When you think of classic film couples, what names come to mind? Tracy and Hepburn? Bogie and Bacall? MacDonald and Eddy? You probably aren’t familiar with the third couple, since Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy are no longer household names.
However, these musical stars, once dubbed “America’s Sweethearts,” “The Singing Sweethearts,” and “The King and Queen of Song,” were huge MGM musical stars from the mid-1930s through the early 1940s. Appearing in eight movies during that period, the Hollywood soprano and operatically trained baritone brought classical singing to the masses. If you aren’t familiar with these talented stars of yesteryear, consider exploring their unique filmography.
‘Naughty Marietta’ (1935)
Macdonald and Eddy’s first screen pairing was based on the Victor Herbert operetta of the same name. Set in 18th century New Orleans, this story starred MacDonald as a French princess who disguises herself as a Casquette girl to escape an arranged marriage and Eddy as the Louisiana mercenary soldier who protects her. This movie featured five of Herbert’s original songs, the most famous of which were “The Italian Street Song,” later one of Jeanette’s top solos, and “Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life,” their first duet.The historic setting suited Nelson Eddy’s classical, refined style of singing and acting. Playing a cheeky princess was nothing new for Jeanette MacDonald, but Eddy’s seriousness elevated the tone of the movie from risqué comedy to legitimate drama. Featuring the right blend of adventure, romance, and well-incorporated music, this movie was one of 1935’s biggest financial successes, paving the way for future film pairings for the two singers.
‘Rose-Marie’ (1936)
The duo’s second collaboration featured a modern setting with a Canadian locale, with Jeanette playing a snooty opera singer and Nelson the Mountie who accompanies her to find her fugitive brother, whom he is secretly trailing. In standard 1930s form, this movie used the title, top songs, and very loose plot of the Broadway musical by Rudolf Friml and Herbert Stothart on which it was based. Whereas “Naughty Marietta” was a Jeanette MacDonald vehicle with newcomer Nelson Eddy, “Rose-Marie” specifically highlighted them as a couple.This movie’s big duet was “Indian Love Call,” which would remain their signature song throughout their careers. In addition to the Broadway songs, this score included two excerpts from actual operas, familiarizing the foreign art form. While not actually filmed in Canada, the production went “on location” to California’s Lake Tahoe for outdoor footage. With a smaller cast, beautiful scenery, and an emotional story, this movie further developed and popularized the musical partnership.
‘Maytime’ (1937)
In their third movie, Nelson Eddy at last could showcase his classical singing by playing an opera singer, not an outdoorsman. In 1840s France, he is an irresponsible opera student who falls in love with an up-and-coming prima donna (MacDonald) who is engaged to her manipulative middle-aged manager. The movie was inspired by Sigmund Romberg’s operetta “Maytime,” but the only elements it retained were the title and the duet, “Will You Remember?”‘The Girl of the Golden West’ (1938)
In 1938, “America’s Sweethearts” turned their musical talents to a Western in this MGM adaptation of Puccini’s opera “La Fanciulla della West.” Although the score included original songs by Sigmund Romberg and Gus Kahn instead of Puccini arias, the plot was surprisingly similar to the opera. MacDonald plays a spunky Old West saloon owner who falls in love with a charming lieutenant (Eddy), never suspecting he’s the elusive bandit her sheriff admirer is hunting.None of this movie’s songs achieved the fame of their previous hits, but the ballad “Who are We to Say,” which both Eddy and MacDonald sing as emotional solos, was later recorded by other artists. This musical Western includes more comical supporting characters and scenes than previous films, plus touchingly serious elements, such as a wise old priest. A pleasant departure from their other films, this movie combines musical romance with Western drama to make an entertaining story. Plus, it’s a rare opportunity to see Jeanette MacDonald play a Western cowgirl and Nelson Eddy disguise himself as a Mexican bandit.
‘Sweethearts’ (1938)
Jeanette and Nelson’s second movie of 1938 was their first comedy. In modern-day America, a ruthless producer tries to break up his leads’ marriage after six years together in the same Broadway show to keep them from accepting a Hollywood movie contract. Utilizing the “production within a production” format, the show they perform is Victor Herbert’s operetta “Sweethearts,” including many of its famous songs. While “Maytime” established them as “sweethearts,” this movie drives home the concept of “The Sweethearts of ‘Sweethearts’” a bit too hard, frequently accompanied by the “Sweetheart Waltz.”“Sweethearts” was MGM’s first film using the new three-strip Technicolor process, which replaced previous color film options. The Technicolor and comedy in this film are both very prevalent, perhaps in excess for some viewers. The comical moments, performed by a crowd of funny supporting actors, are emphasized as in a slapstick comedy. The new color technology was obviously not perfected yet, since the costume, hair, and makeup’s shading were not always blended harmoniously. This production is the glossy, costume-driven, lighthearted affair people associate with the term “MGM musical.”
‘New Moon’ (1940)
After each making solo films with other co-stars in 1939, the “Singing Sweethearts” were reunited in this Sigmund Romberg operetta, with a colonial New Orleans setting highly reminiscent of “Naughty Marietta.” This time, Nelson Eddy is the noble in disguise, a revolutionary French duke who escaped execution by purposely getting himself deported to Louisiana, where he is purchased as a bondservant by a strongminded aristocrat (MacDonald), with whom he falls in love.‘Bitter Sweet’ (1940)
“Bitter Sweet,” MacDonald and Eddy’s second Technicolor film, was the couple’s only Noël Coward piece. Only using the three-act operetta’s first two acts, this movie follows a late 19th-century Englishwoman (MacDonald) who deserts her stuffy fiancé to elope with her charming singing teacher (Eddy) to Vienna, where they live in impoverished bliss for all too short. Ten of the 1929 operetta’s songs are featured in the score, including the heartbreakingly beautiful “I’ll See You Again,” which is surprisingly tender for the often-satirical Coward.Thankfully, this film reflected Technicolor’s improvement since “Sweethearts,” since the makeup, hair, and costumes’ hues are beautifully subtle. As their characters wed early in the story, this is a rare opportunity to see the duo as a married couple instead of sweethearts, beautifully depicting in the cute song “A Sweet Little Café.” Overall, this movie is perfectly described by its title, since it’s bitter and sweet. On the one hand, it features moments and characters as comical as those in “Sweethearts,” yet the memory of its lighthearted scenes is overshadowed by the looming tragedy in its second act.
‘I Married an Angel’ (1942)
It’s wonderful when a partnership ends on a high note, but, unfortunately, such was not the case for “America’s Sweethearts.” Their eighth and final collaboration was adapted from Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart’s 1938 Broadway hit, a stylistic departure for the classical duo. In this contemporary story, a philandering Hungarian count (Eddy) falls asleep during his lavish birthday party and dreams that his simple but sweet secretary (MacDonald) is a beautiful, winged angel who leaves Heaven to marry him. Several new tunes were written by MGM composers. Even the four Rodgers and Hart tunes used in the movie, including the theme song, featured added music and lyrics.MGM considered making this story with Jeanette ten years earlier as a racy pre-Code musical, which would have been better. The music feels forced, the comedy is painful, and the dream gimmick becomes downright bizarre. Instead of shining, the Singing Sweethearts were stifled by the poorly conceived production, their only box office flop. It was the studio’s least successful film of 1942, leading to the end of both stars’ contracts with MGM and their film partnership.
During the two decades after they left MGM, several attempts were made to bring America’s Sweethearts back for another movie. While none came to fruition, they continued singing together on the radio, television, and records. If you aren’t familiar with Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, why not watch one of their movies for classical, wholesome entertainment?
“Forever they’ll be sweethearts!”
