The setting for "I Married an Angel" is odd, as it's set in Hungary...and during WWII Hungary was a member of the Axis...our enemy! Despite that, MGM decided to STILL set the film in Budapest despite the fact American soldiers were fighting Hungarians (along with rest of the Axis powers). Truly unusual, that's for sure!
The film is a vehicle for Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy...a very popular musical team of the 30s and early 40s. This is final film together and, as usual, there's a LOT of operetta style singing as well as romance.
When the story begins, Count Count Palaffi (Eddy) is a rich playboy who runs a bank....but mostly spends his time chasing women and being chased. When his birthday party arrives, he's going to have a costume party....and his second in command at the bank (Reginald Owen) insists a secretary, Anna (MacDonald), is invited along with all of Palaffi's rich friends.
When the pair meet at the party, Palaffi is quite smitten with her, as she's dressed as a cute little angel. But he's also exhausted and soon falls asleep...and dreams that Anna is a REAL angel who has come to Earth to marry him. Lots of singing and romance ensue...but mostly a lot of singing! What's next? Obviously Anna is NOT the woman of Palaffi's dream...or at least not quite like that woman. In some ways, that's terrific...especially as the angelic Anna is a bit clumsy when it comes to compliments!
The first half of the film was pretty good. The second half had its moments (I enjoyed seeing the angel insulting everyone) but it also was song-heavy....too many operetta-like tunes. I think it actually slowed down the story and this style of singing is definitely dated. Overall, still worth watching despite the very slow second half.
The film is a vehicle for Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy...a very popular musical team of the 30s and early 40s. This is final film together and, as usual, there's a LOT of operetta style singing as well as romance.
When the story begins, Count Count Palaffi (Eddy) is a rich playboy who runs a bank....but mostly spends his time chasing women and being chased. When his birthday party arrives, he's going to have a costume party....and his second in command at the bank (Reginald Owen) insists a secretary, Anna (MacDonald), is invited along with all of Palaffi's rich friends.
When the pair meet at the party, Palaffi is quite smitten with her, as she's dressed as a cute little angel. But he's also exhausted and soon falls asleep...and dreams that Anna is a REAL angel who has come to Earth to marry him. Lots of singing and romance ensue...but mostly a lot of singing! What's next? Obviously Anna is NOT the woman of Palaffi's dream...or at least not quite like that woman. In some ways, that's terrific...especially as the angelic Anna is a bit clumsy when it comes to compliments!
The first half of the film was pretty good. The second half had its moments (I enjoyed seeing the angel insulting everyone) but it also was song-heavy....too many operetta-like tunes. I think it actually slowed down the story and this style of singing is definitely dated. Overall, still worth watching despite the very slow second half.