Stometer Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Merolliv I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.

Keeley Coleman The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

Cassandra Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

JohnHowardReid The film that started it all — the first of MGM's fabulously Technicolored musical comedies — and still one of the studio's Ten Best! A wittily diverting script, beautifully photographed, joined to Victor Herbert's "immortal melodies", enacted by a grand array of our favorite character players including Frank "Kiddies" Morgan and Herman "Budapest" Bing.MacDonald and Eddy were never more captivating or brightly presented, Van Dyke's pacey direction moves with a fluent slickness, production values are enjoyably lavish, while Slavko Vorkapich has created a remarkably inventive montage — a rare (perhaps unique?) accomplishment from the meticulously slow-working Technicolor laboratory. Sets, costumes are also exceptionally attractive in color, setting new standards for appealing opulence. In addition to all this visual gloss — and other smoothly professional technical credits including able sound recording and brisk film editing — there's that delightfully quip-witted, gently satirical Parker- Campbell script that provides such wonderfully comic opportunities for our gang of scene-stealing veterans. Playing their volatile roles with commendable enthusiasm and pungent relish, Morgan, Auer and Bing make merry with hilarious bickering, while Reginald Gardiner almost steals the show as a cynically persuasive Hollywood agent. In smaller parts, Walburn and Watson are delightful, Gene Lockhart has an amusingly memorable cameo and I must especially applaud Betty Jaynes and Douglas McPhail as the duplicate "Sweethearts".MacDonald and Eddy are not only in excellent collective voice, but for once are evenly matched — musically and dramatically. Eddy shares equally with MacDonald in most of their numbers except "Every Lover Must Meet His Fate" in which her participation is comparatively brief. However, he has a rousing solo, "On Parade", virtually to himself. MacDonald, on the other hand, is considerably up-staged by Ray Bolger (who, in this film — unlike his previous role in Rosalie — has nothing else to do but dance) in "Wooden Shoes". Both have ingenious production numbers and Eddy's dramatic gifts, which ran more naturally to light comedy than old-fashioned opera melodrama, are buoyantly serviced by the sprightly tattle-tale script. Although she preferred more dramatic roles, Jeanette MacDonald's "singing sweetheart" is no less charmingly vivacious. And both stars are handsomely served by Technicolor.I was going to conclude by observing that it was a shame MacDonald and Eddy didn't make more out-and-out comedies. But of course they did try again with "I Married An Angel" (1942), their final collaboration, which was not nearly so commercially successful. (It's a pity that you could only use the Campbells' ingenious show-within-a-show idea once. It was certainly a mighty clever way of jettisoning a creaky old operetta story while retaining its magnificently vibrant songs).

wes-connors Broadway stars Jeanette MacDonald (as Gwen Marlowe) and Nelson Eddy (as Ernest Lane) are celebrating six years starring in the highly successful operetta "Sweethearts" and have been happily married for six years, also. They are still very much in love, but find it difficult to have off stage time together without family and work related people hanging around. They plan to leave New York for laid-back Hollywood, which prompts a plot to break up Ms. MacDonald and Mr. Eddy. Everyone figures MacDonald and Eddy are worth less apart, and Hollywood will lose interest in pairing them in movies...The public seems to adore them with young new partners Douglas McPhail (as Harvey Horton) and Betty Jaynes (as Una Wilson), but Hollywood doesn't notice..."Sweethearts" caught MacDonald and Eddy cresting on their wave of success. "Photoplay" magazine gave it their "Best Picture" award and audiences lined up to see the musical team in "Oscar"-winning Technicolor. "Quigley Publications" annual box office stars poll reflected three reasons to see "Sweethearts"; for the year 1938, MacDonald was solo star #14, Eddy polled at #19, and the team shared position #22. Supporting actors Frank Morgan (as Felix Lehman) and featured player Ray Bolger (as Hans) photographed well enough in color for "The Wizard of Oz" (1939), in case anyone was wondering...***** Sweethearts (12/22/38) W.S. Van Dyke ~ Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger

mensa522 It was a surprise that "Sweethearts" was MGM's first full-length movie in color and also that Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy were selected for this venture. Since it is based in modern times, 1938, it is much more believable and enjoyable in color. I just watched this film on Turner Classic Movies and enjoyed the story and each scene as it unfolded. She could have been a classic opera diva with her talent and good stage presence but instead she chose to make films that are recorded for us and posterity to enjoy! "Sweethearts" is a fun film to watch with music from a bygone era that will not be duplicated in this present age of reality, action films.

Pat-54 Not only was this their first color film, but this was the first story set in contemporary time (1938). Plus, the script has some funny "one-liners." However, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone but fans of Nelson and Jeanette.