The Night Is Young (1935) User Reviews

Ramon Novarro Turns in His Crown

[wes-connors · 5/10 · 21 September 2010]

"The Night Is Young" was the last film Ramon Novarro made as an MGM player, and ended his decade plus run as a Hollywood movie star. It's moderately successful, but apparently couldn't (at the time) make up for its disastrous predecessor "Laughing Boy" (1934), which failed to attract much money in either foreign or domestic markets. So, MGM and Mr. Novarro agreed to a mutual parting of their ways. There are some who believe Navarro was assisted in his declining popularity, due to his sexual preference.

But, in hindsight, "The Night Is Young" looks more like the studio tried to rescue Novarro, after his first across-the-board flop. The production values are high, with many accomplished names appearing in the cast and crew. Novarro looks fit again, arresting a growing chubbiness (unfortunately, his character claims to be twenty-five). MGM took a chance with director Dudley Murphy and leading lady Evelyn Lave, however; if either one or the other were a stronger choice, the film might have worked.

Most faulty is the story, which had half of its plot removed. Writer Vicki Baum (of "Grand Hotel" fame) originally wrote that Novarro's Prince picked his Ballerina to test his ability to procreate, before an arranged marriage (herein, to Rosalind Russell). Of course, the Prince falls in love with the Ballerina. Due to the adoption of the Hays Production Code, in 1934, the "sanctity of marriage" clause forbid what was to have originally occurred. See "The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg" (1927) for the real story.

The soundtrack, by Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein II, begot a big ten-inch #1 hit for Kenny Sargent with Glen Gray's orchestra as "When I Grow Too Old to Dream" / "The Night Is Young" spent nearly half of 1935 on hit parades. Novarro declined an immediate return to MGM as "Ricardo" in The Marx Brothers' "A Night at the Opera" (which would have charmed many), and returned as the star of Republic's "The Sheik Steps Out" (1937). As usual, it was an unimaginative role choice.

***** The Night Is Young (1/11/35) Dudley Murphy ~ Ramon Novarro, Evelyn Laye, Charles Butterworth, Una Merkel

Charming throwback

[samhill5215 · 6/10 · 24 September 2010]

If you like operettas this is one you'll want to see. Released in 1935, it contains elements from earlier, pre-code days, such as the scene where Evelyn Laye puts on her stockings. It's pure cheese, probably inserted for no other reason than effect since it has absolutely no bearing on the story. In any case it's a minor and not unwelcome blemish on what is otherwise a very enjoyable film. Ramon Novarro is as always adorable (he even sings) and the chemistry between him and Evelyn Laye quite unforced and believable. The songs are also quite good and I found myself whistling their tunes later on that day. The whole thing has a feel of levity, airiness, joy and fun. And the ending is realistic to boot.

My only complaint is the casting of Charles Butterworth as the love object of Una Merkel. At 39 he was definitely too old to be introduced as a 'young man' by Novarro and perhaps not too old for 33-year old Una Merkel but he just looked so much older, more like a man in his 50s, while Merkel looked like she was in her 20s.

Get The Oats Sowed

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 19 October 2010]

Life truly does imitate art as this pretend story about the last years of the Austro-Hungarian Empire was to find a real life counterpart in the United Kingdom a year after The Night Is Young was released. One wonders if Edward VIII and Mrs. Simpson saw this film before plunging their empire into a potentially chaotic situation.

Henry Stephenson playing a most regal Emperor Franz Josef tells his playboy nephew to get those wild oats sowed because he's got to settle down, marry a suitable princess and begat some Hapsburg heirs. Nephew Ramon Novarro has someone in mind he wants to marry, the Emperor wants him to marry Rosalind Russell who is of high rank enough to satisfy royalty requirements.

To throw the Emperor off the scent Novarro says he's been having a fling with dancer Evelyn Laye while both are attending the ballet. Then having to make good on it, he hires Evelyn to play his mistress so he can sow his real oats elsewhere.

