New Moon (1940)

Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy, Mary Boland, George Zucco, H.B. Warner ... see more  , Grant Mitchell , Ivan Simpson , William Tannen , Bunty Cutler , Claude King , Cecil Cunningham , Joe Yule , George Irving , Edwin Maxwell , Paul E. Burns , Winifred Harris , Robert Warwick , Trevor Bardette , Arthur Belasco , Hillary Brooke , Alden 'Stephen' Chase , Nick Copeland , Gino Corrado , Joe Dominguez , Ralph Dunn , Sarah Edwards , Frank Elliott , Jean Fenwick , Gerald Fielding , Stanley Fields , Christian J. Frank , Kenneth Gibson , Fred Graham , Dorothy Granger , Edward Hearn , George Lloyd , George Magrill , LeRoy Mason , John Miljan , Forbes Murray , Bea Nigro , Ted Oliver , Jack Perrin , Dick Purcell , Claire Rochelle , Florence Shirley , Rafael Storm , Harry Strang , Ray Teal , Ray Walker , Gayne Whitman , Buster Keaton , Victor Kendall , June Gittelson , David Alison , Max Marx , Ed O'Neill

Previously filmed in 1930 with Lawrence Tibbett and Grace Moore, the robust Sigmund Romberg operetta New Moon was given another airing in 1940 as Nelson Eddy-Jeanette MacDonald vehicle. Set in 18th ce... read more ntury Louisiana, the story concerns the relationship between haughty plantation owner Marianne de Beaumanoir (MacDonald) and her handsome bondservant Charles (Eddy). Actually a French nobleman in disguise, Charles leads his fellow bondsman in revolt, commandeering a ship and heading out to sea. He ends up capturing a vessel carrying Marianne and a cargo of mail-order brides. Though the bondsmen and the brides get along just fine, the romance between Marianne and Charles is noticeably strained, but the French Revolution comes along to solve everyone's problems. The soaring Romberg musical score includes such favorites as "One Kiss", "Stout-Hearted Men" and "Lover Come Back to Me", all performed con brio by the stars. Comedian Buster Keaton, whose supporting role was cut from the final release print of New Moon, can still be glimpsed among the bondsmen. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi