TheLittleSongbird It's hard to say which is the better film of the 1936 film, starring Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald, or this version from 1954. Neither are "great" films but both are enjoyable in their own way, probably put them on the same level but for different reasons.'Rose Marie' holds the historical distinction of being the first colour CinemaScope musical. This said, warts and all, it does have much more than just historical interest. From the rating, one would assume that it is a mediocre film or worse. To me, it is a long way from being either and not too shabby at all. If anything, while it could have been better, it's pretty good and the main reasons to see it don't disappoint.Some of the comedy does fall flat, feeling both overegged and leaden, some of the dialogue being barely amusing. As a consequence of trying to do something with it, both Burt Lahr and Marjorie Main try far too hard and end up rather annoying, Lahr especially overdoes it.The story is re-worked, and while less creaky, a little tighter paced and schmaltzy than the previous version, it's still a bit on the flimsy side with some character agreed being given short shrift and disappear without warning for long stretches. The first half also drags and takes a while to get going.On the other hand, 'Rose Marie' looks great, with much made out of the marvellous scenery and done justice by truly beautiful photography. The standouts are the three songs lifted out of the operetta, being the title song, "Indian Love Call" and "Mounties". With the other songs, "I Have the Love" and "Free to be Free" are particularly lovely. The weak link is "I'm a Mountie who Never Got His Man" which isn't as well placed as the rest and barely passes muster as a particularly great song.Furthermore, they are nicely and efficiently choreographed. The high-spot, and perhaps the highlight of the entire film, is the jaw-dropping choreography of "Totem Tom-Tom" (don't let the title fool you, it's hugely entertaining and nothing to be offended over). The romantic elements are sweet and touching.Howard Keel is a little wooden at times but on the most part it is a robust and charming performance, and he sings magnificently as always. Lovely Ann Blyth, who also acquits herself well in the singing, and Joan Taylor (as a new character) are more than able support for him, and while Fernando Lamas seemed an unlikely choice for his role he pulls it off surprisingly well.All in all, pretty good musical and more than just historical interest for being the first colour CinemaScope musical. 7/10 Bethany Cox

bkoganbing In this third film of Rose Marie and probably the last one we'll ever see, every single version of the film is different to each other and to the plot of the original Broadway show. Since operettas are a thing of the past I doubt another version would be made. Where would you get voices like Ann Blyth, Howard Keel and Fernando Lamas?This version has Ann Blyth as Rose Marie, a trapper's daughter now alone out in the woods. Though she's pretty capable of taking care of herself, those in authority don't see it that way. Mountie Howard Keel brings her into what passes for civilization in the Canadian west at the turn of the last century.Keel's seeing Ann in a whole different light when she puts on a dress, but trapper Fernando Lamas will take her any old way, so Ann's got to choose between them.The main songs from the 1936 version make it here, you couldn't really do Rose Marie without Indian Love Call, The Mountie Song or the title number. Rudolf Friml wrote some other nice songs for the original Broadway production which didn't make it into the classic Nelson Eddy/ Jeanette MacDonald version or this one.Friml contributed some new songs in what would turn out to be his next to last songwriting assignment and they're well suited for the voices that have to sing them. Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein, II did the original lyrics for Broadway, but in this Paul Francis Webster collaborated with Friml and provided the words.For comic relief we have Marjorie Main and Bert Lahr, playing something along the lines of a cowardly Mountie. But actually he proves to be of invaluable help to Howard Keel.Keel in his memoirs was not originally satisfied with the Mountie part, feeling he was written like a Dudley DooRight idiot in the first draft. Some considerable rewriting was done before he went before the camera.He also tells of a practical joke that second unit director Howard Koch pulled on director Mervyn LeRoy by having Jack Benny show up in a Mountie uniform and mess up the takes of the Mountie Song. Benny and LeRoy were good friends and when LeRoy realized who it was, he broke up and shooting was done for the day.Busby Berkeley got some work in this film, staging the Totem Tom Tom number. There are words to the song, but you won't hear any in this or in the earlier one. Totem Tom Tom is nicely choreographed. I'm always amazed at how Rudolf Friml who studied under Anton Dvorak in Prague before coming to America was able to capture the American Indian rhythm with that song.This 1954 version of Rose Marie has enough merit to it that it does not suffer comparison with what Nelson and Jeanette did back in the day. Fans of operetta will like it, even devoted Eddy/Mac people.

Boba_Fett1138 Aren't singing Mounties the first sign of the Apocalypse? This is a below average standard MGM musical, from the period when the genre was already dying.Problem is that the movie really lacks a good story. It's not until the second halve that the movie is finally starting to show some progress and some plot lines but it's then already too late to still really make something good of the movie.The love story, which is always essential in this type of movies, isn't much interesting which is due to the characters and actors that portray them. Ann Blyth is mostly irritating with her thick overdone French-Canadian accent, that by the way seems to come and go randomly. She also doesn't look convincing enough as a woman who feels at home in the wilderness. She looks far too timid and pretty for that. Also hard to imaging that she would really fall and really become happy with such a 'criminal' as Duval.The character treatment is also quite poor. Seemingly important characters just suddenly disappear out of the movie for too long and basically all characters are extreme stereotypes.You know it's one of those musicals in which the characters just suddenly burst into singing, in the middle of some dialog, to express their thoughts and feelings. This always have been quite ridicules in my book.The movie does get extra points for its environment. The Canadian natures serves as a beautiful backdrop for this movie!Not a complete waste of time but still a below average late MGM attempt.5/10http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/

Greg Couture Saw this on a massive CinemaScope screen during its first-run release at the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, California. If memory serves (since I haven't caught it on a Turner Classic Movies broadcast recently) it was enjoyable and nicely mounted, although I seem to recall that a lot of it was done on some massive MGM soundstages rather than outdoors in the northern California and Canadian locations. Of course that was usually the case with musicals with outdoor settings. Technical considerations prompted the studios to go the easy route of utilizing the more easily controlled environments of, in MGM's case, their Culver City, Calif. lot and stages subbing for the great outdoors. Howard Keel and Ann Blyth (and Fernando Lamas, too) acquitted themselves quite nicely in the vocal department. And any movie that gives us Marjorie Main and Bert Lahr for some expert comic relief is to be fondly remembered. Although its popularity may not merit it, it would be nice to add a DVD version, not yet available, it appears, of this widescreen/stereo remake to one's video library.