Cairo

Although not very funny, it does have its moments. Jeanette and Ethel are the classiest folks in this and one wishes the vehicle were more worthy as they are a great team, both vocally and in easy going comedy.

I won't go into the story line as it can be found elsewhere on this page. Robert Young tries valiantly, but is miscast. A light comedy actor with a penchant for bumbling or being a bit dumb, such as Ralph Bellamy or Fred MacMurray, may have been a better choice, although they were not under an MGM contract at the time.

The score, by Arlen and Harburg, is lackluster with the exception of the classic "Buds Won't Bud," which Ethel Waters does full justice to in what is for me the high point of the film.

Jeannette takes part in 6 numbers: Les Filles de Cadiz, The Waltz is Over, No Place Like Love, Avalon, Cairo, and a bizarre patriotic medley, including Keep The Light Burning Bright, Waiting For The Robert. E. Lee, Sky Blue Waters, Home Sweet Home and The Beautiful Ohio.

This is the sort of film that needed an Ernst Lubitsch at the helm to make it a frothy and fun spoof on espionage and mistaken identity. W. S. Van Dyke takes the script a bit too seriously and loses most of the comedic opportunities.

All in all, harmless fun with a splendid Jeanette and Ethel duo.

In one of her last movies, Miss MacDonald shows a real gift for light comedy - along with her well known vocal talents.

And for the guy who said there were too many songs...WAKE UP!!!...it's a musical! LOL That's like saying there are too many explosions in an action flick or jokes in a comedy.

Pleasant mix of spy caper and comedy stars a much more relaxed Jeanette MacDonald than was usually the case during her MGM years. Perhaps it was the freedom of not having Nelson Eddy bellowing in her face but she's loose and charming and has a fine chemistry with both Robert Young and Ethel Waters her two major scene partners. Jeanette and Ethel's differing singing styles offer a nice variety to the entertainment although why Ethel is Jeanette's maid and still has to sing in the big show is never explained. It doesn't really matter and her musical numbers are terrific. There's also a funny bit where Jeanette sends up one of her biggest hits, San Francisco. One quibble: a good deal of the picture is very dark, hard to tell if it's intentional or the age of the film. Not a great film but a little known enjoyable gem.

Really, they could have gone to 2-1/2. Would it have killed them? When I see two stars, I expect to see a complete disaster.

"Cairo" from 1942 is a bit convoluted, but there are some fun moments. The film stars Robert Young, Jeannette MacDonald, Ethel Waters, Lionel Atwill, Eduardo Ciannelli and Reginald Owen.

Part of the problem with "Cairo" is you're not sure what you're watching - musical, comedy, drama, what? It's a comedy with music, but a bit unsure of itself. Young plays Homer Smith, a newspaper reporter who suspects the famous singer/movie star Marcia Warren of being a Nazi spy. She suspects him of being one as well.

The best scene occurs when they go out for an evening, manage to get away from one another, and each go back to MacDonald's house to search the other's room. There's also a joke with her high C, which inadvertently opens a secret passage.

One of the assets of "Cairo" is Jeannette MacDonald, who was so beautiful, and here she's in good voice and very appealing in her performances. Ethel Waters is wonderful, though she certainly could have done more. Young was never a top-flight movie star, but he does okay. MacDonald is excellent, very charming and funny.

With a little work on the script, this could have been an excellent film. However, it looks like it was rushed out as a propaganda movie and done on the cheap.

The film has some great in jokes. When Marcia Warren and Homer Smith question one another, they learn that they are both from California. She's from the north; he's from the south. Both denigrate where the other lives. Finally Smith says to her, "Have you ever been to San Francisco?" "Once," she answers, "with Gable and Tracy and the joint fell apart."

If you are a Jeanette MacDonald fan this is a "MUST SEE" film. No, it's not her very best film, but it's different enough for her that it's really great watching!! Read the other comments - except for the fellow that doesn't like Musicals (poor fellow), they're pretty much right on track. While Robert Young gets a bit "hammy" in a couple scenes, overall it's a very delightful musical/spy spoof/drama/etc. A good balance of songs and drama, which was important for morale during the early years of WWII.

Hint for Jeanette MacDonald fans: You _MUST_ see Ethyl Waters and Jeanette's rendition of "Waiting for the Robert E. Lee" about half way through the film. You've NEVER seen Jeanete like this - very cute, very well done!!