Rosalie **** (1937, Eleanor Powell, Nelson Eddy, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Ilona Massey, Reginald Owen, Edna May Oliver, Virginia Grey, George Zucco, Jerry Colonna, Billy Gilbert) – Classic Movie Review 11,856

Eleanor Powell dances, Nelson Eddy sings and Frank Morgan takes care of the comedy in the lavish 1937 MGM musical Rosalie.

Director W S Van Dyke’s 1937 film Rosalie is an incredibly lavish and spectacular MGM musical black and white film, based on a 1928 Florence Ziegfeld stage show, with the original Sigmund Romberg-George Gershwin numbers mostly replaced by a new Cole Porter score that includes ‘In the Still of the Night’, ‘Who Knows?’ and the title song, ‘Rosalie’.

MGM’s top tap dancer Eleanor Powell dances divinely, Nelson Eddy sings tunefully, and Frank Morgan expertly takes care of the comedy – re-creating his role as the Ruritanian king from the Broadway original show.

As so often, the flimsiest of stories (West Point footballer cadet Eddy romances disguised princess Powell) supports this grand edifice.

Filming of the title song took 2,000 people, 60 acres of set and 27 cameras.

Looking and sounding lovely, Ilona Massey makes a promising début as Brenda.

In one of the largest musical sequences ever filmed, Powell memorably dances on top of a giant drum.

Also notable in the cast are Ray Bolger, Ilona Massey, Reginald Owen, Edna May Oliver, Virginia Grey, George Zucco, Jerry Colonna and Billy Gilbert.

Songs include ‘Who Knows?’, ‘I’ve a Strange New Rhythm in My Heart’, ‘Rosalie’, ‘In the Still of the Night’, ‘Why Should I Care?’, ‘It’s All Over But the Shouting’, ‘To Love or Not to Love’ and ‘Spring Love Is in the Air’.

It was being filmed with Marion Davies in 1928 but abruptly halted when MGM converted to sound and left unfinished. The 1937 Rosalie incorporates mostly exterior shot footage from the unfinished production.

The producer is William Anthony McGuire, with cinematography by Oliver Marsh, art direction by Cedric Gibbons, and choreography by Albertina Rasch. Marjorie Lane dubs the singing voice for Powell. The dance director for the ‘Cadet routines’ is Dave Gould.

The cast are Nelson Eddy as Dick Thorpe, Eleanor Powell as Rosalie, Frank Morgan as King, Edna May Oliver as Queen, Ray Bolger as Bill Delroy, Ilona Massey as Brenda, Billy Gilbert as Oloff, Reginald Owen as Chancellor, Tom Rutherford as Prince Paul, Clay Clement as Captain Banner, Virginia Grey as Mary Callahan, George Zucco as General Maroff, Oscar O’Shea as Mr. Callahan, Jerry Colonna as Joseph, Janet Beecher as Miss Baker, and Tommy Bond as Mickey the Mascot.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,856

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