Eclipse Series 8: Lubitsch Musicals (The Love Parade / The Smiling Lieutenant / One Hour with You / Monte Carlo) (The Criterion Collection) [DVD]

About twenty years ago I managed to see three of the four films in this set at an Ernst Lubitsch festival and was able to see MONTE CARLO in the University of Chicago film archives. Since then I've managed to see ONE HOUR WITH YOU, one of my favorite Lubitsch films, one on AMC (back when it showed classic films) and once on TCM (after it wouldn't allow AMC to show the films it had the rights to). Although I'm only reviewing this set now, I had it preordered when it was first released. As a huge fan of Lubitsch, I had for years regretted his neglect not only on DVD but on VHS as well. This set makes several of these films available for personal ownership (unless one recorded them off TCM or AMC) for the first time. My only hope is that the rest of Lubitsch's films will also be released.Lubitsch is one of the great masters of cinema. Andrew Sarris in THE AMERICAN CINEMA placed him and Hitchcock at the apex of the greatest directors in American cinema. He obviously also made Sarris's "Pantheon." Hitchcock and Lubitsch are both unsurpassed in their ability to use the camera to tell a story. Both are complete virtuosos and mastered the unique qualities of cinema that cannot be immitated by other art forms. Lubitsch can move the story along merely by showing the changing contents of a closet. Showing a clock and the changing light of day can speak volumes. And no one in the history of cinema -- especially in his pre-code films, but even afterwards as well -- could handle sex as well as Lubitsch. There is never anything lascivious or dirty about his treatment of sex, but it is always fun, mischievous, and deeply flirtatious.These are also among the most watchable films of the early years of sound cinema. There were huge technical difficulties while THE LOVE PARADE was being made. And even MONTE CARLO and the other two films were made when many of the kinks of the sound process had not been worked out. If you watch carefully, THE LOVE PARADE frequently becomes a silent film, with music providing all of the soundtrack. But these difficulties hardly slowed Lubitsch down. Along with the Marx Brothers, most of the early sound films that we still watch with delight were largely these made by Lubitsch.Lubitsch is unique in another way. He is the only major film figure who is simultaneously an important studio head (he was for many years until health prevented it head of production at Paramount) and one of the great directors of cinema (many rank him among the top 4 or 5 directors ever). So in making his films there was little or no conflict with the studio brass over artistic vision, simply because he was the studio brass.I love all four of these films, though I will confess a preference for ONE HOUR WITH YOU, a film that was begun by George Cukor. All four films are dominated by Maurice Chevalier and Jeannette MacDonald, with each of them appearing in three films each, two of them with both. They also appeared together in the great THE MERRY WIDOW, one of the last pre-code films and one that desperately needs to be brought out on DVD. they also appeared in 1929 in another truly great musical, LOVE ME TONIGHT, directed by Mamoulian. If you didn't know Mamoulian directed it, you would swear Lubitsch had. Ironically, though MacDonald is best known for her films with Nelson Eddy, they cannot even remotely compare in quality with the group of films that she did with did with Chevalier.Two of the films are scripted by Samson Raphaelson (who was pretty transparently the model for the Eli Wallach character in the recent film THE HOLIDAY, in which Kate Winslet). He wrote the screenplay for both THE SMILING LIEUTENANT and ONE HOUR WITH YOU, and would later write other major screenplays for Lubitsch such as TROUBLE IN PARADISE, THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER, HEAVEN CAN WAIT, and others.Now, while I am absolutely delighted that these films have been made available once again in the Criterion Eclipse series, I do have complaints. First, there are absolutely no special features. No commentaries, no documentaries about the films, nothing. Second, while the prints were somewhat cleaned up, they are not truly pristine. Most of the films show lots of scratches and scrapes. The pictures are not as vivid as one might wish. Still, their available at all trumps these complaints.The four films in the set are:THE LOVE PARADEThis was one of two great films Chevalier and MacDonald made in 1929, the other being LOVE ME TONIGHT. Though Lubitsch was the greatest comedy director in cinematic history in my opinion (though I have to confess that I'm hardly alone in that assessment), for once Mamoulian managed to top the master. THE LOVE PARADE is a very good movie, but LOVE ME TONIGHT is a masterpiece. THE LOVE PARADE features a story that is similar to many of the plots of his films: two individuals of widely differing social backgrounds or classes find love. Here a princess elevates a diplomat so that she can marry him. (Interestingly, LOVE ME TONIGHT had the same kind of tension.) The plot is thin, but the execution is delightful. There are a host of wonderful moments that shows Lubitsch at his finest. I especially loved a song where Chevalier, about to depart Paris, sings aloud his regret at leaving his lady loves. His valet then sings his regrets, and all of