Nelson Eddy without Jeanette MacDonald? It must only be one movie: Rosalie, starring Eleanor Powell as his leading lady. In this classic story, a West Point cadet falls for a princess, but since she's on vacation at the time, he doesn't know she's royalty. Normally, I'd write about a standout solo from Nelson, or one of Ellie's powerhouse dance numbers, but there's really nothing good that stands out from this movie.
The one part that did stick with me was Frank Morgan's disturbing character. He plays Ellie's father, the king, unhappily married to Queen Edna May Oliver, and completely inept at running his country. To act out, he carries a dummy with him at all times and frequently uses ventriloquism to say what he's feeling. While it's true that many people who practice ventriloquism have that same emotional problem, Frank's spot-on performance is extremely creepy. He comes across as having more than one screw loose in his head, and his awkward giggles come at the wrong time to be looked at as harmless bumbling. This movie will not make you like him, and for that matter, it won't impress you with Nelson Eddy's beautiful voice or Eleanor Powell's phenomenal dancing. Skip this one and rent something else tonight.
The one part that did stick with me was Frank Morgan's disturbing character. He plays Ellie's father, the king, unhappily married to Queen Edna May Oliver, and completely inept at running his country. To act out, he carries a dummy with him at all times and frequently uses ventriloquism to say what he's feeling. While it's true that many people who practice ventriloquism have that same emotional problem, Frank's spot-on performance is extremely creepy. He comes across as having more than one screw loose in his head, and his awkward giggles come at the wrong time to be looked at as harmless bumbling. This movie will not make you like him, and for that matter, it won't impress you with Nelson Eddy's beautiful voice or Eleanor Powell's phenomenal dancing. Skip this one and rent something else tonight.