Naughty Marietta (1935)

Naughty Marietta (1935)

“We fight for our living and love at our leisure.”

Synopsis:
A French princess (Jeanette MacDonald) fleeing a forced marriage goes undercover with a ship of single women bound for marriages in the colony of New Orleans. Their ship is ransacked by pirates, but they’re saved by a troop of mercenaries led by Captain Richard Warrington (Nelson Eddy), who MacDonald quickly falls for. MacDonald tells the Governor of New Orleans (Frank Morgan) — whose jealous wife (Elsa Lanchester) doesn’t approve of his roving eye — that she has a compromised past in order to escape marriage to a colonist. But will her true identity eventually be revealed?

Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:

  • Akim Tamiroff Films
  • Cross-Class Romance
  • Elsa Manchester Films<
  • Frank Morgan Films
  • Historical Drama
  • Jeanette MacDonald Films
  • Mistaken or Hidden Identities
  • Musicals
  • Pirates
  • Royalty and Nobility
  • Settlers
  • Strong Females

Review:
The first cinematic pairing of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy — known as “America’s Singing Sweethearts” — was this adaptation of Victor Herbert’s operetta (featuring several beloved songs, including “Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life”), which tells the story of a strong young woman who refuses to be defined either by her standing or the norms of her era. Indeed, “Naughty Marietta” — unlike MacDonald’s title character in Rose-Marie (1936) — is a true role model: not only do her villagers adore their “singing princess”, but she’s an overall decent woman who cares for those beneath her in status — i.e., the maid (Helen Shipman) whose place she takes on the ship (so poor Shipman can marry her fiance), and a sweet young woman (Cecelia Parker) she meets on her travels:

… and she is perfectly happy to fall in love with a mercenary (Eddy) rather than maintaining her status among nobility. She’s also quick-on-her-feet and ingenious — as when she hides from police on the ship by stuffing her mouth with food, and selects a random drunk in the crowds as her “brother” seeing her off; and the scene in which she convinces Morgan she’s been deceptive on her application. She handily staves off unwanted attention from numerous men after fabricating an identity as a “loose woman”, and takes great risks for love near the end of the film.

Themes of female strength pervade the film in other ways as well. While the women heading to the colonies are openly viewed as chattel (some are actually pinched and measured for physical strength), they band together collectively, and one gives her life to protect the others from the vicious pirates. Meanwhile, Eddy’s character (unlike the dull Mountie he portrays in Rose-Marie) is charismatic and appealing:

…and many supporting actors give fine, memorable performances: Lanchester is hilariously bitchy as Morgan’s jealous wife, and Morgan uses his spluttering diction to humorous effect.

It makes sense that the screenplay is creative and clever, given that it was written by noted husband-and-wife team Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich.

Redeeming Qualities and Moments:

  • Jeanette MacDonald as “Marietta”

  • Fine supporting performances
  • Engaging period sets

  • A unique storyline

Must See?
Yes, as the first and perhaps the best pairing of MacDonald and Eddy together, and for its Oscar nomination as Best Picture.

Categories

  • Oscar Winner or Nominee
  • Representative Film

Links:

One thought on “Naughty Marietta (1935)

  1. First viewing. Not must-see for all film fanatics but it will almost certainly be enjoyed by those who have a particular interest in musicals and/or those who feel nostalgia about operettas. (Being somewhat plot-and-dialogue-heavy, ‘NM’ is a bit wanting in the music department but what’s here is enough to satisfy those who mostly want the songs, esp. ‘Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life’ – which is a highlight.)

    It’s rather evident what made this MacDonald-Eddy vehicle the start of their fruitful collaboration. No doubt, at the time of its release, it was a welcome mix of adventure and romance. The fact that it has aged relatively well is mostly due to the stars’ rather apparent chemistry (and the mostly lively and clever dialogue – which holds up better than expected).

    It’s pleasant-enough entertainment, if not particularly dynamic. Fave bit: the charming ‘Ship Ahoy’ number in the marionette theater.

    (Watching it put me in mind of when I was connected with three different productions of Rick Besoyan’s ‘Little Mary Sunshine’, an affectionate parody of operettas/musical styles of Herbert and a number of other composers.)

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