Maurice Chevalier Shines Bright in Love Me Tonight

At the top of the heap when considering impressive, endearing films of the early “Talkie” era, 1932’s Love Me Tonight provides a landmark for both movie musicals and sound films. Rouben Mamoulian, among Hollywood’s most gifted and inventive directors of this (or any) period, oversees the proceedings with great skill and a sly humor, resulting in one of the most sparkling light-hearted entertainments ever to come out of Hollywood. Blessed with a remarkably original, sophisticated script by Samuel Hoffenstein, George Martin Jr. and Waldermar Young, which seamlessly incorporates several instant standards by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart into the fanciful tale covering the exploits of Maurice, a cheerful tailor who finds himself mingling with the elite at the elegant d’Artelines chateau, in the process falling in love with a princess while becoming mistaken by her and others as a member of the aristocracy himself. Mamoulian deftly utilizes such cinematic tools as split-screens, slo-mo, fade-ins/outs, tracking shots, on-location filming, zoom-ins, cross-cutting and quick edits (the revolutionary Mamoulian also served as the film’s co-editor with William Shea) to create a fresh, singular musical that maintains a modern feel, and allows the top-flight, bemused cast to be seen and heard to their best advantage.

After early success on Broadway, by 1932 Rouben Mamoulian had already staked his claim as an extremely innovative director via his helming of a superior early talkie, 1929’s Applause, followed by two big 1931 hits, City Streets and, specifically, possibly the best screen adaptation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, featuring transformation special effects that still impress in “How did they do that?” fashion. With his creative juices peaking, Mamoulian’s willingness to explore various venues available through the new medium of sound is evident throughout Tonight, starting with the opening scene, wherein Paris and its inhabitants are shown waking up to the day, with an array of sounds amusingly accompanying them. Rhyming patter, combined with sound effects, is frequently adopted to move from scene-to-scene and introduce a song, then used within the song to forward the action. In the most famous example of this, and one of the most endearing sequences to be found in a musical, star Maurice Chevalier (as Maurice) introduces the peerless “Isn’t it Romantic” at his shop in patter fashion to a customer, who leaves humming the tune and transferring it to a songwriter hailing a cab, who by turn passes it off to a group of soldiers on a train, until after traveling through the countryside via a group of gypsies the tune finally introduces Princess Jeanette at the chateau, who hears, then finishes the song. The spellbinding, trailblazing manner in which the number is structured and photographed has rarely been equaled in musical film, and deserves many viewings to catch all the details Mamoulian includes in this unforgettable passage. A later deer hunt and the film’s exciting finale also showcase the director/editor’s adroitness in masterfully crafting fast-paced, beguiling, original scenes that stay with a viewer. Mamoulian’s later career would include such top-grade fair as Queen Christina, The Mark of Zorro and Blood and Sand, but it’s possible Tonight represents this exceptional artist’s most definitive work.

The event of talkies brought the affable, singular talents of Maurice Chevalier to the forefront of American cinema, and Tonight presents him with possibly the most durable, memorable role during his peak stardom; armed with (alternately) his signature straw hat or beret, Chevalier attains the perfect vehicle in which to showcase his rare continental charm. After years as a major star in France, Chevalier scored heavily with American audiences with Ernst Lubitsch’s 1929 The Love Parade, followed by The Big Pond (Chevalier received Best Actor Oscar nominations for both films), The Smiling Lieutenant and One Hour with You. In Tonight as carefree, ultra-romantic and expert tailor Maurice, he has joie de vivre to spare, a magnetism that is astoundingly vivid (particularly during his musical numbers), and a touching sincerity during his romantic interludes with the princess that helps lend believability to the rich, whimsical tale. The confident breeziness he carries throughout the whole enterprise could be off-putting in less able hands, but Chevalier’s high spirits always come across as skillful, genuine, and phenomenally entertaining. He would go on to many other career highlights, ending with major late-career hits via Love in the Afternoon, Fanny and, especially, Chevalier’s indelible work in 1958’s Gigi, wherein his appeal remained intact as he memorably put over “Thank Heaven for Litle Girls” and (with Hermoine Gingold) “I Remember it Well.”

