Anne81

1. What do you notice about the interaction between the characters in these two scenes? Please give specific examples. I noticed that with the training of classical singers, I myself have studied opera for 14 years, that there is a sense of more formality which may come across as stiffness. Nelson Eddy does seem to struggle more with movement though, and Janette MacDonald seems a little more at ease. Her timing seems better and her facial expressions in the boat and her attempts at mimicking the saloon singer make her seem more warm. 2. If you have seen either or both of these actors in other films or television shows, please share your perceptions about them. I can’t remember the names of the movies I have seen them in, but my grandmother loved to listen to and watch Nelson Eddy and Janette MacDonald. Actually I do remember one called “Naughty Marietta” where they sing, ‘Oh Sweet Mystery of Life’, and every time I hear it though, I think of Young Frankenstein….sigh….however, I do remember the costumes and exaggerated acting. 3. What do these clips tell you about the male/female relationships as they are depicted in the films during this era? What norms might you expect are supported under the Hollywood Film Code? The male/female relationship appears to be the dominant male and the flirtatious female, where the strong male wins the damsel in distress. I think the Hollywood Film Code continued to set the stage for the female always needing to be saved by the strong male. That women took second to men.

1. Do you agree that the clip exhibits a brighter perspective of life than might be realistic? Why or why not? I believe the clip showed a romanticized version of the real events. I think the point of the film is to entertain, and it did just that. If it were to show the struggles, the real conflict, it might be too dark or down. 2. What themes or approaches might you anticipate from this clip in other Depression era musicals? The themes or approaches I see are the struggling person that wins in the end, the happy ending or fairy tale ending. 3. Since this is a musical that was made after the motion picture code was enforced, how might you imagine it might have been filmed or scripted differently if it had been pre-code? Give specific examples. It might have been filmed with either Billings or Ziegfeld meeting Anna in her dressing room after the show, and possibly one walking in on the other in a delicate scene, possibly with more sexual overtones.