the servant girls come to their windows to hear him with distress. Finally, Chevalier's dog comes up to the window to bark out his sadness at leaving his lady friends, and a group of female dogs hear his lament.THE LOVE PARADE also features a couple of fascinating supporting actors. Chevalier's valet is played by British vaudevillian Lupino Lane. He was famous for his remarkably physical style of dancing, which he puts on display here. He was the uncle of Ida Lupino. More poignantly, he is teamed with Lillian Roth, who was only 19 when this film was released. She had a great voice and a remarkable youthful beauty. Fans of the Marx Brothers will recognize her from ANIMAL CRACKERS. Although she was a major talent, she underwent a long string of personal tragedies, including alcoholism and drug addiction (much of it in reaction to major disappointments in life, such as the death of her fiancé when she was in her early twenties). Eventually she managed to make a major comeback as a nightclub performer and wrote a biography that was made in to a major film, I'LL LIVE TOMORROW, which garnered an Oscar nomination for Susan Heyward. Roth was perhaps the first celebrity to publicly admit a problem with alcoholism and her openness made it possible for other troubled celebrities to get help. But seeing her in this film, so pretty and young and talented, really makes you regret that she did not have the kind of career her talent might have generated.MONTE CARLOThis is the least of the four films included in the set, though it is still quite good. Jeannette MacDonald sang "Beyond the Blue Horizon" in it and it became her personal theme song for the rest of her life. But for many film fans the greatest source of delight is the presence of Jack Buchanan in the male lead. Most American film fans know him primarily for his extraordinary work in the Fred Astaire film THE BAND WAGON. This film shows that he was not a one-hit wonder and the wonderful elegance that he displayed in THE BAND WAGON is fully in evidence here.THE SMILING LIEUTENANTTwo things that really strike me in this film are how very, very young Claudette Colbert is in it. We don't usually remember that most of Colbert's career came in her mid to late thirties, or even in her early forties. In this film she is 28 and one can see just how thin she was at that stage of her career. Though she was never a large person, she is surprisingly thin in this one, especially in her face. The other thing that struck me about her is that she hadn't yet refused to be photographed from her left profile. Here she frequently can be seen in full right profile and thinks nothing of going from one profile to another. Contrast this with THE PALM SPRINGS STORY, where she laboriously blocks her scenes to stay in left profile.The film is also graced by the wonderful Miriam Hopkins, one of the great comic actresses of the thirties and one of Lubitsch's most frequently used stars. She was in one of Lubitsch's greatest films, TROUBLE IN PARADISE, as well as in DESIGN FOR LIVING. I was not previously aware that she played the piano, but in the scenes where she is supposed to be playing it definitely looks as if she is. If she isn't, it is one of the best jobs at pretending to that I've ever seen.The greatest thing about this set is that it makes movies like this one available again. Although Lubitsch was impeded in his filmmaking by his duties at the studio and by ongoing health problems, it is absolutely amazing how many great movies he made. Now those who previously only knew him from NINOTCHKA and HEAVEN CAN WAIT and TO BE OR NOT TO BE and THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER and TROUBLE IN PARADISE can see a great film like THE SMILING LIEUTENANT.ONE HOUR WITH YOUThis is one of my all time favorite movies. It is also a film that couldn't possible have been made three years later, after the Code was fully implemented. It is quite naughty, about a promiscuous married female who is trying to seduce her best friends husband. She succeeds and one of my all time favorite scenes in any film comes when Chevalier, doing the walk of shame the next morning and sensing the moral disapproval of those in the film audience, asks them (us) if someone came up and did all the things that this temptress had done, what we would do? He then self-righteously proclaims, "Well, I did, too!"ONE HOUR WITH YOU also contains one of the strongest supporting casts of any Lubitsch film. Genevieve Tobin, Roland Young (who provides one laugh after another), and Charlie Ruggles provide one marvelous moment after another.Interestingly, while Lubitsch was making this film he simultaneously did so in French as well. Chevalier was, of course, French, and MacDonald fluent in it. They switched some of the supporting actors with others who could speak French. I've never seen this version and don't even know whether it is available. It would have been nice if they had included it as an extra in this set. It is definitely one of the movies that I would most like to see. Many people are unaware that many Hollywood films were simultaneously filmed in more than one language. Many Laurel and Hardy shorts were also made in Spanish and can be found without too much trouble.If you love classic cinema, this is as much as anything gets to a "must buy" set. Four great films by one of cinema's greatest directors focusing especially on two great stars. Sets simply don't get any more compelling than this.

