This third film version of the play is earnest enough and MacDonald and Aherne play very well together. The Technicolor is rich and saturated, but suffers from having too many scenes filmed either indoors in dimly lit rooms or outside at night. The plot is not changed.
The problem is with Raymond. He has no chemistry with his real life wife (MacDonald) and is rather strange looking, almost smarmy. He neither interests nor excites as a love interest for Jeannette. She certainly throw herself into creating passion for his character, but he rather blandly just looks back and spouts his lines. I was wishing for Aherne's ultimatum for Jeannette to give up Raymond to be embraced fully.
Although MacDonald has songs, they are period pieces and the title tune, so it's not really a musical, just a play with music.
Still it's one of the great tearjerkers of all time (May Time, East Lynne, etc.) and should be seen, but seek out the 1932/33 version with Shearer and March. It is really the best. The 1922 silent starred Norma Talmadge, but only two prints survive and they are in archives. The straight talkie drama was deservedly nominated for a Best Picture Oscar and is the one preferred.
However, if you don't have access to it, at least watch this color version, so the beautiful and sentimental story of lost love can wash over you.
The problem is with Raymond. He has no chemistry with his real life wife (MacDonald) and is rather strange looking, almost smarmy. He neither interests nor excites as a love interest for Jeannette. She certainly throw herself into creating passion for his character, but he rather blandly just looks back and spouts his lines. I was wishing for Aherne's ultimatum for Jeannette to give up Raymond to be embraced fully.
Although MacDonald has songs, they are period pieces and the title tune, so it's not really a musical, just a play with music.
Still it's one of the great tearjerkers of all time (May Time, East Lynne, etc.) and should be seen, but seek out the 1932/33 version with Shearer and March. It is really the best. The 1922 silent starred Norma Talmadge, but only two prints survive and they are in archives. The straight talkie drama was deservedly nominated for a Best Picture Oscar and is the one preferred.
However, if you don't have access to it, at least watch this color version, so the beautiful and sentimental story of lost love can wash over you.