There's little chemistry to be felt between Ramon Novarro as a broke songwriter out to get his operetta produced and Jeanette MacDonald as a singer who is obviously the right choice for the lead. They seem more like arguing siblings than a passion-driven couple, lacking what worked with MGM's then rising team of Myrna Loy and William Powell. Still, the MGM gloss is working overtime here, even if MacDonald isn't in possession of someone like Maurice Chevalier, her oft co-star at Paramount with whom she would make her MGM debut opposite in the huge smash "The Merry Widow". I have mixed feelings about her chemistry with Nelson Eddy; It was obviously present in some yet sorely lacking in a few of their co-starring roles, but never was it as flaccid as the pairing here.
No matter how masculine and virile Novarro tries to be, he's never convincing, and a rather high-pitched voice defiles his attempts at masculine wooing of the leading lady. When producer Frank Morgan, in agreement to produce the operetta, takes an interest in Jeanette, you know he could swat Novarro out of the way instantly, so no amount of script tinkering can make the pairing work. Charles Butterworth gives his typically droll performance, coming off like Stan Laurel's slightly more sophisticated uncle, while Jean Hersholt is his usual wise, kindly adviser. Henry Armetta is very amusing as the horn-tooting taxi driver, while Broadway musical veteran Vivienne Segal (in one of her few film appearances) is seen briefly as a diva who threatens to take on the lead before MacDonald finally steps in.
An out-of-the-blue color finale comes on just minutes before the film ends which is rather jarring the way it suddenly appears. There seems no real purpose to it other than to get some easy publicity for its inclusion.
No matter how masculine and virile Novarro tries to be, he's never convincing, and a rather high-pitched voice defiles his attempts at masculine wooing of the leading lady. When producer Frank Morgan, in agreement to produce the operetta, takes an interest in Jeanette, you know he could swat Novarro out of the way instantly, so no amount of script tinkering can make the pairing work. Charles Butterworth gives his typically droll performance, coming off like Stan Laurel's slightly more sophisticated uncle, while Jean Hersholt is his usual wise, kindly adviser. Henry Armetta is very amusing as the horn-tooting taxi driver, while Broadway musical veteran Vivienne Segal (in one of her few film appearances) is seen briefly as a diva who threatens to take on the lead before MacDonald finally steps in.
An out-of-the-blue color finale comes on just minutes before the film ends which is rather jarring the way it suddenly appears. There seems no real purpose to it other than to get some easy publicity for its inclusion.