Rosalie is an MGM film adaptation of the 1928 stage musical of the same name. The film was released in December 1937. The film follows the story of the musical but replaces most of the Broadway score with new songs by Cole Porter

Cole Porter

Cole Albert Porter was an American composer and songwriter. Born to a wealthy family in Indiana, he defied the wishes of his domineering grandfather and took up music as a profession. Classically trained, he was drawn towards musical theatre...

. The story involves the romantic entanglements of a princess in disguise and a West Point cadet.

Production

MGM's top tap dancer at the time, Eleanor Powell

Eleanor Powell

Eleanor Torrey Powell was an American film actress and dancer of the 1930s and 1940s, known for her exuberant solo tap dancing.-Early life:...

, was cast as the princess opposite Nelson Eddy

Nelson Eddy

Nelson Ackerman Eddy was an American singer and actor who appeared in 19 musical films during the 1930s and 1940s, as well as in opera and on the concert stage, radio, television, and in nightclubs. A classically trained baritone, he is best remembered for the eight films in which he costarred...

 as cadet Dick Thorpe (Lieutenant Richard Fay in the stage musical). Frank Morgan

Frank Morgan

Frank Morgan was an American actor. He was best known for his portrayal of the title character in the film The Wizard of Oz.-Early life:...

 reprised his Broadway role as King Fredrick (King Cyril in the stage version). Also appearing in the film were Ray Bolger

Ray Bolger

Raymond Wallace "Ray" Bolger was an American entertainer of stage and screen, best known for his portrayal of the Scarecrow and Kansas farmworker Hank in The Wizard of Oz.-Early life:...

 (Bill Delroy), Edna May Oliver

Edna May Oliver

Edna May Oliver was an American stage and film actress. During the 1930s, she was one of the best-known character actresses in American films, often playing tart-tongued spinsters.-Early life:...

 (the Queen), Ilona Massey

Ilona Massey

Ilona Massey was a film, stage and radio performer.-Early life and career:...

 (Brenda), Tom Rutherford (Prince Paul) and Reginald Owen

Reginald Owen

John Reginald Owen was a British character actor. He was known for his many roles in British and American movies and later in television programs.-Personal:...

 (Chancellor). William Anthony McGuire was the producer, with direction by W. S. Van Dyke

W. S. Van Dyke

Woodbridge Strong "Woody" Van Dyke, Jr. was an American motion picture director.-Early life and career:...

, cinematography by Oliver Marsh, art direction by Cedric Gibbons

Cedric Gibbons

Austin Cedric Gibbons was an Irish American art director who was one of the most important and influential in the field in the history of American film. He also made a great impact on motion picture theater architecture through the 1930s to 1950s, the period considered the golden-era of theater...

, and choreography by Albertina Rasch

Albertina Rasch

Albertina Rasch was a naturalized American dancer and choreographer.-Early life:Born in Vienna in 1891 to a family of Polish Jewish descent, Rasch studied at the Vienna State Opera Ballet school and became leading ballerina at the New York Hippodrome in...

. Marjorie Lane

Marjorie Lane

Marjorie Lane was an American singer and Broadway performer of the 1920s and 1930s. Beginning her career in the 1910s on Broadway, her performances included roles in 1913's the Honeymoon Express and 1928's Billie...

 dubbed the singing voice for Powell. The dance director for the "Cadet routines" was Dave Gould.

In order to capitalize upon Powell's renown as a dancer, the film was retooled to allow her several showcase musical numbers, one of which is the title number (one of the few songs retained from the Broadway show) with Powell dancing on top of giant drum, one of the largest musical sequences ever filmed. Songs included "Who Knows?", "I've A Strange New Rhythm in My Heart", "Rosalie", "In the Still of the Night

In the Still of the Night (1937 song)

"In the Still of the Night" is a popular song written by Cole Porter for the MGM film Rosalie sung by Nelson Eddy and published in 1937....

", and "Spring Love is in the Air." An excerpt from this scene is included in That's Entertainment!

That's Entertainment!

That's Entertainment! is a 1974 compilation film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer to celebrate its 50th anniversary. It was followed by two sequels and a related film called That's Dancing!....

(1974).

The film "resembles the frothy operettas then so much in vogue, which means that Rosalie lacks much of a plot ... he [Porter] managed to compose the memorable 'In the Still of the Night' and 'Who Knows?'."

The reviewer at allmovie.com called the film an "overproduced musical extravaganza", and noted that "The flimsy plot all but collapses under the weight of Gibbons' enormous sets and dance director David Gould's ditto choreography."

Plot

Dick Thorpe is a football star for the Army, and Rosalie, a Vassar

Vassar College

Vassar College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in the town of Poughkeepsie, New York, in the United States. The Vassar campus comprises over and more than 100 buildings, including four National Historic Landmarks, ranging in style from Collegiate Gothic to International,...

student who is also a princess in disguise, watches a football game. They are attracted to each other and agree to meet in her country in Europe. When Dick flies into her country he is greeted as a hero by the King and finds Rosalie. Rosalie is engaged to marry Prince Paul, who actually is in love with Brenda; Dick, not knowing of Prince Paul's affections, leaves the country. The King and his family are forced to leave their troubled country, and Dick and Rosalie are finally re-united at West Point.

Songs

1. "Who Knows?" - Dick
2. "I've a Strange New Rhythm in My Heart" - Rosalie
3. "Rosalie" - Dick
4. "Why Should I Care?" - King Frederic
5. "Spring Love is in the Air" - Brenda
6. "Close" [instrumental]
7. "In the Still of the Night" - Dick
8. "It's All Over But the Shouting" - Dick
9. "To Love or Not to Love" - Dick