Rosalie
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Rosalie
Plot
More burdened with leaden production numbers than plot, Rosalie took Sigmund Romberg and George Gershwin's 1928 Broadway hit, threw out most of the songs, including "How Long Has This Been Going On?," but retained the spindly story of the incognito Princess Rosalie of Romanza (Eleanor Powell), who falls head-over-heels in love with All-American Dick Thorpe (Nelson Eddy), although she finds him conceited at first. But Dick gallantly flies to Romanza where the crooning Charles Lindbergh lands in the middle of yet another comic opera revolution. Rosalie, of course, is engaged to someone else, but after a series of misadventures and a colossal closing number, the star-crossed lovers decide to settle down together in democratic America. Cole Porter was hired to write a new score and Eleanor Powell, Nelson Eddy, and newcomer Ilona Massey perform "I've Got a Strange New Rhythm in My Heart," "Why Should I Care?," "Spring Love is in the Air," "It's all Over but the Shouting," "Who Knows?," "To Love and Not to Love," and, most memorably, "In the Still of the Night." ~ Hans J. Wollstein, RoviCast
- Nelson Eddy - Dick Thorpe
- Eleanor Powell - Princess Rosalie
- Frank Morgan - King Frederic Romanikoff
- Edna May Oliver - Queen
- Ray Bolger - Bill Delroy
Credit
Cedric Gibbons - Art Director, Albertina Rasch - Choreography, Dolly Tree - Costume Designer, W.S. Van Dyke - Director, Blanche Sewell - Editor, Cole Porter - Composer (Music Score), Herbert Stothart - Musical Direction/Supervision, Oliver Marsh - Cinematographer, William Anthony McGuire - Producer, Edwin B. Willis - Set Designer, William Anthony McGuire - Screenwriter, Guy Bolton - Play Author, William Anthony McGuire - Play Author| Rosa und Lin (1972 Film), Rosa e Cornelia (2000 Film) | |
| Rosalie Goes Shopping (1989 Film), Rosalyn Tureck: Bach - Goldberg Variations/St. Petersburg, Russia (1995 Film) |
Wikipedia on Answers.com:
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Rosalie (film)
| Rosalie | |
|---|---|
 1937 Theatrical Poster |
|
| Directed by | W. S. Van Dyke |
| Produced by | William Anthony McGuire |
| Starring | Eleanor Powell, Nelson Eddy, Frank Morgan |
| Music by | Cole Porter |
| Cinematography | Oliver Marsh |
| Release date(s) |
|
| Running time | 122 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Rosalie is an MGM film adaptation of the 1928 stage musical of the same name. The film was released in December 1937.[1] The film follows the story of the musical but replaces most of the Broadway score with new songs by Cole Porter. The story involves the romantic entanglements of a princess in disguise and a West Point cadet.
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Contents
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Production
MGM's top tap dancer at the time, Eleanor Powell, was cast as the princess opposite Nelson Eddy as cadet Dick Thorpe (Lieutenant Richard Fay in the stage musical). Frank Morgan reprised his Broadway role as King Fredrick (King Cyril in the stage version). Also appearing in the film were Ray Bolger (Bill Delroy), Edna May Oliver (the Queen), Ilona Massey (Brenda), Tom Rutherford (Prince Paul) and Reginald Owen (Chancellor).[2][3] William Anthony McGuire was the producer, with direction by W. S. Van Dyke, cinematography by Oliver Marsh, art direction by Cedric Gibbons, and choreography by Albertina Rasch.[1][3] Marjorie Lane dubbed the singing voice for Powell. The dance director for the "Cadet routines" was Dave Gould.[4]
In order to capitalize upon Powell's renown as a dancer, the film was retooled to allow her several showcase musical numbers, one of which is the title number (one of the few songs retained from the Broadway show) with Powell dancing on top of giant drum, one of the largest musical sequences ever filmed.[5] Songs included "Who Knows?", "I've A Strange New Rhythm in My Heart", "Rosalie", "In the Still of the Night", and "Spring Love is in the Air."[2] An excerpt from this scene is included in That's Entertainment! (1974).[6]
The film "resembles the frothy operettas then so much in vogue, which means that Rosalie lacks much of a plot ... he [Porter] managed to compose the memorable 'In the Still of the Night' and 'Who Knows?'."[7]
The reviewer at allmovie.com called the film an "overproduced musical extravaganza", and noted that "The flimsy plot all but collapses under the weight of Gibbons' enormous sets and dance director David Gould's ditto choreography."[8]
Plot
Dick Thorpe is a football star for the Army, and Rosalie, a Vassar student who is also a princess in disguise, watches a football game. They are attracted to each other and agree to meet in her country in Europe. When Dick flies into her country he is greeted as a hero by the King and finds Rosalie. Rosalie is engaged to marry Prince Paul, who actually is in love with Brenda; Dick, not knowing of Prince Paul's affections, leaves the country. The King and his family are forced to leave their troubled country, and Dick and Rosalie are finally re-united at West Point.
Songs
- "Who Knows?" - Dick
- "I've a Strange New Rhythm in My Heart" - Rosalie
- "Rosalie" - Dick
- "Why Should I Care?" - King Frederic
- "Spring Love is in the Air" - Brenda
- "Close" [instrumental]
- "In the Still of the Night" - Dick
- "It's All Over But the Shouting" - Dick
- "To Love or Not to Love" - Dick
References
- ^ a b "'Rosalie', Film Production, Cast, Synopsis" sondheimguide.com, accessed January 14, 2011
- ^ a b Green, Stanley; Schmidt, Elaine. "'Rosalie'" Hollywood Musicals Year By Year, Hal Leonard Corporation, 2000, ISBN 0-634-00765-3, p. 77, accessed January 14, 2011
- ^ a b "'Rosalie' Cast, Crew, Production and Plot" tcm.com, accessed January 15, 2011
- ^ Taves, Brian. P.G. Wodehouse and Hollywood: screenwriting, satires, and adaptations, McFarland, 2006, ISBN 0-7864-2288-2, pp. 167-168
- ^ Hay, Peter (1991), MGM: When the Lion Roars, Atlanta: Turner Publishing, Inc., pp. 144–145, ISBN 1-878685-04-X
- ^ Reid, John Howard. "'That's Entertainment'" More Movie Musicals, Lulu.com, 2006, ISBN 1-4116-7342-5, p. 206
- ^ Young, William H.; Young, Nancy K. "Cole Porter (1891-1964)" Music of the Great Depression, ABC-CLIO, 2005, ISBN 0-313-33230-4, p. 106
- ^ Wollstein, Hans J. "'Rosalie'" allmovie.com, accessed January 15, 2011
External links
- Rosalie at the Internet Movie Database
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