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Bitter Sweet

1940, Movie, NR, 92 mins

Bitter Sweet: Review

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Filmed once before with Anna Neagle in 1933 and based on Noel Coward's 1929 operetta, BITTER SWEET should have been a much bigger hit than it was, but the screenplay by Lesser Samuels did not enhance the original plot and score by Coward. It made money, though, and survives today as an interesting example of MacDonald and Eddy in their prime. Jeanette is a Victorian belle who scandalizes her family on the eve of her marriage to Edward Ashley by running off with Nelson, her singing teacher. They marry and go to live in Vienna. Poverty soon follows, and they become street singers with Bois and Bressart. Nelson has written an operetta but can interest no producers, so life gets more difficult until Jeanette captures the eyes of Hunter and Sanders, two gambling opponents. Hunter thinks her singing brings his good fortune, but Sanders has only base desires for the comely soprano. Sanders hires Jeanette to sing at his cafe with husband Nelson at the keyboard. Sanders begins seducing Jeanette, and this is reported to Nelson by Ashley and his new wife, Lewis. Nelson doesn't believe anyone could be such a cad but eventually sees it for himself at an audition of his operetta. He must duel for her honor but is no match for Sanders. Nelson dies in Jeanette's arms, but the operetta is eventually produced through the auspices of impresario Charles Judels, a pal of Hunter. Beautiful Coward songs ("I'll See You Again," "Zigeuner" and more) and exquisite photography almost triumph over some of the wooden acting. The film earned Academy Award nominations for Best Cinematography and Best Interior Decoration. leave a comment
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