Perfectly adorable

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

This is an excellent chance to experience the duo singing and acting of Jeanette Macdonald and Nelson Eddy without the occasional included opera performance, as in "Maytime " and "Rose Marie". In fact, along with the very similar "Naughty Marietta", it's clearly my favorite of the 4 'classic' JM & NE films I have recently seen, both in terms of the screenplay and the Sigmund Romberg-composed songs. The main problem is that Jeanette plays a spoiled unsympathetic character, unlikely for Eddy's character to fall in love with, save for her singing.New Moon is both the name of the ship that the bondsmen capture, a symbol for the new society Eddy establishes for his utopian colony, and a symbol for his romantic relationship with Jeanette's character. As several reviewers have pointed out, the screenplay, which is relatively faithful to the original play, bears many striking similarities to the earlier JM & NE film "Naughty Marietta". In that film, the two escape the encumbering Old World aristocracy by fleeing into the American wilderness, from New Orleans. In this film, they find a small uncharted(unlikely) Caribbean island where Eddy's character establishes a utopian society, based on the principles of the French Revolution, then taking place. But, the screenplay also bears some striking resemblances to the earlier Warner film "Captain Blood", featuring another famous film romantic couple; Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. In both films, the male lead is an aristocratic political rebel, who spends a period as the slave or indentured servant of the female lead, in the Caribbean, then later captures a ship, becomes a pirate leader, and captures a ship the female lead is on. In both films, the male lead ends the film as the political leader of a Caribbean Island, with the female lead, who has vacillated in her loyalty to him, as his wife or wife-apparent. The screenplay also has the commonality with the prior Jeanette & Allan Jones -starring operetta "The Firefly" of Jeanette and the male star being on opposite sides of a historical struggle to overthrow an unpopular European regime, and the announcement at the end, that a French king or dictator has been deposed: from Spain, in the case of "The Firefly". Very conveniently, Eddy's pirated ship discovers and takes over a ship full of prospective brides, bound for the French-controlled small sugar and coffee island of Martinique, who become the brides of his band of bondsmen escapees(sort of like in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers") Coincidentally, Eddy is surprised to find Jeanette on this ship, on her way back to France. Very strange that these French girls were taken to N.O. first, then back east to Martinique! Girls raised in N.O. were more likely to survive the various tropical diseases that killed so many new colonists.Eddy sings his best-remembered non-romantic-themed song in the rabble-rousing "Stouthearted Men": functionally equivalent to "Tramp, Tramp, Tramp" in "Naughty Marietta", and "The Mounties" in "Rose Marie". It helps Eddy's character rouse the bondsmen to join him in pirating the ship "New Moon", to escape to 'freedom'. "Maytime" lacked a functionally equivalent song, because the screenplay didn't require one. However, Eddy did lead a rousing male group sing in a tavern. Here, Eddy also sings "Shoes", immediately followed by the brief "Softly, as a Morning Sunrise". Eddy also lead a group protest sing aboard the ship. Eddy seems unusually stiff, until he breaks free of being a bondsman, when the exchanges with Jeanette become classics. Jeanette's apparent conversion to the revolution at the end, after learning it succeeded in France, is a bit unconvincing.The 4 'classic' JM & NE films all ended with a reprisal duet of a memorable 'signature' love song. Here, it's "Wanting You", which is blended with "Stouthearted Men" by a male chorus: similar to the ending in "Naughty Marietta", However, this film is unusual, in that there are actually two such songs(also, "Lover, Come Back to Me"), which are sung by one or both several times, and the less memorable(to me) is the one sung at the ending.Unlike the previous film version of the Romberg-scored "Maytime" operetta, all of the most memorable songs from the original play were retained here, and , with some alterations of the details, the basic plot was retained. In addition, 4 songs were newly composed by Romberg for the film. The most memorable of these are "Stranger in Paris"(ironically, sung aboard the ship) and "Dance Your Cares Away"...The African American spiritual "Troubles of the World" is also included, in a night scene, functioning like "Ole Man River", in "Showboat"Incidentally, historically, Louisiana Territory, including New Orleans, was officially transferred from French to Spanish administration in 1763. Thus, the governor should be Spanish, but clearly is cast as French. Also, French political prisoners were unlikely to be sent there as bondsmen during that period. Also, historically, the year before this story takes place, most of New Orleans burned to the ground: one of several devastating fires before much was rebuilt with brick.It's a shame that JM & NE never got to do another classic Romberg-Hammerstein-scored classic: "The Desert Song", nor Kerns' classic "Showboat". Jeanette's successor at MGM as an opera-trained singer: Kathryn Grayson, would get to costar in both of these, in the '50s.

