebrated 1934 version of the merry widow view the tcmdb entry for the merry widow 1934. The 1925 silent film disappeared entirely for decades, not to be seen again. The merry widow 1952 cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more. Jeanette macdonald sings the merry widow waltz french duration. Dec 18, 2017 that leaves the merry widow as the only one of the three that is far more relaxed in its themes, even if it does include a bunch of greedy men trying to win the hand of heiress to plunder her fortune. Jul 25, 2017 the last teaming of jeanette macdonald, maurice chevalier and director ernst lubitsch. Renee jane birkin is a wealthy widow several times over. With michele laroque, jacques gamblin, wladimir yordanoff, tom morton. The operetta opens with the sally character called hannah already a widow. When a small kingdoms main tax payer leaves for paris, its king dispatches a dashing count to win back her allegiance. When her orphaned granddaughter laurence emilie dequenne turns up looking for a place to stay, she gives the naive young woman some instruction on marriage to the rich and terminal as a means of selfenrichment. With wowmoments, lavish glamour, showstopping costumes and.
A very merry widow at the london coliseum column opera. Jeanette macdonald sings the merry widow waltz french. Jeanette macdonald in the merry widow 1934 ernst lubitsch in the merry. By far the most expensive and opulent of the trio, the merry widow replaces the likes of mae murray and maurice chevalier with clotheshorse lana turner and bohunk fernando lamas in the hopes that. Zetas own wife valencienne and the french attache to the embassy, count. A guide to the very merry widow, the 1967 1969 tv sitcom. Annemarie has just lost her husband in a car accident. Marshovia, a small european kingdom, is on the brink of bankruptcy but the country may be saved if the wealthy american crystal radek, widow of a marshovian, can be convinced to part with her money and marry the kings nephew count danilo. For those who enjoy operettas beauty and bubble, opera australias the merry widow is a dream come true. Ballet version of merry widow presented the new york. Filled with good intentions, they have decided to stay be her side to help her. A winsome waltz have you ever had diplomatic relations with a woman. The chemistry between stars maurice chevalier and jeanette macdonald seems as tasty as a french pastry.
The merry widow waltz is a recurring theme in the 1943 films shadow of a doubt, directed by alfred hitchcock and scored by dimitri tiomkin, as well as in heaven can wait by ernst lubitsch. The merry widow is a 1934 film adaptation of the operetta of the same name by franz lehar. That leaves the merry widow as the only one of the three that is far more relaxed in its themes, even if it does include a bunch of greedy men trying to win the hand of heiress to plunder her fortune. In 1980, she made a guest appearance as a film star in the sitcom only when i laugh. The plot and the approach of the 1934 the merry widow have very little in common with the 1925 version. The merry widow 1934 film the merry widow is a 1934 film adaptation of the operetta of the same name by franz lehar. Oct 30, 2007 whether in alan melvilles television programmes in the 1960s such as the whitehall worrier and the very merry widow, or in ealing films or in a succession of west end and touring comedies, the. To be performed correctly it needs a full roster of principal artists with the personal charisma and vocal beauty to bring these hackneyed yet wellloved old tunes to life. Later series of this programme were titled the very merry widow and how. Warner archive restores the merry widow the new york times. I wont spoil any of the humor and will just say that there are many lightly hilarious moments peppered throughout the film.
This viennese operetta is one of the famous of the 19th century and the most popular that franz lehar ever created. As in the 1925 and 1952 film versions, almost the entire plot is changed from the. You know this romantic pair theyve been together three times before. Nelson eddy liked to listen to the 78 recording of jeanette singing the merry widow waltz. The merry widow is an ernst lubitsch movie starring jeanette macdonald and maurice chevalier. The merry widow from palmerhughes accordion course, book 2. The librettists, viktor leon and leo stein, based the story concerning a rich widow, and her countrymens attempt to keep her money in the principality by finding her the right husband on an 1861 comedy play, lattache dambassade the embassy attache by henri meilhac. The merry widow is based on victor leon and leo steins french book, lattache dambassade which was initially translated into german and subsequently english. Whether in alan melvilles television programmes in the 1960s such as the whitehall worrier and the very merry widow, or in ealing films or in a. The film the merry widow considerably changes the original lehar operetta which was, in turn, based on the 1861 french play lattache dambassade and adapted for the musical stage by leo stein and victor leon. Enfin veuve is a 2007 french comedy film directed by isabelle mergault and starring michele laroque and jacques gamblin. The merry widow spread from vienna to berlin and hamburg, and then to london and broadway, on a spectacular opening night at the new amsterdam theatre in 1907. Jeanette macdonald and maurice chevalier as sonia and danilo probably only ernst lubitsch could have made a film that amounts to profound fluff.
Ernst lubitschs the merry widow is the fourth collaboration between maurice chevalier and jeanette macdonald that i have seen. Boston lyric operas the merry widow isnt so merry the. The wonderful cast includes jeanette macdonald at her loveliest as sonia, the widow in question, maurice chevalier. While it is not my favorite film from the screen pa. The merry widow was composed in 1905, shortly after a major scandal involving the nation of montenegro. The french critic jean douchet has proposed lubitschs 1919 german silent film the oyster princess as the first movie musical, citing that films. Let joy be unconfined a prince from a small kingdom courts a wealthy widow to keep her money in the country. Annemarie lives an easy life with gilbert, a rich plastic surgeon. It starred lana turner singing voice was dubbed by trudy erwin and fernando lamas. A playboy prince from a small country is forced to court a wealthy widow in order to ensure that her. Franz lehars operetta the merry widow depends very much on frocks and a fluent staging to help its hit tunes furnish a whole evening in. It was directed and produced by ernst lubitsch and starred maurice chevalier and jeanette macdonald.
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