I think you can see where all this is going. The Night Is Young is a combination of Novarro's own silent role from The Student Prince and The Merry Widow which MGM did the year before. In fact such cast members as Edward Everett Horton and Herman Bing are in this one as well.

Sigmund Romberg wrote the music with Oscar Hammerstein, II supplying the lyrics and libretto. The film was a flop at the time, but one of Romberg's songs When I Grow Too Old To Dream became one of his most beloved classics.

As we also know the film also is similar in some ways to the real life Hapsburg tragedy at Mayerling. I'm surprised no one ever thought of casting Novarro as Prince Rudolf, he has the proper delicacy in his screen persona to carry that part off, especially on the silent screen.

The Night Is Young is typical Viennese frou-frou which was passing out of public taste at the time. Seen today it's not the best of Sigmund Romberg operettas, but not so terribly bad as people thought back in the day.

Remarkably well made musical

[ChungMo · 4 June 2003]

Evelyn Laye is the standout amoung a cast of familiar 30's character actors. I never saw her before and she walks away with this film. It seems she dropped out of the movies after this to work on stage again. The rest of the cast is fine and the photography and direction are stand outs. It's occasionally on TCM here in the US. The print is in very good shape but the audio is fuzzy in a few scenes. Recommended

Technically A Fine Operetta, I Suppose

[boblipton · 7/10 · 10 January 2022]

It's based on a Vicki Baum story, and stars English import Evelyn Laye. Ramon Novarro, at the end of his MGM contract, is an Austrian archduke, engaged to be married to someone he doesn't care for. He actually has a yen for Hungarian noblewoman Rosalind Russell, whose family is out of favor. At the ballet with Emperor Henry Stephenson, he claims he has a yen for corps de ballet dancer Evelyn Laye. The Emperor is all in favor of his sowing his wild oats, so he delays the matter. Novarro has Laye delivered, and explains that he will be using her as a beard so he can go out.

There's a fine supporting cast, including Una Merkel, Herman Bing, Edward Everett Horton, and Charles Butterworth, the songs by Oscar Hammerstein II and Sigmund Romberg include the charming "When I Grow Too Old To Dream", and the camerawork by James Wong Howe is dazzling. It's MGM Operetta in its prime, and the parts are all very good, a cream puff of confection. My lack of satisfaction lays in the fact that I don't really enjoy the form, and its Cinderella plot, which I've seen ten thousand times.

Novarro's contract wasn't renewed, Miss Laye didn't make another movie for 32 years, She was a professional, her actor parents having put her on stage at the age of two, and by her twenties was a leading lady in London. I imagine she went back on the boards. She died in 1996 at the age of 95.

sweet

[blanche-2 · 6/10 · 19 March 2016]

"The Night is Young" from 1935 is Ramon Novarro's last film at MGM. His costar was a very popular British performer into her nineties, Evelyn Laye. Una Merkel, Rosalind Russell, and Edward Everett Horton costarred -- you'll recognize the whole cast.

Novarro plays an Archduke whose marriage has been arranged to one Princess Matilda; however, he loves another -- Countess Rafay (Russell), but his uncle hates her family.

Gustl, as he's called, can sow the wild oats before marrying, but Emperor Franz Josef has to approve and she has to be someone not in the royal circle.

Gustl claims love for a ballerina, Lisl Gluck (Laye). She's in love with the ballet company's piano accompanist (Donald Cook),so when she finds out she's just to be a blind, she's fine with it. In return, he will produce her boyfriend's ballet.

Well, we all know what happens.

Unlike someone else on this board, I wasn't knocked out by the music or, frankly, the singing. Novarro is very charming and dashing, and Laye delightful. There is good acting all around. I'm just not crazy about some of these earlier musicals, even if this music is by Romberg. Perhaps if I liked the singing more...oh, well. This may be just the ticket for you. It's a very sweet story.