Highly recommended and must see films from Ernst Lubitsch. The Love Parade is the second American film of Maurice Chevalier and the first film for Jeanette Macdonald. The Love Parade features Lillian Roth and Lupino Lane who later was a sensation in Me and My Girl and introduced the Lambeth Walk. Innovative in that it successfully integrated songs and plot, this film is outstanding and features songs including "Dream Lover," "My Love Parade," and "March of the Grenadiers." It is the classic battle of the sexes featuring a Queen played by Jeanette Macdonald and her Prince Consort played by Maurice Chevalier. Monte Carlo which features the standard "Beyond the Blue Horizon" sung by Jeanette Macdonald co-stars Jack Buchanan, a Count in disguise as a hairdresser. Jack Buchanan a musical star who later starred in The Band Wagon with Fred Astaire is excellent with the lovely Jeanette. The Smiling Lieutenant stars Chevalier and his leading ladies are Miriam Hopkins and Claudette Colbert, both equally charming. In a mythical kingdom, Chevalier's Lieutenant falls for Colbert but in a series of misunderstandings, marries the Princess played by Hopkins. One Hour with You is a remake of Lubitsch's silent the Marriage Circle and a triangle of happily marrieds Colette and Andre and the flirtatious Mitzi. Charles Ruggles co-stars as Adolph who is smitten with Colette. Tunes include "We will always be Sweethearts" and "One Hour with You." Fans of Musicals will enjoy this set featuring pre-Nelson Eddy Jeanette Macdonald and Maurice Chevalier. Highly recommended

I bought this series in order to see "One hour with you" after watching most of it on TCM a couple of weeks ago. So far, that's the only film in this set that I have watched, but it was light-hearted fun and entertainment. It's refreshing to watch films that didn't rely on the "F" word throughout, nor any bad language at all. Sure, the inuendos were there but they were cleverly written and presented with taste and dignity. Can't wait to see the other films because I'm sure they will be lightyears ahead in quality compared to many films released today. It's a great value and quality prints. I think it would have cost nearly as much just to purchase "One hour with you" as it did for this entire set; and that's if you could even find the former. Money well spent if you like classic movies.

I highly recommend this DVD set. When you watch Jeanette MacDonald in her first movie, "The Love Parade," and then all the ones in between til her last movie, "The Sun Comes Up," it is an incredible journey! She was such a beautiful and elegant lady. A talented singer, actress, and dancer. If you are a Jeanette MacDonald fan this set is a must.

It was supposed to be a new product, but had been used before. It had finger tips marks on the discs.

It doesn’t get any better, nor more sophisticated.

