The Girl of the Golden West (1938 film)

In the golden west ( OT: The Girl of the Golden West) is an American film operetta from 1938, and the fifth collaboration of the popular screen pair Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. The director of the film, which takes vague bonds on the play and extended with songs by Sigmund Romberg was led Robert Z. Leonard. In the golden west remained financially to meet expectations and the studio did not come until mid-1940 again a MacDonald / Eddy film out. However, the couple should never reach his former popularity again.

Action

Mary Robbins operates The Poker, a saloon in the Wild West. As the only woman in the town of Mary is swarmed by thousands of admirers, including the Sheriff Jack Rance. Towards a charity concert Marys stagecoach is ambushed by the notorious outlaw Ramerez. He falls in love with Mary and follows her under the pseudonym Lt. Johnson. In concert, he flirts with the non- aversive Mary. After many complications both eventually find their happiness.

David Belasco celebrated worldwide success with his play The Girl of the Golden West in 1905. The melodramatic story of a courageous woman and a bandit was brought by Giacomo Puccini La Fanciulla del West as 1910 in an opera version, which was also successful.

There have been three film versions of the subject, most recently in 1930 a film starring Ann Harding, when MGM decided in mid 1936 to bring the matter again before the camera. Louis B. Mayer saw in the history of the ideal story for the popular on-screen couple Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, who had reached worldwide popularity since 1934. At the same time the idea was discarded to use the music of Pucchini for the film and instead use a completely new score by Sigmund Romberg and Gus Kahn. The shooting did not run as smooth as usual, especially since MacDonald was reportedly prefer Allan Jones, her co- star from Tarantella, have at her side. The actress was also convinced that the action obsolete and the cast of Nelson Eddy as a masked bandit would have little credibility. In the end, the film proved to be artistic and financial disappointment.

Theatrical Release

With production costs of U.S. $ 1,680,000 U.S. dollar was in the golden west over 500,000 cheaper than Maytime. In the U.S., the film fell well short of the previous results of the canvas pair and played with 1.597 million U.S. dollars a respectable, but no peak sum. In addition, further 1,285,000 U.S. dollars came from abroad. With a cumulative total profit of 2.882 million U.S. dollars, the high expectations have not been met and it should take about two years to the studio again brought a film with the two singers in the cinemas.

Music

As expected by the fans, was sung in the film often and in detail. In this case, the entire repertoire of Folk was covered up Classic.

Most of the pieces were by Sigmund Romberg - text, composed for the film - music - Gus Kahn and.

  • Sun Up to Sun Down
  • Shadows On The Moon
  • Soldiers Of Fortune
  • The Wind In The Trees
  • Señorita
  • Mariache
  • The West Is not Wild Anymore
  • Who Are We To Say ( Folksong )
  • Gwine to Rune All Night (Stephen Foster)
  • Polly Wolly Doodle ( Folksong )
  • Liebestraum No. 3 ( Liszt )
  • Ave Maria (Charles Gounod )
  • Wedding March ( Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy from his opera A Midsummer Night's Dream )

Criticism

Most critics were at best reluctant. The general consensus was that the two stars are quite simply miscast.

1938 in film Screenplay William Anthony McGuire Film score Maytime (1937 film) Ave Maria (Bach/Gounod) A Midsummer Night's Dream (Mendelssohn) Susan Lenox (Her Fall and Rise) The Firefly (film) New Moon (1940 film) Pride and Prejudice (1940 film) Third Finger, Left Hand When Ladies Meet (1941 film) We Were Dancing (film) The Bribe Grounds for Marriage
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