A man is persuaded to give up love to pursue his career obligations

[richard-1787 · 6/10 · 11 January 2022]

I've given this review its particular title - A man is persuaded to give up love to pursue his career obligations - to highlight what the 17 previous reviewers seem to have overlooked. As most of those reviewers do point out, Novarro was a closeted gay man who refused to take a wife - a beard, as they are called - as a coverup to protect his standing as a romantic lead. It is hard not to imagine that Louis B. Mayer, his boss, did not saddle him with this dull script as a parting reminder of what he should have done to stay in Mayer's good graces. (MGM did not renew his contract after this film.) I can't imagine Novarro particularly appreciated it.

As for the film itself, it's pretty weak, though I realize that most of the 17 previous reviewers loved it. Evelyn Laye is wonderful as the commoner, a ballerina, with whom the prince falls in love. She was beautiful, sang well, and in the final scene, did a fine acting job.

But the rest is unremarkable.

Novarro is no great actor here, and the few times he is called on to sing, he does not shine. (Don't take my word for it. Listen for yourself.) Nelson Eddy scored his first big success with MGM, Naughty Marietta, that same year (1935), and he beats Novarro hands down as a singer. It's not hard to understand why Mayer would have let Novarro go once he had Eddy. No, Eddy was no great actor either, but audiences didn't seem to care in musicals.

The music here, even though by Sigmund Romberg, is also forgettable, save for one song, When I grow too old to dream. And even that is not particularly memorable. (It was done better, in better arrangements, in years to come.) There aren't a lot of songs, and the few that are here don't stick in your ear.

The plot is an nieme knockoff of The Waltzdream and Land of Smiles: nobleman falls in love with commoner, they have a brief fling, and then nobleman returns to his duty. It produced several very successful Silver Age operettas, but evidently did not appeal to American movie goers. A shame, because I really think that last, parting scene is the best thing in this otherwise forgettable movie.

Side comment: it's interesting the one of the most successful Viennese operettas of all time, Lehar's The Land of Smiles, was never done as a major Hollywood film when they were making all those other operetta films. Evidently studios figured that sad endings just would not go over with American audiences in a musical, at least in the 1930s.

If you've never seen Evelyn Laye before, give this a try. She really has everything: beauty, acting, singing.

But, pace the 17 previous reviewers, there's really nothing else here. The sets, costumes, and camera work are all very fine, but can you sit through a whole movie just for those?

A schmaltzy romance

[ramawv · 3/10 · 16 December 2014]

Ramon Novarro, in his last film as MGM actor, worked with British actress Evelyn Laye who interrupted her long stage career in London to star in this 1934 movie. The story is about the schmaltzy romance between an archduke (Novarro) and a ballerina (Laye) that falls flat. The movie produced two hit songs "when I grow too old to dream," and the title number. The Film uses the talents of Sigmund Romberg for music and Oscar Hammerstein II (libretto) but never captured the musical zest of producer Harry Rapf's Broadway Melody (1929). Rosalind Russell, Charles Butterworth, Edward Everett Horton, Donald Cook and Una Merkel show their comedic talents in this otherwise boring movie.

The End Of An Era For Ramon Novarro

[Ron Oliver · 10/10 · 11 June 2002]

Against his wishes, an Austrian Archduke must pretend a lovely ballet girl is his mistress - but THE NIGHT IS YOUNG and anything might still happen...

Ramon Novarro had his last starring role at MGM in this forgotten - but surprisingly enjoyable - musical comedy. This time the Studio's chameleon star plays a Habsburg royal and he brings his usual sense of good fun & high spirits to the role - laughing & singing & charming the ladies. To its credit, the Studio gave him a sendoff with fine production values and a worthy supporting cast.

English songstress Evelyn Laye was to be Novarro's final (major film) leading lady. She is lovely & very talented & will remind some viewers of Jeanette MacDonald - except she's much easier to understand when warbling than Jeanette.

Wizened Edward Everett Horton is well cast as a pompous palace bureaucrat; it's quite a hoot to watch his facial expressions throughout. Pert & sassy, Una Merkel is fun as Miss Laye's girlfriend; laconic Charles Butterworth provides some chuckles as Merkel's solemn beau. Herman Bing is very enjoyable as Novarro's majordomo; and elderly Henry Stephenson adds a touch of grace & dignity to his small role as Emperor Franz Josef.

