Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-09-25
Music and
Comedy
At II. n.
BY CHARLES GENTRY .

MARRIAGES MAY be made in
heaven, but there's a grim under
current TO II Married an Angel
which should make the ordinary
observer suspect that the devil
had a hand in the nuptial affairs
as well.
At least the idea occurred TO us
during the course of the film
version of the Dwight Dere
Wiman musical comedy success
which opened at the United Artists
yesterday, on double bill with
her Cardboard Lover" featuring
Norma Shearer and Rober
Taylor.
In the musical we find. some
what to the surprise of every one
who saw the stage version, that
Miss Macdonald is just clerk in
the bank run by a Budapest play
boy, Nelson Eddy. Mr.. Eddy, it
seems, is just the toast of town
when il comes to feminine interest.
so that when plain-Jane MacDon-
aid appears at his lavish birthday
party, Nelson goes upstairs and
goes 10 sleep.
Since we had left our glasses to-
be repaired at the optometrists.
we're not quite sure about what
happens from here on in.
WHAT ON EARTH:
Peering closely from the first
row OF the United Artists luxury
seats we judged that Mr.. Eddy
had little too much at the party
and had a dream, during the
course of which he imagines he IS
married to Miss Macdonald, who
is not very cleverly disguised as
an angel.
She is sweet and she Is pure,
and she is Jeanette Macdonald.
They have a heavenly honey
moon in Paris and return to Buda-
pest in time 10 cope with finan-
cial crisis. which Miss NJ. Doesn't
help a bit because she tells the
truth TO the board of directors
with a sort OF angelic straight
forwardness which would be-
known by another word here on
earth.
JUST IN TIME
AZ this point Mr. Eddy for
tunately wakes up and returns toI
this world and finds the simple
little secretary who had been on
the wallflower sidelines all thel
time.
Outside Of the music which Isl
so important-you'll discover not
only Il Married an Angel" but
such lovely things as Spring Is
Here" and End of a Dream
there is only the poSt-nuptial
scene in which the bride has lost
her wings to identify this with the
version.
THEIR FINAL FLING:
Despite the resonant coupling OF
their voices, Mr.. Eddy looks a.
little haggard and Miss MacDon-
aid looks a little like this is the,
last picture she is going 10 make
with Mr.. Eddy.
There is a large cast. magnifi-I
cent sets and all the trappingS we
have been led TO expect from AM
M-G-M musical.
There is hardly more TO recon-
mend the companion picture, Her
Cardboard Lover"
Made as silent. Miss Marion
Davies just about touched the top
in cinematic farce. but Norma
Shearer, an independent actress If
we've ever watched one, has had
her own ideas about handling the
role.
Into something which is clearly
parlor, bedroom and bathtub bur-
lesque she has injected a note OF
sinister Sentimentalism.
TOO DRAMATIC
She cries, has seizures over the
telephone and behaves generally
like a professional Desdemona
who finds herself cast in Life
With Father"
Seriously. she does get so tragic
over a comedy situation that she
Spoils any chance for a laugh. and
you feel as though you we're
being rude to a great actress if
you let giggle escape during the
telling of story you know byI
heart.
THE PAY-OFF
Owing beautiful woma
money. Robert Taylor finds thel
only way 10 get out Of her debt
is TO play watchdog over her and
keep her away from GeorgeI
Sanders. a man she admits sheI
wants TO avoid despite her infatu-
alton with him.
Taylor takes such great heart
in his work that he falls in love-