I Married an Angel | |
Director: | W. S. Van Dyke |
Producer: | Hunt Stromberg |
Screenplay: | Anita Loos |
Based On: | [1] |
Cinematography: | Ray June |
Editing: | Conrad A. Nervig |
Distributor: | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Runtime: | 84 minutes |
Country: | United States |
Language: | English |
Budget: | $1,492,000[2] |
Gross: | $1,236,000 |
I Married an Angel is a 1942 American musical film based on the 1938 musical comedy of the same name by Rodgers and Hart. The film was directed by W. S. Van Dyke and starred Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, who were then a popular onscreen couple. Supporting cast members included Edward Everett Horton, Binnie Barnes, Reginald Owen, Douglass Dumbrille, Mona Maris, and Odette Myrtil.
Popular among the ladies of Budapest, banker Count Willie Palaffi (Nelson Eddy) seeks true love as he approaches his 35th birthday.
At the last minute, "Whiskers," his kindly mentor, invites a junior secretary, Anna Zador (Jeanette MacDonald) to the lavish party. The Count's senior secretary is jealous and arranges for a simple foil and wire angel costume, expecting Anna to be ridiculed.
Anna arrives to laughter and snickers, except from the Count who seems enthralled by her simple beauty and kindness.
Tired of the party, the Count retires to his room to sleep. Brigitta, an angel (again, Jeanette MacDonald), soon flies into his dream life.
During his sleep, he discovers what he really desires, and that is Anna (Brigitta from his dreams) to be his wife.
It featured several additional songs not written by Rodgers and Hart. Romantic composer Eva Dell'Acqua's song "Villanelle" for coloratura soprano appeared on the soundtrack of the film.[3]
According to MGM records, the film earned $664,000 at the United States and Canadian box office and $572,000 elsewhere, costing the studio a loss of $725,000 - the studio's least successful film of 1942.[2] It was the last of the MacDonald-Eddy films.