Movie mavens will recognize Elspeth Dudgeon as an old Duchess in the Royal Box at the Ballet; Christian Rub as a cafe waiter; and George Davis as a milkman - all uncredited.

The musical score by Oscar Hammerstein II & Sigmund Romberg is all pleasantly lilting, with the standout being the classic ‘When I Grow Too Old To Dream.'

***************************

After doing very fine work in front of the Hollywood cameras for thirteen years, Ramon Novarro found himself in the unfortunate position of being the human flotsam swept up by two powerful tides.

First, there was the definite change in the public's taste for male movie stars. The Latin Lover was out -the rugged He-man (personified by Gable & Cooper) was very much the vogue. Sensitive Novarro, with his still strong Mexican accent, no longer fit in. Thus, THE NIGHT IS YOUNG can easily be seen as the last gasp of the Hollywood Latin Lover, with roots stretching back to Valentino.

Second, with the strengthening of the Hayes Office and the enforcement of the Production Code beginning in mid-1934, a powerful studio like MGM had to be very careful with its sexually nebulous stars. Already MGM had been involved in silencing little imbroglios Novarro had gotten into in the past. A big sex scandal now could be disastrous. Unwilling to hide behind a fake marriage (as a few other male stars were forced to do), Louis B. Mayer quietly reserved the right to not renew Novarro's contract when it expired in 1935.

Ten years previous, in the title role of the hugely popular BEN-HUR, Novarro had been one of MGM's brightest stars. Now, he was a has-been.

Novarro seems to have accepted the changes with typical good grace. Always wise with his finances, money was not going to be much of a problem. He did some film work at lesser studios, both in California & Mexico. He even went on the stage for awhile and lent his fine singing voice to light operetta. And eventually, as he aged, there was some television work.

Basically, though, Novarro had already slipped into obscurity by the mid-1950's, as can be seen by a rather cruel comment Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) makes about him in one of the Hollywood episodes of I Love Lucy. Novarro continued with the occasional acting job into the 1960's.

It would certainly be comforting if movie heroes all came to happy ends at last. Such culminations to long lives would be both poetic & tidy. Ramon Novarro, alas, would have no such Final Farewell.

At the end of October in 1968, Novarro made the incredibly bad mistake of allowing two young ruffians into his home. Over the course of a very long night, he was humiliated, beaten, tortured & murdered in the most grisly, ghastly manner. (The culprits were quickly caught.) Novarro was 69 years old.

And so ends the wonderful, horrible, exciting, terrifying saga of Ramon Novarro. It is too bad that for decades the most that people recalled about him, if at all, was the gruesome manner of his death. He should be remembered as a fine actor with much charm & vivacity, who acquitted himself well in both silent & talking motion pictures. If for no other reason than BEN-HUR, he will be assured his place in film history. Now that his old movies are slowly becoming more readily accessible, it may at last be possible to give Ramon Novarro the acknowledgment & respect he deserves.

If you'd cut out the god-awful music, then you would have a nice film.

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 13 October 2010]

It takes a special sort of person to enjoy this film--a person who likes ultra-sappy operetta music. So, if you think that Janette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy films are the greatest things EVER, then you'll no doubt enjoy "The Night is Young"--even though neither of these stars are in the film. However, I do not, as I happen to be sane!! Sure, a few of the songs (the ones without the opera-like singing) are cute, but for the most part, when Evelyn Laye sings, I felt like screaming. It's amazing that such high-pitched caterwauling was popular in the 1930s and 40s, but today you'd be very, very hard-pressed to find anyone who'd like this sort of 'singing'. Oddly, however, Charles Butterworth of all people sang quite a bit in the film--even though he's certainly not a singer with his thin voice. But despite this, he was a delight throughout the film--even when he sang.

