The Silver Screen Oasis

Said it before, and I'm sayin' it again: that Jeannette MacDonald is one hot-looking dame, even under all that accurate-but-awful wardrobe, even with those unflattering hair-do's.
Is her singing voice really all that great? Can she act her way out a wet paper-bag?
Who cares?!
She learned her lines, and is a pleasure to behold.

Klondike,

From the title I thought you were talking about our Moraldo Rubini, handsome San Francisco lad that he is.

Calm down Klonny:

Yes, I think her singing is that great, her acting could use some help, but with a voice like that who cares (I know you would replace the word 'voice' with something else), but I think I saw this the first time when I was about 7 and fell in love with Clark, Spence, and Jeannette that day, and never fell off the wagon. Anyone who says she can't sing is a whacko IMHO. Also, you can't help but like the old dame on Nob Hill Mrs. Hurley, talk about a tough old broad!!!

Does anyone know what opera that last section was from? The one where Clark actually listens to her sing, and goes and knocks out the process server. I have this on VHS and before my machine went bonko, I often put this movie in and fast forward to that spot and listen to that song.
HEY, MR. RUBIIIIINNNNNIIIII, you must know.

Anne

Yes, but apparently she was one female co-star that Gable could not take a liking to. Apparently he preferred rougher-edged gals, like Carole Lombard and Joan Crawford. The story goes that MacDonald, known around MGM as "The Iron Butterfly" annoyed Gable because of her prima donna attitude on the set.

Whatever they felt for each other personally, Gable and MacDonald have great chemistry in San Francisco. It's a great film.

Sandy K

Anne wrote:Does anyone know what opera that last section was from? The one where Clark actually listens to her sing, and goes and knocks out the process server. HEY, MR. RUBIIIIINNNNNIIIII, you must know.

You rang? For the answer, I contacted our old pal, Jack Burley. Jeanette MacDonald sings the Jewel Song from Gounoud's opera Faust, and then they go on to show a bunch of highlights from the opera. It was a good choice, right? Not only to show off MacDonald, but because the Faustian theme reflects so many themes of the movie itself. Later in the flick, she sings "Sempre Libera" from Verdi's La Traviata (same story on which the movies Camille were based).

[Lynn: payment for you comment is in the mail.]