Catene del passato

Of course there would be no chance of casting the 1941 Technicolor musical remake of the wonderful and incredibly moving 1932 fillm, with Norma Shearer, Fredric March and Leslie Howard, aside. Have always absolutely loved Technicolor and have been blown away by it numerous times, and also musicals (or more in this case play/film with music). Have liked what has been seen of Frank Borzage's films, quite a fair bit more to see, and do like Jeanette MacDonald and have never minded at all her voice. Can take or leave Gene Raymond.

When inevitably comparing which is the better film of the 1932 and 1941 versions, there is no doubt at all in my mind which is the better of the two. Being someone who loves the former and is rather conflicted on the latter. By all means this version of 'Smilin Through' is worth a curiosity look and it is not that impossible to sit through. Everybody involved has done much better work, with it being one of not many near-misfires from Borzage.

1941's 'Smilin Through' has advantages. It is very handsomely produced and perhaps more lavish than the 1932 film, the Technicolor truly opulent and blazing quite thrillingly. The music is both beautiful and rousing, not to mention catchy. Several songs populate the film and although momentum dips a bit when they feature, they are great songs and suit MacDonald's voice very well. "Land of Hope and Glory" is quite spirit-rousing and affecting.

MacDonald, at her loveliest, also comes off well dramatically, the role(s) does stretch her and it is quite different and more complex to her usual roles but she brings charm and pathos. Aherne is sympathetic and is a lovely match for her. Parts do bring a lump to the throat, especially the church death scene.

Raymond however is a disastrous miscast, there is nothing appealing about him whatsoever and he is almost too caddish/smarmy. He also, as some have already said, has no chemistry with MacDonald, that he and she were actually married in real life yet her and Aherne's chemistry was a million times more believable is a worrying sign. Nelson Eddy would have been a much better choice. Borzage seemed neither interested or comfortable in his direction.

Just felt that way because the pace can be quite stodgy, and although it is already a complicated story it was handled far more cohesively before whereas it was near-convoluted here. It is far too melodramatic and the treacle and schmaltz, both of which the 1932 film did not do, becomes too hard to take due to the amount of them being excessive.

In summation, not a bad film but left me very conflicted. 5/10

Jeanette MacDonald stars in "Smilin' Through," a 1941 remake of the Norma Shearer-Leslie Howard movie. Besides MacDonald, the film stars Brian Aherne and MacDonald's real-life husband, Gene Raymond.

MacDonald and Raymond play dual roles. Brian Aherne plays the lonely Sir John Carteret, whose wife, Moonyean (MacDonald) was killed at their wedding by a jealous suitor, Jeremy Wayne (Raymond). Each year, he goes to the spot where they were married and sees a vision of her. Cartaret takes in his young niece, who grows up as MacDonald and falls for Kenneth Wayne, Jeremy's son, also Raymond. The bitter Sir John implores her not to see Kenneth again. The story stretches into World War II.

MacDonald is just beautiful in this color film, and she's in great voice. Aherne was underrated in Hollywood, probably too similar to Errol Flynn, but he's very good as usual. It's a shame he never got a real breakthrough role. I've never been very impressed with Gene Raymond.

The story is sweet and sentimental, a real tear-jerker, with some lovely music sung by MacDonald. The period scenes and costumes are opulent. Worth seeing.

This third film version of the play is earnest enough and MacDonald and Aherne play very well together. The Technicolor is rich and saturated, but suffers from having too many scenes filmed either indoors in dimly lit rooms or outside at night. The plot is not changed.

The problem is with Raymond. He has no chemistry with his real life wife (MacDonald) and is rather strange looking, almost smarmy. He neither interests nor excites as a love interest for Jeannette. She certainly throw herself into creating passion for his character, but he rather blandly just looks back and spouts his lines. I was wishing for Aherne's ultimatum for Jeannette to give up Raymond to be embraced fully.

Although MacDonald has songs, they are period pieces and the title tune, so it's not really a musical, just a play with music.

Still it's one of the great tearjerkers of all time (May Time, East Lynne, etc.) and should be seen, but seek out the 1932/33 version with Shearer and March. It is really the best. The 1922 silent starred Norma Talmadge, but only two prints survive and they are in archives. The straight talkie drama was deservedly nominated for a Best Picture Oscar and is the one preferred.

However, if you don't have access to it, at least watch this color version, so the beautiful and sentimental story of lost love can wash over you.

It seems to be a general consensus on the board that this version is the inferior of the Norma Shearer-Leslie Howard-Fredric March version previously done by MGM a decade before. Without having seen that one, my guess is that is probably correct because those are all better players.

I was surprised to learn that originally Jeanette was given her choice of leading men as she was in San Francisco and picked Gable and Tracy for their parts. For Smilin' Through she originally had as her choices James Stewart and Robert Taylor. Then both dropped out and Jeanette had to settle for the B team.

The Jeanette MacDonald/Nelson Eddy joint biography by Sharon Rich which is the source of that information doesn't say which parts Taylor and Stewart were to play. But it's sure interesting to speculate who was to play John Carteret and who was to play Jeremy/Kenneth Wayne.

So Jeanette did the film with Brian Aherne and her husband Gene Raymond. Smilin' Through created no public demand for a reteaming of Mr.&Mrs. Raymond.

Smilin' Through was written by and starred Jane Cowl on Broadway. Jane, Norma, and Jeanette play Kathleen and her aunt Moonyean. Moonyean was the love of John Carteret and was killed literally at the church altar on her wedding day by a jealous suitor Jeremy Wayne. Years later her niece Kathleen comes to live with her aunt's brokenhearted fiancé Carteret. And wouldn't you know it, she falls in love with Kenneth Wayne, son of the homicidal Jeremy.

One thing though that neither Jane Cowl or Norma Shearer could bring to the dual part was Jeanette MacDonald's soprano. The musical gene was passed down in this family if the homicidal one wasn't passed down in the Wayne family. Jeanette sings some wonderful standards identified with the British Isles like the title song, Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes, The Kerry Dance, There's a Long Long Trail a Winding, and Just a Little Love, a Little Kiss. But my favorite is Land of Hope and Glory sung at a church service here and marched to by thousands of graduating classes on both sides of the Atlantic.

If Jeanette's acting wasn't up to snuff, there wasn't anything wrong with her singing voice. But perhaps maybe only her fans should be looking to watch Smilin' Through.

Jeanette MacDonald was one of MGM's biggest stars of the 1930's, but by 1941, her glory days were coming to a close. Her last couple of films had not generated all that much excitement from the critics or the box office. So instead of purchasing vehicles for her, they reached into the past and re-made a past hit, which was the 1932 Norma Shearer tear-jerker, "Smilin' Through." This time, they added songs and Technicolor.