I Married an Angel (1942)

Director:

W.S. Van Dyke

Writers:

Johann von Vásáry (play)
Richard Rodgers (musical adaptation for play) ...

Release Date:

9 July 1942 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Musical | Romance | Comedy

Tagline:

America's Favorite Sweethearts in their final pairing!

Plot:

Anna Zador is a secretary who's been working for 6 years at Count Willie Palaffi's bank. Every day,...

Plot Keywords:

Secretary | Angel | Dream | Playboy | Wing

Cast

Jeanette MacDonald	...	Anna / Brigitta
Nelson Eddy	...	Count Palaffi
Edward Everett Horton	...	Peter
Binnie Barnes	...	Peggy
Reginald Owen	...	'Whiskers'
Douglass Dumbrille	...	Baron Szigethy
Mona Maris	...	Marika
Janis Carter	...	Sufi
Inez Cooper	...	Iren
Leonid Kinskey	...	Zinski
Anne Jeffreys	...	Polly
Marion Rosamond	...	Dolly

Runtime:

84 min | USA:90 min (copyright length)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Australia:G | Finland:S | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (PCA #8401) | USA:Passed (National Board of Review)

Filming Locations:

Sherwood Forest, California, USA

Company:

Loew's

Trivia:

Because the Hays Code had taken effect in the years since this project was first suggested to MGM, the show's "racy" content (the idea of an angel having sex with a mortal) had to be considerably toned down for the film.

Movie Connections:

Spoofed in Date with an Angel (1987)

Soundtrack:

Hey Butcher

Filled with Great Music, an Unusual Story, Great Singing

The movie is a fantasy. The story line is thin but serves as the structure upon which some wonderful songs are sung and sung beautifully. (I still cannot believe that such handsome and attractive people could sing this well.) Some of the dialog is wonderfully clever. The costumes made me feel as though I was watching a haute couture fashion show from 1942.

Movies are designed to serve various purposes. This one is designed to entertain and it certainly does. If I have one negative comment it would be that Nelson Eddy was a little too old to be the handsome dashing Count. Some of the closeups made me uncomfortable. But he could still sing and sing magnificently. However, Jeanette MacDonald was just as dazzling as ever. She makes a spectacular angel.

This genre is well before my time, and I an new to the Jeanette MacDonald/Nelson Eddy films and related conversation. The music in this movie is beautiful. As much as I love the classic rock music which fills most modern movies, there is no question in my mind that this music is simply and clearly more memorable, more delightful, better constructed. The stars in this movie are more talented than the stars I see in the movie theaters today. And Jeanette MacDonald, without the benefit of Beverly Hills plastic surgeons, was more beautiful than the stars I see today. I am unclear as to why so many other posters are apologetic about liking this movie and more generally this group of movies. They say it is dated and try to explain why it is the way it is. And those that do not like it say that it is not very good but compared to what? I think this movie will doubtless still be entertaining people when so many other movie are long forgotten. There is just too much quality in every way in this movie for it not to be remembered and enjoyed. I recommend this movie without reservation to anyone who appreciates great talent, great beauty and great music.