Bitter Sweet [1940] [DVD]

One of the greatest of Noël Coward's scores (his first, in fact), lavishly redone by MGM in the heart of their golden era. Deciding to photograph in sumptuous and expensive three-strip Technicolor was a clear indication of how highly studio boss Louis B Mayer prized his team of songbirds (not even Garbo rated colour!), the legendary “Iron Butterfly” Jeanette MacDonald and her partner, the now-almost-unwatchable Nelson Eddy.

The songs are fabulous; other pleasures include a very funny turn from Herman Bing, and distinguished Brits George Sanders and Ian Hunter, as a Viennese officer and an English lord respectively, lending a touch of class to the heavyweight American leads. One to sit back and enjoy.

Musical starring Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. Sarah Millick shocks her family when she runs off to Vienna with her music teacher Carl Linden on the eve of her marriage. They struggle to make ends meet, but continue to dream of putting on Carl's operetta.