Customer Reviews

The Firefly [VHS]

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I saw this movie on TCM and absolutely fell in love with it. I have seen most of Jeannette MacDonald's films, and this is by far the best performance - singing, acting, and even dancing - she has ever given. Alan Jones is a refreshing change from Nelson Eddy, and much more talented. The plot is full of love and intrigue (NOT slow as Maltin claims), with MacDonald as a Spanish spy during the Napoleonic wars, and Jones as the aristocratic playboy who falls for her without knowing who she really is. Songs include not only the classic "Donkey Serenade," but also "Gianina Mia," a passionate and beautiful love song. This film is an absolute must-see for any fan of musical operetta.

One needs several rating scales to do this video justice. If I were rating it solely on Allan Jones' voice and performance, I'd give it a 5+. Jeannette MacDonald gets a 4 - she probably rates higher but the technology of the time made most women's voices sound shrill and squeaky. As an excellent example of the musical genre of 1930s-1950s operettas it definitely gets a 5. The overall performance gets a 4, and in judging it, one must again do so in the context of the time period in which it was filmed.

All ratings aside, one must admit that most operettas of the years mentioned were pretty superficial in plot, with the standard fearless hero, dimwit heroine, and sneering villian -- who usually had the best part and was the only real actor in the cast. "Firefly" gives us a treat in that our heroine Jeannette is far more spunky and sparky than most of her ilk - she's a Spanish spy helping thwart the French invasion of Spain during the Napoleonic wars. Allan Jones is the French agent sent to trap her. After a series of encounters, betrayals, battles and general dashing about, comes the happy ending - this is, after all, an operetta.

The filming and special effects are again typical of the period, and thus must be considered as good as the technology was capable of producing. It's obvious to us today that most of the time Allan Jones was singing "The Donkey Serenade" he wasn't really riding a horse but for that time period the special effects people faked it pretty well.

I can't say enough for the music in this film - Rudoph Friml's score is absolutely gorgeous, and further enhanced by the singers and the sumptious orchestal background. If you really like good music performed by equally good musicians, you can't go wrong with this film. Ignore the historical inaccuracies, goofy plot, somewhat hammy performances, and inept effects - just relax, put your feet up, pet the cat, let yourself sink into that glorious music, and enjoy.

This is one of my favorite Jeanette MacDonald movies. Even without Nelson Eddy, this movie is full of wonderful music by Jeanette and Allan Jones. Highly recommended!

Jeanette is truly one of the great stars of the silver screen--a "triple threat--she sings, dances, and acts. In "The Firefly" she is free of Nelson Eddy's wooden presence and is better supported by Alan Jones who, unlike Eddy, can act. Jones' contribution is his performance of the wonderfully whimsical "Donkey Serenade" popularized by this movie, and more fully enjoyable when seen as performed here. You may have to be patient with the 130 minute running time but the resolution of the spy versus counter-spy plot is worth it.
Too bad it is not available on DVD.

Alan Jones has the most awful tenor voice, ugly with weird vibrato. His persona ain't much either. BUT.....for the Donkey Serenade sequence alone the movie is worth the price. Magically matching the musical rhythm to the step of the mules, the boy on the recorder, the the stagecoach driver with some guitar obligato... However, we do have an attractive man in Warren William, Jeanette's smitten adversary.

If you like Jeanette, you should go for this movie. She has lots of singing of pretty good songs and gets to be a sneaky spy, homing pidgeons and all.

Video was in great shape and came quickly. I have already watched it twice and will keep it among my keepers. Donkey Serenade song is so memorable. Little boy in it is so charming. Well worth viewing.

Desafortunadamente la película no funcionó muy bien en taquilla. Aunque hay que reconocer que la puesta en escena de las acciones de masas está muy cuidada, como por ejemplo, la entrada de los dos reyes en Madrid y tiene detalles curiosos como, la sublevación contra los franceses y la breve lucha de los guerrilleros contra un convoy francés. Los ambientes interiores están también bastante bien retratados, como es el caso del café donde la cantante actúa en Madrid o el mismo teatro de Bayona. Los grandes medios de la producción norteamericana se hacen patentes, evidentemente. No obstante se percibe cierto aire "californiano" en la toma de varios exteriores que pueden no identificarse como genuinamente españoles. En cambio, en España la película tuvo mejor acogida, puesto que el público español, cautivado a finales de los años cuarenta por las producciones americanas, veía con satisfacción como una de estas producciones reflejaba la lucha contra Francia - que en esos años tenía una relación conflictiva con el régimen español - en la que la heroína salía triunfante. Incluso al final, ésta, se podía permitir el lujo de salvar generosamente a su enemigo. La Serenata de las mulas (Donkey Serenade) se ponía con frecuencia en los programas de radio, en donde alcanzó, por esos años, bastante popularidad

Yes, the sole reason I sought out this movie was because it features as a villain one of my favorite (and just about forgotten) actors, Warren William. Now, with the same technique, I've come across some really good movies, like "Cleopatra" and "Employees Entrance", but "The Firefly" ain't one of them. And it isn't because it's an operetta--I liked "Rosemarie" and "Maytime". No, it's because it's boring and extremely unbelieveable. Eventually, I grew impatient waiting for Warren William to appear, and put the film on Fast Forward. Even then, time passed slowly. In addition, I had heard the name, "Donkey Serenade" before, but I found that song to be something of a loser too. SO, my advice is, watch some other Jeanette MacDonald movie, not this one.