Having performed in "New Moon" in summer stock, I watched the 1940 version of this Sigmund Romberg operetta with great interest. I confess I don't remember any of the story since I was in it 35 years ago in the midst of many other summer stock productions. But what I do remember is that "New Moon" needs great voices and opulent production values. Our production values consisted of a bunch of men standing outside the entrance to the barn, which was covered by a curtain, and yelling to indicate the fight on board ship.The "New Moon" contains some of the most beautiful music ever written, including "Lover Come Back," "Wanting You," "One Kiss," the rousing "Stout-Hearted Men," and my favorite, "Softly, As in the Morning Sunrise." So who better to perform it than those songbirds of the silver screen, Nelson Eddy and Jeannette MacDonald.The story has to do with dissidents from France, in the days of the revolution, who are sold as bond servants in Louisiana. They are led by Philippe, Duc de Villiers (Eddy), who has planned their escape back to France via a ship, the New Moon. Meanwhile, he's fallen for Marianne (Jeanette MacDonald), and she for him. When the bond servants make their escape, Marianne and her aunt (Mary Boland) accompany them back to France with women who are traveling to become brides. When the ship is attacked, the dissidents and the women find themselves in a new world.In the film, the characters of Alexander and Julie are reduced to bit parts, though their song "Gorgeous Alexander" plays in the background. The roles of Robert and Philippe have been combined, giving Eddy both the lead baritone song and the tenor song "Softly." Several songs have been cut as well as dances.However, the best-known songs are present; the songs cut, with the exception with "The Girl on the Prow," are ditties. Eddy is in magnificent voice. I'm not a huge fan of MacDonald's singing - it's a thin voice - but she's beautiful, a fine actress, and great with Eddy.Someone mentioned that Eddy and MacDonald are more "mature" here - I actually didn't notice.Yes, the dialogue is corny, but these operettas were about the music. If you want to hear some beautiful songs in a film starring one of the classic teams of film history, "New Moon" is for you.

These people are marvelous. The woman star is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen and the man is beyond handsome, and these gorgeous people can sing, and sing beautifully. I've been unable to get the music out of my head. It is romantic and gorgeous and unforgettable. The story is old fashioned and as different from today's movies as daylight is from night. This movie is not edgy or raw, it is just the opposite. Just a wonderful emotional experience. (At the crack of dawn, my mother in law (we are staying with them for the weekend) dragged me out of bed and said that I had to see this movie and although we have little in common when it comes to taste in clothes and many other things, she was entirely right about this movie. Thank you Gina.)

Wow...talk about the phrase "either you love 'em or you hate 'em"! Folks either adore the singing of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy or they wonder WHY anyone would want to see their films. I assume the latter is the vast majority, but I have noticed that their fans are VERY vociferous in their support for the duo. In light of this, I must admit up front that I never have been a fan of their films--consider this as you read my review.The plot is very unusual. It's set in the time period shortly before the French Revolution. Jeanette and Nelson are both on a ship bound for the colony in Louisiana. However, she is traveling as a rich and pampered lady, while Nelson is a prisoner who is being sent as a bond servant. He holds a secret, though, as he arranged to be arrested and deported--though exactly why you'll need to wait and see.When the two meet on the ship, she mistakenly thinks he's an officer on the ship and there is, naturally, some instant chemistry between them. Later, when she is in her home in the colony, he comes to her room--and she assumes it's because he's pretending to be a servant. However, he really is a servant and it seems like their burgeoning love is not to be.As a servant, Nelson is perfect. He makes the party Jeanette plans a fabulous evening--so perfect and wonderful that Jeanette is worried--as this makes her care all the more for him. The guests marvel at the party and its immaculate planning--and apparently only one nobleman had ever thrown such a perfect party. Back in France, the Duc de Villiers was apparently that man...and in reality, Nelson IS this Duke! By the end of the evening, Jeanette finds herself kissing her servant--which simply is NOT done--though she doesn't realize that he is of very noble birth (a Duke is second to a Prince in the line for succession). And before the romance can go any further, another ship (a ship of the Duke's) arrives--with supplies for an uprising against royal authority. So, it's time to put a hold on to the snogging--though, of course, there IS time to sing some rousing songs!! Oddly, later Jeanette is on a ship bound for France when it's captured by pirates led by...yup, Nelson Eddy! However, their excursion around the Caribbean is cut short when the pirate ship is caught in a storm and the boat wrecks next to an uncharted island. Will the two would-be lovers survive? Will they somehow find love on a Gilligan's Island-like setting? Tune in and see for yourself.Overall, it's a mixed bag. While I hated most of the songs (sorry, an operetta isn't my idea of fun), the characters and plot were fun...trivial fun, but fun nonetheless. I couldn't hate the film--though I expected to. What makes this even more unusual is that the film was included in Harry Medved's book "The Fifty Worst Movies of All Time"--a dubious distinction that it truly did not deserve. Sure, the singing is old fashioned an hokey, but Nelson and Jeanette make a nice couple and I was particularly impressed by Eddy's acting--he seemed to have a good role, whereas Jeanette's often called for her to act petulant and moody--not an enviable part to say the least. According to the Duke, she is "...a spoiled and foolish little aristocrat"--as I said, not a particularly enviable role for her as it was rather one-dimensional.For lovers of the team, the movie (as all theirs) is a 10. For teens and people who hate classic films, a 2. For me, who loves classic films but felt compelled to fast-forward through some of the tedious songs, I think a 5 is fair. Without the songs and a very slight rewrite on Jeanette's character, it would have no doubt scored much higher.