The story is likely inspired by a sad true-life story. Back in the late 19th century, Crown Prince Rudolf of the Austria-Hungarian empire fell for a woman of not especially noble birth. His father (Emperor Franz Josef) forbade the romance--as love has nothing to do with marriage! Franz Josef's own marriage was a loveless disaster and by gum, so would Rudolf's--marriages were simply ways of forging political alliances...period. So, in a very tragic turn, it appears that Rudolf killed his lover and then himself! None of this is alluded to in the film. Instead, Franz Josef has ANOTHER son (something he did not have in real life) and this one also falls for a commoner--but with non-tragic results.

The perennial lover of the 20s and 30s, Ramon Novarro, plays the handsome Prince. While he was always very good in such roles, it seemed weird that this guy had a strong Mexican accent. Laye (a really, really bad name for an actress) plays the commoner who ADORES singing. As for Una Merkel and Butterworth, they were welcome as comic relief. Oddly, however, the usually wonderful Edward Everett Horton (one of the best comic supporting actors of his age) was mostly wasted and had little opportunity to play his usual lovable befuddled self.

Overall, the film had quite a few cute moments and the romance wasn't bad, but the singing had the effect of derailing the film. Too old fashioned and too schmaltzy, this film could have been lovely, but is simply not worth your time unless you are a die-hard Butterworth fan!

Shouldn't Be Forgotten

[JohnKyle · 8/10 · 10 June 2003]

I decided to watch this movie on TCM only because I enjoy Una Merkel and had never seen Ramon Novarro in a "talkie". Other than that,I was expecting a soon-to-be-forgotten piece of fluff. Instead, I discovered a beautifully done film which combined music, romance, and comedy with a bittersweet dramatic ending.

As noted by others, Novarro was excellent, Merkel was delightful, and the supporting cast of Charles Butterworth, Edward Everett Horton, Herman Bing, and Henry Stephenson all gave strong performances. But, the accolades belong to Evelyn Laye as the woman who steals Novarro's heart. Like a few of the other reviewers, I, too, had never heard of Ms Laye although I have since learned that she was a big stage star in England before and after this movie. And, it's easy to see why. She was beautiful, charming,had a fine singing voice, and was a talented actress.

Similar in theme to Old Heidelberg, The Student Prince, and even Erich von Stroheim's The Wedding March, The Night Is Young has a charm of its own. It does not deserve to be forgotten.

Sadly forgotten--deserves to be rediscovered

[preppy-3 · 8/10 · 8 June 2003]

Ramon Novarro (in his last MGM movie) stars as a prince who falls in love with someone beneath his station--the lovely Lisl (Evelyn Laye). Meanwhile he's being forced into marriage with a horrid woman (Rosalind Russell!!!). What will he do?

Lavish musical comedy romance shot in beautiful black and white. By the time this was made, Novarro knew his career at MGM was over. He was a gay man who refused to marry so MGM did not renew his contract when it expired. What's surprising is they went all out to give and gave him a really great film as a sendoff.

The budget was obviously huge--some of the sets are really impressive. The script is very good with some truly beautiful songs interwoven (I loved it when people just slipped from talking to singing). The whole cast is good-there's not one bad performance. Evelyn Laye is beautiful and has a wonderful voice--one hell of an actress too. Edward Everett Horton as a prissy palace official is quite funny--just his facial looks had me chuckling. And a very young Rosalind Russell is interesting. Best of all is Novarro--Incredibly handsome with a beautiful smile and voice and also a very good actor. It's really a shame that homophobia ruined his career.

The picture has a very romantic feel to it and Laye and Novarro had some serious sexual chemistry between them. I'm only giving this an 8 because of the ending. It's realistic but I didn't like it--it threw the whole film off kilter. Still, this is a real treat worth seeing.

This was a HUGE box office bomb when it came out and has disappeared over the years (even Leonard Maltin doesn't have it in his book). Now that TCM is showing it let's hope it gets the recognition it deserves.

