If you are a fan of these talents or Hollywood musicals in general, the fact that we are getting this film classic on Blu-ray is awesome! “Love Me Tonight” is recommended!
Click Here to Purchase this Blu-ray
© 2020 Kino Lorber Inc. All Rights Reserved.
TITLE: Love Me Tonight
DATE OF FILM RELEASE: 1932
DURATION: 1 Hr. and 28 Minutes
BLU-RAY INFORMATION: 1:37:1 aspect ratio, 1080p, Black and White/monaural, Intertitles
COMPANY: Kino Lorber
RATED: Not Rated
RELEASE DATE: September 29, 2020
Directed by Rouben Mamoulian
Based on the Play by Leopold Marchand and Paul Armont
Screenplay by Samuel Hoffenstein, George Marion Jr., Waldemar Young
Produced by Rouben Mamoulian
Cinematography by Victor Milner
Starring:
Maurice Chevalier as Maurice
Jeanette MacDonald as Princess Jeanette
Charles Ruggles as Viscount Gilbert de Vareze
Charles Butterworth as Count de Savignac
Myrna Loy as Countess Valentine
C. Aubrey Smith as Duke d’Artelines
From Rouben Mamoulian, the legendary director of City Streets, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, The Song of Songs, Queen Christina, Becky Sharp, The Mark of Zorro and Silk Stockings, comes a madcap musical tour de force of infectious melody, effortless vivacity and ceaseless invention from first frame to last. Building on a foundation of songs by Rodgers and Hart (Babes in Arms, Pal Joey), Mamoulian shepherds Maurice Chevalier (The Merry Widow) and Jeanette MacDonald (Rose-Marie) through this exuberant romp. Carefree tailor Maurice (Chevalier) leaves a backlot Paris where music literally radiates from every shop, sidewalk and boudoir to collect on a past-due bill at a recalcitrant aristocratic client’s family chateau. Mistaken for royalty, Maurice runs a gauntlet of lunatic blue-bloods, including love-happy Myrna Loy (The Thin Man) and screwball icon Charlie Ruggles (Bringing Up Baby). But it is Princess Jeanette’s (MacDonald) closely guarded heart that Maurice desires and it will take every ounce of his ingenious pluck to woo her without revealing his well-meaning romantic deception.
In 1932, Maurice Chevalier and actress Jeanette MacDonald starred together in Paramount’s pre-Code musical comedy “One Hour With You”, which was a major success.
Because of the popularity of these two, Paramount quickly brought these two together that same year for another musical comedy film titled “Love Me Tonight” produced and directed by Rouben Mamoulian and featuring music by Rodgers and Hart. The film would also star legendary actress Myrna Loy a few years before she would become a household name with “The Thin Man” film series.
An adaptation of the play “Le Tailleur au chateau”, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” and now the film is available on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.
“Love Me Tonight” revolves around a Parisian tailor named Maurice Courtelin (portrayed by Maurice Chevalier). One day while working, a man named Vicomte Gilbert de Vareze (portrayed by Charles Ruggles) has Maurice dress him up during a marathon race and promises that he will pay Maurice later.
For Gilbert, he expects his uncle, the Duc d’Artelines (portrayed by C. Aubrey Smith) to lend him money, which the Duc will no longer do.
Meanwhile, we meat the family of d’Artelines, his niece Valentine (portrayed by Myrna Loy) and his other niece, the widowed Princess Jeanette (portrayed by Jeanette MacDonald). d’Artelines has been trying to find a suitable man to be the Princess’ new husband, a man who is of suitable age and rank.
As Maurice goes to the castle to collect his money form Vicomte Gilbert de Varez, he meets Princess Jeanette and immediately it is love at first sight. So much that he professes his love for her but she rejects him.
As Maurice enters the castle to meet Vicomte Gilbert de Vareze, the Vicomte introduces him to everyone as “Baron Courtelin” in order to hide the truth from his uncle that he owes him a lot of money.
And for Maurice, after seeing Princess Jeanette, he immediately plays a long so he can win Jeanette’s heart. But what happens when the family finds out the truth that Maurice is not a real Baron?
VIDEO & AUDIO”
“Love Me Tonight ” is presented in 1080p High Definition, black and white. The film looks very good for its age and I was impressed by the overall quality and so sign of major scratches or flicker.
The lossless monaural soundtrack is presented in DTS 1.0 and the dialogue is crystal clear.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
“Love Me Tonight” comes with the following special features:
- Audio commentary by film historian Miles Kreuger and President of the Institute of the American Musical
- Maurice Chevalier sings “Louise”
- Jeanette MacDonald’s “Love Me Tonight” (From the Paramount Series “HOLLYWOOD ON PARADE”)
- Screenplay Excerpts of Deleted Scenes
- Production Documents and Censorship Records
- Theatrical Trailer
From the opening scene of “Love Me Tonight”, with is mesmerizing editing of life in Paris sync’ing to the music, you know you’re in for a special treat.
For me, this pre-Code musical was rather entertaining. For one, for any classic Hollywood film, Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald are known for their musical talents and to watch them in a musical comedy that deals with Maurice trying to pretend to be a Baron in order to win Princess Jeanette’s heart.
Considered as one of the major musicals from the pre-Code era, the film would also feature an earlier work of Myrna Loy and also the collaboration musically between Richard Rogers and Lorenz Hart before Rogers moved on to work with Oscar Hammerstein II.
Many critics have called “Love Me Tonight” as a “perfect musical”, it has two wonderful performers with great chemistry, great music and overall, a delightful story with fascinating editing for its time.
If you are a fan of these talents or Hollywood musicals in general, the fact that we are getting this film classic on Blu-ray is awesome!
“Love Me Tonight” is recommended!
Click Here to Purchase this Blu-ray