*This is a Region 1 purchase.*Ernst Lubitsch left Germany for Hollywood in 1922. He immediately realised the advent of 'talkies' were ideal for musicals. This collection of four films are directed with the style of his genius.1) The Love Parade: 1929 B/W, 109 minutes. Lubitsch's first sound film and 26 year old Philadelphian Jeanette MacDonald's screen debut as Queen Louise of Sylvania. She yearns for the experiences of life and hears of the experiences of her foreign emissary, Count Alfred, (Maurice Chevalier). He was an instant hit with the public. Their partnership is full of intrigue and carnal innuendoes with femininity against male chauvinism, perfectly matched with comic timing and satire. There is enough material to fuel the imagination in the dialogue accompanied by a score from Ernest Vajda and Guy Bolton. Excellent.2) Monte Carlo: 1930 B/W, 90 minutes. A superb and sophisticated combination of music, romance and comedy with six nominations at the Oscar ceremony. With Chevalier busy elsewhere, Jack Buchanan was cast as the film's protagonist encountering a countess (Jeanette MacDonald), who has jilted her fiancée at the altar. Charming and romantic with music to match. 'Beyond The Blue Horizon', in perfect rhythm to the train Jeanette is on, is wonderful. Other highlights are, 'Memoire Beaucaire', 'Give Me A moment Please' and 'Always In Always.' These films were before the Hay's censorship, and were full of sexual overtones that undoubtedly will bewilder modern viewers.3) The Smiling Lieutenant : 1931 B/W, 89 minutes. Maurice Chevalier is cast as the officer of the guards, Lieutenant Nikolaus, married to plain-Jane Princess Anna,(Miriam Hopkins), yet really loves Nikki (Claudette Colbert). Nikki, however, takes the Princess into her hands, enhancing her plain appearances into a beauty that throws Chevalier. The result is an enchanting film. The Oscar Straus score included, 'Toujours L'Amour In the Army', 'Breakfast Table Love; Jazz Up Your Lingerie' and ''Live For Today; While Hearts are Singing'. Risqué for the time with sequences that rightly were left to the imagination, but a sure fire hit. Wonderful casting and direction and again Oscar nominated.4) One Hour With You: 1932 B/W, 78 minutes. Although credited with Lubitsch, at least half was directed by George Cukor. Lubitsch was not enamoured by the script and reputedly tore it up. He did, however end up wit much of it's production to Maurice Chevalier's delight. The behind-the-scenes conflicts are not apparent on the screen. The result is a delightfully sophisticated musical reuniting Chevalier (Andre) with Jeanette MacDonald (Colette) as a happily married husband and wife. Marital infidelity follows with Genevieve Tobin orchestrating it all. This is still enjoyable yet less so than the previous three. Songs include 'One Hour With You', 'Three Times a Day: Now I Ask You What Would You Do?'.These are marvellous films with Lubitsch's stamp, excellently cast and musically scored. For any musical enthusiast they are a must-have. Awaiting around the corner were the likes of Busby Berkeley and Fred Astaire with a further period of development and delight.

"One Hour with You" is a gem. The others show their age somewhat but are all interesting developments in Lubitsch's career. Transfer quality is excellent as one expects from Criterion.The set only works on DVD players with American standard. When will the industry realise this stupid practice hinders rather than helps sales?