An outstanding example of its genre

[whitehousedesigns · 8/10 · 5 April 2006]

Thank heavens for TCM! I stumbled on this movie half way through and was instantly captivated. I immediately recognized Ramon Novarro but I was completely mystified as to who the fantastic lead was. Couldn't break away to google the movie until now and have learned that the beautiful and talented lead was played by Evelyn Laye. She puts Ginger and Jeannette to shame- a lovely voice and such a natural actress on screen. Apparently she left the movies after this role to return to the London stage- Hollywood's loss. Ramon is handsome as ever- probably his best role ever. The sets and music are wonderful and with the excellent cast, rise above the silly (but typical 1930's) plot. The ending was rather sad and actually not the typical poor girl gets rich boy in the end. Don't miss this gem- one of the best operettas out of pre- WWII Hollywood.

I love Evelyn Laye

[scooterberwyn · 8/10 · 11 August 2013]

I had never heard of this film until I saw it recently on Turner Classic Movies as part or a Ramon Novarro salute. What a charming story! It's quite similar to THE STUDENT PRINCE, but with different songs. "The Night Is Young" and "When I Grow Too Old To Dream" are the two standouts in the musical score, and they are delivered charmingly - several times - by Novarro and his leading lady, the beautiful Evelyn Laye.

Before viewing this film, I had just seen Jeannette MacDonald opposite Novarro in THE CAT AND THE FIDDLE. Next to the more famous American soprano, Miss Laye is a breath of fresh air - much less affected and more spontaneous in her acting, with an equally beautifully soprano voice. Perhaps because she is British, her enunciation is far superior to MacDonald's, and the voice is far less shrill in its upper register. Her chemistry with Novarro is wonderfully natural.

I don't mean to slight Ramon Novarro. He is, by turns, romantic, playful, wistful, and noble as the situation requires. He has a pleasant singing voice, and he acquits himself quite well in this bittersweet operetta.

When one adds in some of the excellent MGM supporting players - Una Merkel, Edward Everett Horton, Henry Stephenson, and Herman Bing - and a relatively thankless role for an as yet still supporting Rosalind Russell, it's a winning formula for passing close to an hour and a half.

The story is pure fluff, but what delightful fluff! I would really love to find this on DVD to add to my collection.

Dated even then, but a treat

[marcslope · 8/10 · 14 July 2008]

Wistful, bittersweet operetta seemingly belonging to a time considerably earlier than 1935; it has elements of "Maytime," "The Student Prince," and, yes, "Bitter Sweet" in its plotting and sentimentality. (And leading lady Evelyn Laye, who is extraordinary, had in fact starred in "Bitter Sweet" on Broadway.) But Romberg and Hammerstein, whether au courant at the time or not, chose to write sincerely and with feeling, and MGM trotted out some good screenwriters and excellent production values to realize their vision. The result is an operetta familiar in its doomed-love-among-different-classes plotting, but integrated in a then-modern way, with characters subtly switching into song on the flimsiest of excuses. It's really charming, and Novarro, in his MGM farewell, is dashing and gentlemanly. Charles Butterworth, who had played this sort of part for Hammerstein on the stage in "Sweet Adeline," is a delightful underplaying buffoon, and his vis-a-vis, Una Merkel, gets more screen time than she was generally allowed. Rosalind Russell, as the well-bred woman Novarro must marry (like I said, it's very like "The Student Prince") isn't interesting at this point in her career, but Edward Everett Horton had by now perfected his fussy-major-domo characterization and does it to a T. Well directed by the nearly unknown Dudley Murphy, and lovely to look at.

An amusing send-up of Ruritanian romance!

[JohnHowardReid · 9/10 · 29 May 2018]

Producer: Harry Rapf. Copyright 7 January 1935 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Corp. New York opening simultaneously at the Capitol and Loew's Metropolitan in Brooklyn: 13 January 1935. U.K. release: 4 May 1935. Australian release: 12 June 1935. 9 reels. 78 minutes.

SYNOPSIS: Prince falls for a ballet dancer.

