jfarms1956 The Cat and The Fiddle is a movie best enjoyed by the baby boomer generation. The best things about this movie is the surprise ending and Jeanette MacDonald. I found the movie to have a lack-luster plot. The beautiful scenery and costumes aid in the enjoyment of the film. I always enjoy watching Frank Morgan. Jeanette MacDonald always has a beautiful voice. I think that the film would be best enjoyed as a late night film to relax one from the stresses of the day. A glass of wine is a perfect to accompany the viewing of this film. If the producer could do the ending of the film the way he did, then why didn't he do the rest of the film the same way. It would have been more enjoyable to watch like that. It was too long, too late. I give it three thumbs up.

bob-790-196018 In the years before she teamed up with Nelson Eddy and became the object of later camp mockery, Jeannette MacDonald starred in several bright, sophisticated musical comedies directed by Ernst Lubitsch, and in one of the greatest of all musical films, Rouben Mammoulian's Love Me Tonight. MacDonald had many talents, and they were all on display in these movies. She could sing wonderfully, act, do comedy, and be quite sexy.Unfortunately, while The Cat and the Fiddle belongs to this pre-Eddy period, it does not measure up to the other films. It has all the saccharine sentimentality--the corn--of old fashioned operetta without any of the high spirits and with little of the sophisticated humor. In addition, Ramon Novarro is no Maurice Chevalier. He is earnest but dull and too effeminate to be believable as the object of MacDonald's romantic interest. The best one can say is that he can sing reasonably well.Besides the pleasure of hearing MacDonald sing and do her best to inject some life and naughtiness into the story, there is one other high point: Charles Butterworth in his role as Charles, the goofy hanger-on with the absurd non-sequiturs. He was a delightful character actor of the time.There is one particularly good Jerome Kern song: The Night Was Made for Love. Also worth seeing is Vivienne Segal in one of her rare movie appearances. One of her greatest Broadway roles was in Pal Joey.

wes-connors Ramon Novarro (as Victor) is a struggling musician, trying to make ends meet, in Brussels. After delighting diners with a new composition, Mr. Novarro refuses to pay the owner for some wine, and runs away. He loses pursuers by hopping into a car, which is occupied by another poor musician, singer Jeanette MacDonald (as Shirley). Novarro is smitten with Ms. MacDonald, and woos her from his neighboring apartment. The two are drawn to each other, both romantically and professionally. On the verge of becoming a successful team, Novarro's producer Frank Morgan (as Daudet) becomes a romantic rival for MacDonald's affections.Operetta films featuring soprano MacDonald aren't exactly my favorite of movie genres; but, this one is better than most. Stars Novarro and MacDonald are very engaging; Novarro has a couple of great, unexpected, dramatic scenes. Look for some entertaining supporting performances, too; Charles Butterworth is especially good as the "Harp Player". The film eventually becomes a total operetta, with Novarro and MacDonald singing until the end of "The Cat and the Fiddle". The last song is shown in color. The better song was "The Night Was Made for Love". ****** The Cat and the Fiddle (2/16/34) William K. Howard ~ Ramon Novarro, Jeanette MacDonald, Frank Morgan, Charles Butterworth

didi-5 Notable for three things - the MGM debut of the lovely Jeanette MacDonald; the musical ability of Ramon Novarro, at this time on his way out of films as his star began to wane; and the Technicolour finale.'The Cat and the Fiddle' comes to the screen from the Broadway operetta, retaining most of the already-dated songs, and a plot designed to make the most of familiar character actors of the time (Charles Butterworth, Joseph Cawthorn, Jean Hersholt).It is definitely minor league stuff when you consider the musical legacy of the MGM studios, but definitely worth watching. The leads are good together and in excellent voice, and the film is funny, sparkling, and very much of its time.