Bitter Sweet is a 1940 American Technicolor musical film directed by W. S. Van Dyke, based on the operetta Bitter Sweet by Noël Coward. It was nominated for two Academy Awards, one for Best Cinematography and the other for Best Art Direction by Cedric Gibbons and John S. Detlie.
The film is based on Coward's stage operetta, which was a hit in 1929 in London. It was filmed twice, first in 1933 in black-and-white (in Britain, with Anna Neagle and Fernand Gravet in the leading roles). The 1940 film is much cut and rewritten, removing much of the operetta's irony. The opening and closing scenes are cut, focusing the film squarely upon the relationship between MacDonald's character, Sarah, and her music teacher, Carl Linden. The opening scene was a flash forward, in which Sarah appears as an elderly woman recalling how she fell in love. One reason for dropping this scene is that it had been appropriated for MGM's 1937 film Maytime. Coward disliked the 1940 film and vowed that no more of his shows would be filmed in Hollywood. In 1951, he told The Daily Express, "I was saving up Bitter Sweet as an investment for my old age. After MGM's dreadful film I can never revive it" on stage.
Contents
Plot
Set in late 19th century Vienna, the story focuses on the romance between music teacher Carl Linden (Nelson Eddy) and his prize pupil Sarah Milick (Jeanette MacDonald).
Cast
Jeanette MacDonald as Sarah Millick, later Sari Linden
Nelson Eddy as Carl Linden
George Sanders as Baron Von Tranisch
Ian Hunter as Lord Shayne
Felix Bressart as Max
Sig Ruman as Herr Schlock
Diana Lewis as Jane
Lynne Carver as Dolly
Edward Ashley as Harry Daventry
Curt Bois as Ernst
Fay Holden as Mrs. Millick
Janet Beecher as Lady Daventry
Charles Judels as Herr Wyler
Veda Ann Borg as Manon
Herman Bing as Market Keeper
Greta Meyer as Mama Luden
Production
Filming started June 1940.
Reception
Noël Coward later wrote about the film in his diaries in July 1946 when he saw the film for a second time with some friends:
Having only seen it once we had forgotten the full horror of it. It really is frightening that the minds of Hollywood could cheerfully perpetrate such a nauseating hotchpotch of vulgarity, false values, seedy dialogue, stale sentiment, vile performance and abominable direction. I had forgotten the insane coquetting of Miss Jeanette MacDonald allied to a triumphant lack of acting ability. I had forgotten the resolute, flabby heaviness of Mr Nelson Eddy. I had forgotten the sterling work of the gentleman who saw fit to rewrite my dialogue and lyrics, whose name is Samuels... this vulgar orgy of tenth-rate endeavour.
Soundtrack
"I'll See You Again"
Written by Noël Coward
Sung by Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy
"Polka"
Written by Noël Coward
Played at the party and danced to by the guests
"If You Could Only Come With Me"
Written by Noël Coward
Sung by Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy
"What Is Love"
Written by Noël Coward
Sung by Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy
Reprised at Schlick's
"Kiss Me"
Written by Noël Coward
Sung by Jeanette MacDonald
"Tokay"
Written by Noël Coward
Sung by Nelson Eddy and the patrons at the cafe
"Love In Any Language"
Written by Noël Coward
Sung by Jeanette MacDonald at the cafe
Partly dubbed by Ann Harriet Lee
"Dear Little Cafe"