GrimPrecise I'll tell you why so serious

InformationRap This is one of the few movies I've ever seen where the whole audience broke into spontaneous, loud applause a third of the way in.

Roman Sampson One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Tayyab Torres Strong acting helps the film overcome an uncertain premise and create characters that hold our attention absolutely.

kitablett This was Jeanette's favourite movie of all the films she made and rightly so. The third movie of Jeanette and Nelson, firmly making them a musical team in both the eyes of MGM and the public and definitely so, being the biggest box office success of 1937, worldwide !. Again , Nelson doesn't appear until about thirty minutes into the movie and it's more Jeanette's film than his, but he is at his most animated and both of their acting performances are just wonderful. More of a drama with romantic tragedy than an operetta with a lot of snatches of opera, quite spectacularly done. The one duet ,by these two, is probably their most memorable from any of their operettas, "Will You Remember?". They just sing it beautifully and, of course,in the absolutely moving and breathtaking ending of the film where they reprise the song.The song was also featured in Sigmund Romberg's brilliant Biopic , "Deep in My Heart" in 1954 and beautifully sung by Jane Powell and Vic Damone,but it pales compared to Jeanette and Nelson's version. Many may consider the movie sentimental but Jeanette said later in life, "What's wrong with sentiment, anyway ?" and I couldn't agree more and, with modern movies having the lovers jumping into bed all the time,it's lovely to see a true love story where the lovers make love in song. It is sad to see John Barrymore in a supporting role in his last major film appearance and looking so ill looking from his then alcoholism which would eventually kill him in another five years. However he gives a brilliant performance just the same.This really is the pinnacle of Jeanette and Nelson's teaming and all good vintage movie lovers will just adore this movie.

atlasmb Sometimes film has the opportunity to bring opera, or other art forms, to the masses. In Maytime, 1930s audiences were treated to a tremendous selection of opera fare, sung by Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald.Collaborations by these two stars were very popular. Personally, I find some of them uninspiring. But Maytime is a remarkable film for so many reasons.Everything about Maytime is superior--the orchestral productions, the incidental music, the fabulous sets (onstage and off), the staging and editing. I would like to know what the budget was for floral arrangements, or for montages. It seems not expense was spared in this production. And yet...Maytime was originally to be filmed in color. Cost considerations changed it to B&W. One can only imagine the beautiful scenery and lavish wardrobe in colorful splendor.Nelson Eddy's acting is, as usual, dependable. But Jeanette MacDonald is present in every scene, even when Eddy is singing to her; she really shines in this film.The story itself follows a blueprint for a great romantic tragedy. As other reviewers have written, it's a story that may stay with you.This is a film you can luxuriate in. It's such a treat to be presented with such technical proficiency and artistic bounty. If you see only one film by Eddy and MacDonald, this should be it.

gkeith_1 This is a sweet movie. Color would have been way better, no matter all the reasons it first was supposed to be made in color then scrapped for economic reasons. It was started over in black and white.A bad message for women is to drop your career aspirations for a man. If the man dumps you or you dump him later, your career was an unexplored fantasy. When you are a drudge cleaning his toilets or raising his progeny, your hoped-for "what you wanted to be when you grew up" was all for naught. A man would not have been expected to give up his career for a woman. Barbara should have been told by Mornay/Morrison to pursue her career; perhaps Kip could have accompanied her on her travels -- if he really loved her, that is.Nelson and Jeanette great singers, as usual. The story was very sweet, if a tad villainous with the seedy-appearing (the Great) John Barrymore. The two composers did a nice job. Bing was buffoonish, yes, but his character had great faith in Nelson.Did Nicolai go to prison for the murder? Did he really give Jeanette her freedom? Did he commit suicide? At any rate, it looked like she would have to pay the rest of her life for her attraction to Nelson. Was there more than just kissing between Paul and Marcia? Did Marcia get pregnant and have to have an abortion like the star in real life? Apparently Nicolai was impotent. Marriage to him must have been like a prison term.

blanche-2 "Maytime" is, I believe, the most popular film of that very popular singing team of Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald. The story, based on the Romberg operetta, tells the story in flashback of a beautiful young opera singer (MacDonald), under the wing of her teacher (John Barrymore) who in spite of herself falls in love with a baritone (Eddy) though she's promised to marry her teacher. She chooses loyalty and career over true love, with tragic results.This isn't the most feminist film you'll ever see, as the elderly Miss Morrison (MacDonald) tells her story to a young woman who wants to throw her boyfriend over and pursue her career in New York. Nevertheless, it's the setting for a touching tale and gorgeous music sung by MacDonald and Eddy.MacDonald was beautiful and a fine actress, and she had parts of her voice, particularly the middle range, that were absolutely beautiful. Her high notes and singing technique - well, not so great. Some of it was the way female singers were taught to sing "white" high notes - backing off of them and straightening the tone, and part of it was the unsophisticated recording devices. The difference in placement between her voice and Eddy's, who sang a frontal placement all the way up, is remarkable. The montages show the great female star singing Trovatore and Wagner - not with that lyric coloratura voice, she wasn't. Eddy sings magnificently throughout, though he was never the presence that MacDonald was.Have some tissues ready. It's a lovely story, and the acting is very good. MacDonald is very touching and Barrymore is appropriately villainous and also underplayed, for those who think he was a big ham.It's one of those films you'll always remember, especially the ending, and that's what the film is about - remembrance.