NOTES: A financial disaster all around, forcing Novarro into retirement for the next 14 years and Miss Laye back to England and British films for good.

Waspish reviews did not help. All the humorless critics took the ridiculous plot seriously, none realizing it was intended as a send-up. By the time the film arrived in Australia, M-G-M wanted only to bury it. So it was sent out as a support. Only astute audiences in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide took the picture at more than its face value, recognizing the entertaining satire for what it was.

COMMENT: Amusing send-up of Ruritanian romance with music by Sigmund Romberg and a libretto by Oscar Hammerstein II. Songs are catchy and extremely well performed. Novarro is better cast than usual. Miss Laye is superb. Director Dudley Murphy has an eye for stylish compositions. He is abetted by James Wong Howe's brilliant camerawork, lovely costumes by Dolly Tree and magnificent sets.

It's hard to explain why superlative entertainment like this, with its great score, wonderful cast and fabulous production values, failed so miserably at a box-office that only a few months later was to welcome Naughty Marietta with such frenzied adulation.

Certainly Novarro's star was waning. Audiences hadn't really taken to him since he'd started to speak. His voice was felt to be too light for the roles he was often called upon to play. By the time he was more happily cast, it was too late.

Very romantic. Evelyn Laye was extremely beautiful.

[sideways8 · 5 June 2003]

Ramon Navarro was a real talent. I'd never heard of Ms. Laye and was stunned at her beauty which was fantastic. She was the most beautiful woman on the screen at that time in my opinion. Mr. Navarro must have been very gay to resist her.

It was very unusual in the Hollywood days of - boy meets girl (often proposing marriage immediately), which leads to their eventually living happily ever after, that such a happy/funny romantic movie ends in such sadness for the protagonists. I was moved.

Although All May Not Agree, The Royals Have Ruled

[judah-17 · 10/10 · 21 January 2020]

This movie and I have something in common. We have both been just released (with less than three months difference in age) 85 years ago! And of course we are both wonderful. I saw the film for the very first time two days ago and found it most delightful, I concurring with most of the comments posted by the fifteen user reviewers to date. But there is one problem which, unfortunately, is insoluble. At the same time as I saw the movie, all of the world media, including the social media, was filled with the news that the Queen of Great Britain, had ruled that her grandson Harry and his wife Meagan could no longer retain the title of His or Her Royal Highness nor fulfill most of their royal functions and duties as long as they took up residence for part of each year (as they declared was their intention to do) in Canada (where I was born and lived my entire life and where the Queen is still the titular Head of State). If the author of this movie,Vicki Baum, and the screenwriters could have rewritten the very end of it so that Ramon Navarro had married Evelyn Laye, with or without the Emperor's approval, and they lived happily ever after, then the movie's audience would likewise have been able to leave the theaters or homescreens equally content, Regretfully, as mentioned above, this is not to be.

Ramon Novarro Last Major Lead Role

[springfieldrental · 8/10 · 24 April 2023]

Only two stars remained from MGM's first cadre of performers from 1925, Norma Shearer and Ramon Novarro. After January 1935's "The Night is Young," only one remained, producer Irving Thalberg's wife Norma. Novarro, who starred in the studio's first mega hit, "Ben Hur," was witnessing his popularity dropping with his each feature film. He was hoping this latest musical with English sensation Evelyn Laye would rejuvenate his sagging Hollywood career. Ms. Laye had an outstanding track record on the London stage with her melodious operatic voice. MGM threw its top-notch supporting actors in the movie, including Charles Butterworth, Una Merkel, Edward Everett Horton and newbie Rosalind Russell. Dudley Murphy (1933's "Emperor Jones") was given the director's reigns.

With music by Sigmund Romberg and Oscar Hammerstein II, "The Night is Young" promised to be a delightful comedy musical romp taking place in old-time Austria-Hungary. Romano plays the emperor Franz Josef's nephew, Paul Gustave. In an arranged marriage, Paul is disappointed with the choice. He convinces the emperor he'll marry her, but he wants to have some time to experience love with other women before facing a life of being hamstrung. Paul soon spots one of the worst dancers in a ballet, Lisl Gluck (Evelyn Laye), who he gets to live in the royal household as a front for his lustful wanderings with women outside the palace. The question is do Lisi and Paul end up as an item?

