The Chocolate Soldier

Nelson Eddy was always considered a dull non-actor with a nice voice, no histrionic match for his usual co-star Jeanette MacDonald (who became increasingly coy and diva-ish with every passing movie). Here, opposite Rise Stevens in a musical updating of Molnar's "The Guardsman," he gets to exercise some hitherto unknown comic energy, and he's quite good-- not up to Alfred Lunt, perhaps, who played the role in MGM's 1931 non-musical version, but pleasingly hammy and with genuine comic timing. Stevens has a nice personality and, of course, a lovely Met soprano, but she's unflatteringly photographed, and she's playing a not very likable character. With minor roles given to Nigel Bruce and Florence Bates, Eddy and Stevens are pretty much the whole show, and they navigate the Oscar Straus melodies (and a few others) and worn marital-discord plot expertly. Made during the Hays Code years, it's less spicy than the original -- we're never in doubt as to whether the wife realizes her husband's exploits or not -- and takes place in a mittel-European never-never-land that never, never intrudes on reality. Once you get used to all the artifice and MGM overproduction, it's quite enjoyable. And it suggests Eddy may have had a productive career in comedy.

THE CHOCOLATE SOLDIER is a musical based on the famous old Molnar play THE GUARDSMAN, filmed by the Lunts back in 1931, in which an actor (Nelson Eddy) tests the fidelity of his actress wife (Rise Stevens) by disguising himself as a Russian prince and trying to seduce her while her `husband' is out of town. He succeeds, to his chagrin. The handsome and amiable but often bland Eddy is almost unrecognizable as the fiery and passionate Russian, and his performance is a comic revelation, accent and all (favorite lines: `My fillings are runnink avay vith me' and `Like sheeps that pass out in the night'). Unfortunately, a good deal of the original naughtiness is missing: the Production Code of 1941 required that the wife be aware of her husband's masquerade from the beginning. In the original play she claims she knew it was him all along---but did she? We're not sure!

Dreadful choreography in the musical numbers, but beautiful Oscar Strauss music performed masterfully by Eddy and Rise Stevens, plus `Evening Star' from TANNHAUSER sung gorgeously by Eddy and `My Heart at Thy Sweet Voice' from SAMSON AND DELILAH by Stevens. Even though Stevens has the superior voice, one can't help wishing that Jeanette MacDonald, with her considerable comic gifts, had been available for the part!

I heard so much about The Chocolate Soldier from watching clips of both Nelson Eddy and Rise Stevens on YouTube and people telling me how good it was, and desperately I wanted to see it. I finally saw it, and you know what, I wasn't disappointed.

I will agree that the story about a man suspecting his wife of infidelity is predictable and creaks with age, and the choreography at times was disappointingly unexciting and pedestrian. But putting these flaws aside, this is a truly beautiful and entertaining film. One thing for certain, the production values were simply fabulous. The lavish costumes and beautiful sets were really a wonder to look at. The score is phenomenal, featuring some Oscar Strauss hits like My Hero, Thank the Lord the War is Over, Sympathy and of course the Chocolate Soldier, and some well known opera gems like Mon Couer s'oeuvre a Ta voix from Saint Saens's Samson and Delilah and Evening Star from Wagner's Tannhauser. While my Lady Sleeps was stunning too, but the real highlight was the enormously entertaining Song of the Flea. The performances were sublime; while the beautiful Rise Stevens is probably at her loveliest and sings beautifully, it is the wonderful undervalued Nelson Eddy who steals the show with his beautiful resonant voice and flawless comic timing and stage presence. Nigel Bruce and Florence Bates are good too.

All in all, a beautiful film. Not perfect, but the production values, score and performances make it a treat. 8/10 Bethany Cox

A mix of the operetta The Chocolate Soldier and the play The Guardsman, this is one for those of us with incurably romantic hearts ... Eddy is as reliable as ever (The Song of the Flea and Sympathy especially good) and Rise Stevens in her debut film is pretty, witty and charming, as well as being in fabulous voice. One for rainy winter afternoons.

Nelson Eddy and Rise Stevens star in an amusing film about a jealous husband, and his suspicions of his wife's infidelity. Nelson plays a dual role as the insecure husband and the Russian singer he impersonates to test his wife's loyalty. Rise is delicious as the teasing wife who exploits his doubts unmercifully. Nelson plays the Russian in a broad and sardonic manner which seems to prove again that he is more at ease and sure of himself in films without his usual costar and RL love interest. Nelson and Rise are in excellent voice. A couple of dances without the two leads could easily be cut. Neither approaches the humor of Nelson, nervously biting his nails, as he contemplates his insecurities.