Jeanette MacDonald had also established herself as a top star in early musical films, which included several costarring features with Chevalier after their huge success in The Love Parade. As Princess Jeanette, the lovely MacDonald was still honing her acting skills onscreen but brings her supreme soprano vocal talent to the fore. After offering a beautiful rendition of “Lover” while riding a carriage through the woods in another innovative moment, she meets Maurice and has perhaps her best moment shown in close-up and clearly bemused as Chevalier’s starts to serenade her to the strains of “Mimi” in unsurpassably charismatic fashion, before she switches to an indignant stance as Maurice becomes bolder with her. Although sometimes grandiose gestures date her playing, MacDonald combines this theatricality with a sereneness that works in beautiful tandem with Chevalier, whom she shares an easy, friendly chemistry with. She also suggests an intriguing baby-doll quality in voice and manner as the princess becomes more open to Maurice’s advances, adding convincingly to the notion this princess could suddenly give in to her attraction to Maurice after initially keeping her distance. After Tonight MacDonald’s career just kept rising, culminating in a series of hit films with Nelson Eddy, as well as putting over the title song with verve as the Clark Gable’s interest in San Francisco, one of the 1930’s top smashes.

A distinctive supporting cast stays in perfect sync with Tonight’s genial comedic tone. C. Aubrey Smith mixes a towering physical presence and his famously gruff voice with endearing bafflement as Duc d’Artelines, the head of the manor who takes a liking to Maurice, mistakenly thinking he’s “Baron Courtelin.” Smith is at his most entertaining starting an amusing reprise of “Mimi,” which other members of the household then pick up in another bravura musical sequence. Charlie Ruggles as a ne’er-the-well who doesn’t believe in paying for anything, to the chagrin of Maurice, is his jovial self, while Charles Butterworth is supremely nonplussed as the princess’ hapless suitor.

Myrna Loy has one of her key early roles as the saucy, man-hungry Comtesse Valentine, looking sensational in a series of gowns- and in Marie Antoinette mode at a costume ball- while smoothly throwing off some nice zingers with knowing flair (in the manner of her soon-to-come legendary work as Nora Charles) as the Comtesse lazes and ambles around the chateau commenting on the action, in the process taking a lively interest in Maurice and men in general. Finally, as the princess’ three elderly aunts, who serve as a Greek chorus, Elizabeth Patterson, Ethel Griffies and Blanche Frideric animatedly flit around in an often-agitated state, what with all the intrigue accompanying Maurice’s arrival and attachment to the princess.

One of Hollywood’s preeminent Golden Age musicals, Love Me Tonight’s substantial merits and power to entrance audiences remain undiminished over 90 years after its release. The unique style and appeal brought off by the virtuoso Mamoulian and his incomparable cast and crew ensure the film sustains its light, flavorful tone as assuredly as any other top entertainment, and through repeated viewings, regardless of how many they may be. The extraordinary quality of the movie has been recognized via its 1990 inclusion into the Library of Congress’ National Film Registry, guaranteeing Love Me Tonight its warranted place among the cream of Classic Cinema’s crop. Lovers of classic film, musicals, and movies in general will discover an evening’s rendezvous with the uncommonly captivating Tonight with its ultra-romantic, funny and ingenious delights an arresting experience worth savoring and repeating.

And a fond farewell Anouk Aimée, who passed away on June 18^th at 92. A major figure in international cinema, after ten years in movies Aimée found herself starring in some of the key films of the 1960’s, working with Federico Fellini in La Dolce Vita and 8 ½, and at her most beautiful and captivating in Jacques Demy 1961’s Lola. She reached a peak in 1966 with the world-wide success of A Man and a Woman, which brought her Best Actress honors from the Golden Globes and British Academy Awards, as well as her sole Oscar nomination. She would continue in films until 2019, with 1969 a particularly strong year, working again with Demy (Model Shop), George Cukor (Justine) and Sidney Lumet (The Appointment). Sequels to A Man and a Woman would follow in 1986 and via 2019’s The Best Years of a Life (her final film), as well as a fourth marriage to no less than Albert Finney. One of the loveliest and most elegant of stars, Aimée’s touching-yet-colorful presence in Lola lingers largest in the memory for this viewer.