mark.waltz There's little to find fault with in this practically perfect early talkie musical comedy, directed by the master of early 30's art decco-Ernest Lubitsch. Jeanette MacDonald is the bored fiancée of an extremely effeminate duke who can't believe it when she runs off on their wedding day. So who does she fall in love with? A hairdresser, of course! There is plenty of homosexual innuendo in this VERY pre-code farce. Of course, there's the duke who will never be confused with a soon-to-be Western movie star or even all those large dogs named "Duke" by their owners. Then, there's the hairdresser that lovelorn count Jack Buchannan takes over for so he can do MacDonald's hair himself. The celluloid closet was filled to the rim with curlers, creams and powder puffs, and I suspect that the closet door for this delightfully stereotypical characters was slightly ajar.I have mixed feelings about Jack Buchannan's performance as the count, but I think it is because he was perhaps too British for American taste. Perfectly cast as the eccentric producer in 1953's MGM masterpiece "The Band Wagon", Buchannan's hellion laced voice made him lack in the romance department. MacDonald is radiant throughout, especially singing "Beyond the Blue Horizon" on a moving train. Her comic timing is impeccable. Zasu Pitts sadly is wasted as her maid. The music is interestingly dropped into the plot which in spite of its leading man makes the film rank in the list of precode gems.

MartinHafer In the 1930s and 40s, the German comedian/director Ernst Lubitsch came to Hollywood and made a succession of wonderful movies--movies that had such artistry that they were said to have 'the Lubitsch touch'. However, despite marvelous films like "The Smiling Lieutenant", "Trouble in Paradise" and "Ninotchka", he did make an occasional dud--as "Monte Carlo" is a very tough film to enjoy. There are many reasons the film fails--though Lubitsch's direction and style is still a plus in this movie--it is lovely to look at and is a pretty movie. But, there are so many problems that mar anyone enjoying it--especially here in the 21st century. The biggest problem is perhaps the singing. While Jeanette MacDonald was a huge star in her day, her songs in this film are just dreadful and there is just too much singing--and not the cute or pleasant singing but warbling that hurts your ears. The other problems are the male leads. Claud Allister is cast as Jeanette's fiancé--but he appears to be a homosexual and the idea of their marriage seems ridiculous. So of course Jeanette breaks the engagement--but the idea of there even being an engagement in the first place makes no sense. As for the main male lead, Jack Buchanan, he simply is a dull looking man who seems like he isn't up to the task of playing a romantic male lead. Mgmax's review compared his looks to Paul Muni (not exactly romantic leading man material) and I would say that this is true--but Buchanan is even less suited for this sort of role. And finally, the whole plot about a penniless lady living above her means and trying to find a way out of her financial difficulties is hard to enjoy--and Jeanette just seems, at times, shallow--particularly when this was made during the Depression. Trials and tribulations of a pampered countess who wants to find a rich husband is a plot who probably found little resonance with the audiences of the day! Overall, while the film has moments, the overall package isn't particularly enjoyable and seems easy to skip. You just wouldn't expect that from one of Lubitsch's American films...but it's true.

cynthiahost This is another early excellent example of Ernest Lubish musical talkie. It isn't overacted or staged .Jeannette plays a countess who runs way with her maid on a train to escape the umpteenth time to marry an pipsqueak an a count. She decides to go to Monte Carlo with her last franks in hope to gamble to make a lot of money so she can be independent. A gambling opportunist, played by a very young Jack Buchnanan, with his friend sees her ,befor she goes to the gambling house being superstitious rubbing a mans back for good luck and paying him for it.He follows her and ask her if she needs good luck by rubbing his hair.She ignores him. But as soon as they get close he continues to reject him but rubs his hair,. He goes in to observes that she's winning. All of a sudden she loses and he feels real bad about it.Trys to contact her to try to make up for it she rejects him. So when he and his friend meets her beautician he gets him to allow himself to play her beautician to get into her room. He almost makes a mess trying to fix her hair. She ends up hiring him as her chauffeur and cook. she goes to the bank to found out she's broke.He fiancés is trying to look for her and discovers he went Montiecarlo. He finds her and she felt that she had no choice but to marry him for his money which he finds novel. Earlier she has to fire him but keeps him on when she goes back with fiancé.He admits to her partially that he's a gambler and agrees' to help her win money going out together pretending he's not her beautician.But they end up falling in love and not gambling. Her maid play by Zazu Pitts suggest she dump him. She does regretfully. for weeks looks for him until she calls the right barber shop when he's getting a shave . He answer's the phone and rejects her . Later on shows up at her place only to professionally fix her hair but she want him to go to the opera with her. He turns her down. As she goes to the operas late, in which her pipsqueak of a fiancé is already at the theater. Paramount adapted from their Rudolph Valentino silent Monseur Vocare as a fictitious operetta at the Monticarlo opera house. Thats when she discovers that he's there and that he is count. Another standard was written for the screen Beyond the blue Horizon. the song title was used later on in another movie staring Dorothy Lamour but it was a different story.

mrdonleone I'm going to try to convince you that this picture is not as good as they say, it bored me like hell. please don't forget that I like the genre, romantic comedies rule (especially Les Pärapluies de Cherbourg). but I don't know, maybe I felt bad about it because I just had an exam or maybe I didn't like the length of it (90 minutes) because I still had to go to school. so yes, maybe the movie was interesting, because I watched it until the end was long gone.but I'm afraid I will have to confess I only watched this because it was standing in my book with hard to find movie titles in it. maybe I sound a bit negative, which I am not, let me assure you that I can be happy with a small gift. and yes, Jack Buchanan does in fact steal the audiences attention completely to him. but than again, if you like Buchanan, go see The Band Wagon and not this Monte Carlo (even though he doesn't sing bad in here).so why did I wrote this review, beginning with saying I would prove you the film is not as good as they say it is, writing down why I didn't like the picture? that's no argument. well, maybe it's just a bad movie in my eyes, go see it and judge this picture yourself.