"Love Me Tonight" (Jeanette MacDonald, 1932)

The title song from the 1932 film musical--held by many to be the finest movie in that genre. MacDonald is at her pre-code, pre-Eddy vivacious peak here, her potent chemistry with Chevalier marks one of cinema's most beguiling romantic screen couplings.

Larry Hart's lyrics; music of Richard Rodgers:

LOVE ME TONIGHT

There's a glistening ring
Around the moon-
Are you listening?
It is not too soon-
Let's drink deep tonight all alone,
Let us keep tonight
As our very own.

Your heart and my heart
Were made to meet.
Don't make them wait-
Love me tonight!

Why should our lips
Be afraid to meet?
Love me tonight.

Who knows what tomorrow brings
With the morning light?
Dear, I'm here
With a heart that sings
Love me tonight!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

More from Wiki:

Love Me Tonight is a 1932 musical comedy film which tells the story of a penniless nobleman who moves a tailor to whom he owes money into his chateau and passes him off as nobility. It stars Maurice Chevalier, Jeanette MacDonald, Charles Ruggles, Charles Butterworth and Myrna Loy. It was directed by Rouben Mamoulian.

The movie was adapted by Samuel Hoffenstein, George Marion Jr. and Waldemar Young from the play by Paul Armont and Léopold Marchand.

It features the classic Rodgers and Hart songs "Isn't it Romantic?", "Mimi", and "Lover" (the last of these is not sung romantically as it often is in nightclubs, but comically, as Jeanette MacDonald tries to control an unruly horse that she is riding). The staging of "Isn't It Romantic?" was revolutionary for its time, combining both singing and film editing, as the song is passed from one singer (or group of singers) to another, all of whom are at different locales.

In 1990, Love Me Tonight was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Parisian tailor Maurice Courtelin (Maurice Chevalier) poses as a baron in order to collect the unpaid bills a local aristocrat (Charlie Ruggles) have been piling up. On his way to the castle, he has a confrontation with haughty Princess Jeanette (Jeanette MacDonald). When he arrives at the castle, he charms the various denizens, including Jeanette's chattering aunts and her man-hungry cousin Valentine (Myrna Loy). Jeanette is resistant towards the newcomer, but eventually falls for his charms, telling him she will love him no matter who he is or where he is. When he helps her redesign an outfit, he confesses to her that he's really a tailor. The entire household is outraged, and Maurice leaves. As he takes the train back to Paris, Jeanette realizes her mistake and follows him on horseback. He tells her to stay away, so she stands in front of the train. When the train stops, Maurice jumps out and they embrace as smoke from the train envelops them.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• 1932
• Jeanette
• MacDonald
• Love
• me
• Tonight
• Rodgers
• Hart
• Mamoulian
• Chevalier
• paramount

[Gemini730]

Beautiful. Thank You for sharing with Us. Lorraine

[RReady555]

You're deeply welcome, Lorraine--I especially love Jeanette's earlier work.

Kindest wishes,

-RR

[genia106]

Absolutely FABULOUS!

Thank you so very much for THIS and ALL the Marvelous songs you are posting.

[RReady555]

You've always been very supportive of my channel--I do appreciate it, genia! More to come... ;)

Regards,

-RR

[mrdee11091]

jeanette MacDonald starred in two of the highest-grossing films of that year In Rose Marie (1936) MacDonald played a haughty opera diva who learns her kid brother (James Stewart) has killed a Mountie and is hiding in the northern woods; Eddy is the Mountie sent to capture him.She and Nelson Eddy sang Rudolf Friml's Indian Love Call to each other in the Canadian wilderness actually filmed at Lake Tahoe great post rr hope you mind the info ,,,,

[RReady555]

Very helpful background, Paul--thank you!

-RR

[johnnykirkup]

ABSOLUTELY SUPERB RENDITION WITH GREAT BACKING !!!

THANK YOU !!!

[shanghaibenny2]

God, is she great!

[VictoriaGil23]

What a beautiful coloratura soprano voice! Thank you very much for this lovely video. Kind regards, Victoria

[Corrie121]

I am so happy to find this great post. It is superb, and I thank you for sharing it.

[pollux2222]

It's really the only version to listen to. Effjay

[jclarke51]

Mais c'etait aussi une femme. Chose tres rare dans les usines de Hollywood.

[garypopkin]

Notice that the line "Let's drink deep tonight all alone" makes no sense in the context. Here she is inviting him to screw her, and suggesting that they do it alone. The original, uncensored, line was "Must we sleep tonight all alone?"

[Gemini730]

Was there ever a more sweeter sounding soprano voice? I don`t think so. Jeanette was wonderful. Lorraine