Lubitsch ist ein Gigant. Kennen und schätzen gelernt habe ich sein Werk in jenen fernen Tagen, als das öffentlich-rechtliche TV noch regelmäßig klassische Hollywoodfilme zeigte. Da begegneten mir zuerst Lubitschs späte US-amerikanische Filme (»Sein oder Nichtsein«, »Ein himmlischer Sünder« und natürlich »Ninotschka«). Irgendwann dehnte sich die Kenntnis langsam weiter zurück in die 1930er Jahre aus (»Ärger im Paradies«, »Serenade zu dritt« und »Engel«). Dann der Sprung noch weiter zurück in den deutschen Stummfilm (angefangen mit »Madame Dubarry«) und damit die Frage: Wie hat sich daraus der Hollywood-Lubitsch entwickelt? Das beantworteten im nächsten Schritt die amerikanischen Stummfilme »Die Ehe im Kreise« und »Lady Windermeres Fächer«. Blieb schließlich noch eine Sache übrig: Lubitschs Übergang vom Stumm- zum Tonfilm. Und das hieß: Musicals. Nun bin ich kein großer Freund von Musicals, und es hat mich deshalb auch nicht gedrängt, mir diese Lubitsch-Filme anzuschauen. Doch das war, wie sich nun herausstellt, ein Fehler!Die vorliegende DVD-Sammlung von Criterion (das heißt: Regionalcode 1) kommt schmucklos daher, ist aber eine wahre Fundgrube. Sie enthält folgende Filme:(1) »Love Parade / Liebesparade« (1929)(2) »Monte Carlo« (1930)(3) »The Smiling Lieutenant / Der lächelnde Leutnant« (1931)(4) »One Hour with You / Eine Stunde mit dir« (1932)Für alle diese Filme wurden europäische Erzählungen, Lustspiele und Operetten verarbeitet, für »One Hour with You« griff Lubitsch auf den Stoff zurück, der schon als Vorlage für »Die Ehe im Kreise« (1924) gedient hatte. Die Handlungsorte der Filme liegen alle in Europa (Paris, Wien und eine Phantasiemonarchie namens ›Sylvania‹).Lubitschs Dream Team sind Maurice Chevalier und Jeannette MacDonald. Sie spielen die Hauptrollen in (1) und (4) (später setzt Lubitsch sie erneut für »The Merry Widow« [1934] ein). In (2) spielt MacDonald an der Seite des etwas steifen, aber irgendwie doch charmanten Jack Buchanan. Chevaliers Partnerin in (3) ist Claudette Colbert, die darin ihr Gesangsdebüt gibt.Hier die Inhalte der Filme im Einzelnen zu schildern würde zu weit führen, deshalb nur einige summarische Bemerkungen. Es geht durchweg um Geschlechterrollen und Geschlechterverhältnisse. Das Thema wird auf die typische Lubitschart ebenso frivol wie elegant behandelt. Deutlich zu merken ist, dass es sich um Filme der Pre-Code-Ära handelt. Vieles von dem, was in diesen Musicals gesagt und getan wird, hätte sich Lubitsch wenige Jahre später, nach Inkrafttreten des Hays Code, keinesfalls mehr erlauben können. Ein Höhepunkt Lubitsch-mäßiger Frivolität ist sicherlich »The Smiling Lieutenant«.Die Songs sind durchweg in die Handlung eingebunden, wodurch sich diese Filme klar von den Backstage-Musicals bzw. Revuefilmen à la Busby Berkeley unterscheiden, die kurze Zeit später die Szene beherrschen. Die Songs stellen in der Regel ironische Kommentare zum Geschehen dar. Ein besonderes Kunststück gelingt Lubitsch am Schluss von »Monte Carlo«: Die Konflikte zwischen den beiden Hauptfiguren lösen sich bei einem Opernbesuch, wobei die Oper auf derselben Vorlage beruht wie der Film selbst.Hervorzuheben ist Lubitschs ingeniöser Umgang mit dem neuen Medium Tonfilm. Hier findet man nicht abgefilmtes Musiktheater, sondern einen ganz filmmäßigen Einsatz des Tons. Manchmal hört man, was man nicht sehen kann, und manchmal ergibt sich der Witz daraus, dass man sieht, was man nicht hören kann. Das alles ist bereits in »Love Parade«, Lubitschs erstem Tonfilm, voll entwickelt.Jeanette MacDonalds Gesangstalent ist nicht zu bestreiten, ihr Schauspieltalent ist überschaubar, ohne dass sie durch die Rollen in diesen Musicals überfordert wirken würde. Doch der Unterschied zu Claudette Colbert in »The Smiling Lieutenant« ist deutlich bemerkbar, – dieser Film verfügt über eine erotische Spannung (die allerdings auch durch die fabelhafte Miriam Hopkins miterzeugt wird), die die Chevalier/MacDonald-Filme so nicht haben. Maurice Chevalier ist ein Ereignis. Er verkörpert eine unangreifbare Frivolität. Sein Charme macht ihn unantastbar. Dass er mit einem brachialen französischen Akzent spricht, bedeutet keine Beeinträchtigung, sondern steigert den Charme sogar eher noch.Die vorliegende DVD-Sammlung ist im Rahmen der Eclipse-Reihe bei Criterion erschienen. Für Criterion-Verhältnisse ist die Reihe spartanisch ausgestattet: keine Extras auf den DVDs, kein Booklet. Die DVDs befinden sich in Slimline-DVD-Hüllen, die in einem dünnen Pappschuber stecken, der oben und unten offen ist. Auf den Innenseiten der Inlays befinden sich jedoch jeweils informative Essays zu den Filmen. Englische Untertitel sind verfügbar. Die Bild- und Tonqualität entspricht dem hohen Criterion-Standard.Fazit: Eine grandiose DVD-Sammlung. Für mich sind »Love Parade« und »The Smiling Lieutenant« absolute Meisterwerke. Dass »Monte Carlo« und »One Hour with You« dahinter ein wenig zurückfallen, heißt aber nicht, dass ich diese Filme nicht ebenso uneingeschränkt empfehlen könnte.

The box of the dvds has been delivered broken in more than one part. Beside that, no problems and the delivering was right on time.

The best of the four was Monte Carlo, staring Jack Buchanan (most commonly know for his preformaces on Broadway and in London) as his humor and persona suits the role. He is far better than Maurice Chevalier who comes across as far too egotistical in the other 3 to be likable.If you are looking for the sweet romantic comedies of the time this is not the set to buy. As Chevalier loves them and leaves them, and you, unsatisfied.