The larger question was did anyone care? "The Night is Young" failed to generate any critical or public acclaim. Film critic Andrew Sennwald described the movie when first released as being technically well done, but "without any distinguishing virtue." The picture was a huge disappointment for Novarro, who at one time was looked upon as the Latinos' answer to the late silent movie heartthrob Rudolph Valentino. He did make a relatively successful transition to talkies from silents, with his lead in 1931's "Mata Hari" opposite Greta Garbo especially praiseworthy. MGM slotted him into musicals in the early 1930s, thinking his singing voice had an appeal to females in the audiences. The hope was dynamic Evelyn Laye would further elevate Novarro's profile, but the studio was vastly disappointed. "The Night is Young" is more appreciated by modern day critics for the actor's dramatic and comic talents. MGM didn't renew his expired contract after witnessing the film's poor ticket sales. Along with a flop in a Broadway show later in the year, Novarro turned to Yoga Philosophy. He did pick up lesser roles with small studios in the next few years, and sporadically worked in television up until his 1968 appearance in 'The High Chaparral."

As for Evelyn Laye, this was her second stab at Hollywood after her first movie, 1930 "One Heavenly Night" failed miserably. In the interim, she did make some highly-praised English films, but the failure of the MGM movie sent her back to the stage for the next thirty years, where she loved performing. Laye did some minor film and TV appearances during the late 1960s and 1970s, but it was on the London stage where she excelled well into her nineties, including being Queen Elizabeth's favorite actress. She passed away in 1996 at the age of 95.

The night never gets old

[jarrodmcdonald-1 · 16 September 2022]

This was Ramon Novarro's last starring role for MGM. Many of the silent era's leading men lost popularity with the transition to sound-- John Gilbert and William Haines also come to mind. Novarro lasted longer than these two, but after a flop with Jeanette MacDonald in 1934, the writing was on the wall. THE NIGHT IS YOUNG, filmed in late '34 and released the second week of January 1935, would be his swan song at the studio.

He's paired with British musical actress Evelyn Laye. If we are to compare her to the above-mentioned Miss MacDonald, I would say that Miss Laye exhibits a lot more spontaneity. She's totally charming, entirely in sync with Novarro. Though Novarro generates no real sparks with her.

One thing that didn't make sense to me was why Metro used a story by German writer Vicki Baum about a ballerina. If Laye is an opera singer in Europe, then why not tailor a story about her as a singer. It seems odd that Novarro's character falls for her while attending the ballet instead of becoming smitten by her at the opera.

Later she moves into his Austrian residence as a mistress of sorts. These references are muted, since the production code is in effect. As time goes by he becomes more charmed by her, especially when he notes the gaiety she demonstrates while singing and entertaining friends-- one friend is played by Una Merkel, who is delightful as ever.

As Merkel and everyone else can see, it's Laye's voice that attracts Novarro, not her ability to pirouette.

The usual studio gloss is in full evidence here, and the sets are quite ornate. The clothing and jewels on display rival anything in a Greta Garbo picture. We are also treated to several fine performances from the supporting cast-- pros like Edward Everett Horton and Rosalind Russell.

Russell portrays Novarro's haughty fiancee. The overly affected Austrian accent she uses in this story is a far cry from Mame and Rose Hovick.

Interestingly, Novarro consents to the arranged marriage with Miss Russell. So the picture does not have the expected happy ending between him and Laye's character. Perhaps that's why it didn't do so well at the box office, and why it served as end punctuation on Novarro's career as a screen idol.

As for Evelyn Laye, she would return to her native England and focus on stage performances. She occasionally appeared in other films and television series. For a time, she was one of the best-loved musical entertainers of her generation. If you watch this film, you will understand why.