The Merry Widow

Ernst Liu Bieqian
Maurice Chevalier, Jeanette MacDonald, Edward Everett Horton, Una Merkel
1934
United States
Completed
English, French
99 minutes
Detailed introduction
This film (drama)Also known asThe Merry Widow,is aUnited StatesProducerwomen sex,At1934Released in year
。The dialogue language isEnglish, French,Current Douban rating7.3(For reference only)。
Liu Bieqian’s initial experience with the grandeur of MGM productions is marked by even more vibrant artistry. The open scenes and unprecedented scale allow the characters to fully expand both inside and out: the widow’s heart appears even more lonely, and the love between men and women finds no place to settle. The widow, possessing most of the wealth of a small country, suddenly decides to move to Paris to seek colorful living again. Fearing for the stability of his kingdom, the king employs a handsome scheme by sending a charming envoy to entice the widow. Originally, one seeks love while the other seeks pleasure; through several encounters and twists, the fundamental needs of men and women are rewritten. The songs and dances do not flaunt sweetness but instead bring forth praise embedded within the weight of love. The songs and images interchange seamlessly; Liu Bieqian’s pinnacle work of light opera has also become a representative chapter of Hollywood. The final collaboration between Sylvia and Jeanette MacDonald showcases the latter’s unprecedented mature charm. Considered the sexiest musical. Rated "the sexiest musical in the thirties," The Merry Widow could well be the sexiest musical ever. Jeannette MacDonald, sensual and majestic as a Persian cat, is the wealthiest widow in the kingdom of Marschovia. On a visit to Paris, she attracts a flurry of gold-diggers. To prevent her fortune from passing to foreign hands, the king sends a romantic envoy to court her. He chooses Captain Donilo, whose cavalier attitude to women is not limited to his rapport with Maxim's "girls, girls, girls." Osé but not blasé, this elegant adaptation of Franz Lehar's operetta out-classed von Stroheim's silent in opulence, culminating in the grandest of grand balls. Source: 28th HKIFF