Maytime (1937)

An aging opera singer looks back on her long life, including her relationships with her vocal teacher and a student.

Director:

Robert Z. Leonard

Writers:

Rida Johnson Young (operetta), Noel Langley

Stars:

Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy, John Barrymore

Nominated for 2 Oscars.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Jeanette MacDonald	...	Marcia Mornay
Nelson Eddy	...	Paul Allison
John Barrymore	...	Nicolai Nazaroff
Herman Bing	...	August Archipenko
Tom Brown	...	Kip Stuart
Lynne Carver	...	Barbara Roberts
Rafaela Ottiano	...	Ellen
Charles Judels	...	Cabby
Paul Porcasi	...	Trentini
Sig Ruman	...	Fanchon (as Sig Rumann)
Walter Kingsford	...	Mr. Rudyard
Guy Bates Post	...	Louis Napoleon

Storyline

An elderly Miss Morrison recounts her life as the once young and beautiful opera singer Marcia Morney-then the toast of Napoleon III's Paris. One evening, she encounters an American voice student, Paul Allison, and the two unexpectedly fall in love. Unfortunately for her, she has already accepted the marriage proposal of her mentor, Nicolai Nazaroff-more out of obligation than any feeling of love for him. As a result, she breaks off her relationship with Paul, and reluctantly marries Nicolai. After 7 years of marriage, Nicolai sets up Marcia for an engagement performance in the United States of the opera "Tsaritsa". Nicolai signs up Paul as her leading partner, not knowing of Marcia and Paul's past. When he realizes what he has done, Nicolai becomes enraged with jealousy...

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Plot Keywords:

month in title | opera | jealousy | opera singer | blizzard | 

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Taglines:

Forbidden Love...Fatal Consequences

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Genres:

Drama | Musical | Romance

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 March 1937 (USA)

Also Known As:

Primavera

Filming Locations:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios - 10202 W. Washington Blvd., Culver City, California, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

132 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White (tinted sequences)

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of MGM mogul Irving Thalberg's personal projects, this originally began filming in Technicolor, with Paul Lukas as Nikolai Nazaroff and Frank Morgan as August Archipenko. When Thalberg died, production was halted. When it was able to resume, black and white was selected as a more economical format. Lukas and Morgan were no longer available, so John Barrymore and Herman Bing took over their roles.

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Goofs

During the ball scene, Marcia Mornay sings Les filles de Cadiz by Delibes at the command of the Emperor Louis Napoleon. However, the piece was not composed until 1874, whereas Louis reigned from 1852-1870.

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Crazy Credits

Opening credits are shown on the water and on the bark of the trees.

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Alternate Versions

Originally released in Sepia Platinum for Roadshow engagements, this was a process most famously used in the Kansas portions of 'The Wizard of Oz' and the Panama jungle scenes in 'The Sea Hawk'

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Connections

Featured in We Must Have Music (1941)

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Soundtracks

Les filles de Cadix
Written by Léo Delibes
Lyrics by Alfred de Musset
Sung by Jeanette MacDonald

User Reviews

Absolute Joy!

Leave it to the greatest movie studio of them all, MGM, to deliver to the world in l937 this unsurpassed musical joy. While all the other movies were celebrating swing and tap dance and the Big Band sound, "Maytime" comes along and when it was released, it took the world by storm. Why? Because it shows how a powerful studio massed together all of its brilliant talent onto this film. Jeanette McDonald and Nelson Eddy would never surpass their performances here. Adrian's incredible costumes for McDonald are stunning. The lush photography, set designs and decor of late l9th century Paris are mind-boggling. And of course, the unforgettable music. You listen again and again to the magnfiicent scoring and vocal arrangements and never forget them. The ultimate sequence is the fabulous "Czaritza" that comes towards the end. McDonald and Eddy are backed up by a fantastic Russian choir. The pre-production on this one movie is amazing. Years in the planning, it was originally begun in l936 as a Technicolor spectacular. But after Irving Thalberg died, Louis B. Mayer chopped the budget in half and demanded "Maytime" be shot in black and white. Whatever the outcome, this movie can enchant even anti-music lovers. Now, let's hope it appears on DVD real soon.