Rosalie (1937)

A West Point cadet (Nelson Eddy) falls in love with a Vassar student (Eleanor Powell), who is actually the Princess of a tiny European municipality. When she is called back to her country, he goes AWOL and follows her, still not knowing she is royalty. Based on the 1928 stage musical and directed by W.S. Van Dyke (THE THIN MAN). The Sigmund Romberg and George Gershwin songs of the original musical have been jettisoned in favor of a new score by Cole Porter, the most famous of which is In The Still Of The Night but it still has the vibe of an operetta. On vacation from Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy is as stiff and uncharismatic as ever. Thankfully, there's that tapping dynamo Eleanor Powell who kicks the movie alive when she dances. The movie itself is an overblown spectacular with literally a cast of thousands that overwhelms the flimsy plot. I kept hoping that Ray Bolger (as Eddy's sidekick) would get a chance to dance with Powell but not only does that not happen, Bolger isn't even given a full number to do. For Eleanor Powell fans only. With Frank Morgan repeating his role as the King from the original production, Edna May Oliver, Ilona Massey, George Zucco and Virginia Grey.