During the 1930s, there were quite a few god-awful musicals that are awfully hard to stomach today. That's because unlike other musicals, the songs were almost operatic in style and high-pitched warbling abounded. Now you probably are immediately reminded of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy's films, though there were some that came out before theirs that were actually far more difficult to stomach--the films were so old fashioned and the singing so dreadful. Oddly, the studio heads even placed Laurel and Hardy in a few of these musical monstrosities--they were that popular an 'art' form at the time.
Here in ONE HEAVENLY NIGHT, we've got all the makings of a terrible old musical. The singing is among the most high-pitched and ear-shattering, the songs are dull, the acting (at times) is suspect, the film features comic relief (Leon Erol) that isn't all that funny and the love story is rather creepy.
Let's talk about the love story for a moment. The film begins with a not especially attractive lady singing a song rather poorly. Yet despite this, the men in the audience respond like she's "Swing Shift Cinderella" (from the Tex Avery cartoon) and begin hooting and hollering and acting like horny dogs. After a riot, the police order this sex kitten out of the city but instead she sends a similar looking friend. This friend (Evelyn Laye) has dreamed about the life of a vamp and she's quick to agree to the masquerade. However, the vamp's reputation proceeds her and the Count in the town she arrives in assumes she's an easy sexual conquest. When he practically rapes Laye (great name, huh?), she runs off and realizes she doesn't want to be a vamp! Yet, oddly, later the Count realizes he actually loves Laye and wants to marry her, not just lay Laye. And so the two kiss and live happily ever after! Aside from promoting date rape, this plot is really, really hard to believe and is made all the worse by the couple periodically breaking into song.
Overall, the idea behind the plot isn't bad but the execution and romance are so god-awful I can't recommend the film.
Here in ONE HEAVENLY NIGHT, we've got all the makings of a terrible old musical. The singing is among the most high-pitched and ear-shattering, the songs are dull, the acting (at times) is suspect, the film features comic relief (Leon Erol) that isn't all that funny and the love story is rather creepy.
Let's talk about the love story for a moment. The film begins with a not especially attractive lady singing a song rather poorly. Yet despite this, the men in the audience respond like she's "Swing Shift Cinderella" (from the Tex Avery cartoon) and begin hooting and hollering and acting like horny dogs. After a riot, the police order this sex kitten out of the city but instead she sends a similar looking friend. This friend (Evelyn Laye) has dreamed about the life of a vamp and she's quick to agree to the masquerade. However, the vamp's reputation proceeds her and the Count in the town she arrives in assumes she's an easy sexual conquest. When he practically rapes Laye (great name, huh?), she runs off and realizes she doesn't want to be a vamp! Yet, oddly, later the Count realizes he actually loves Laye and wants to marry her, not just lay Laye. And so the two kiss and live happily ever after! Aside from promoting date rape, this plot is really, really hard to believe and is made all the worse by the couple periodically breaking into song.
Overall, the idea behind the plot isn't bad but the execution and romance are so god-awful I can't recommend the film.