Naughty Marietta (1935) in Color — Starring Jeanette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy

Naughty Marietta (1935) — Buy This Classic in Color

Naughty Marietta (1935) is the Academy Award-winning musical romance that launched the legendary screen partnership of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, with Frank Morgan, Elsa Lanchester, and Douglass Dumbrille. Directed by W.S. Van Dyke, this professionally colorized version brings the lavish 18th-century settings and soaring music to vivid new life. One of the most beloved operettas ever brought to the screen, Naughty Marietta established MacDonald and Eddy as the golden couple of Hollywood musicals. Buy your colorized copy today for €15.00 and own this magnificent classic movie in color.

Plot Summary

Princess Marie de la Bonfain (Jeanette MacDonald) flees an arranged marriage in France by disguising herself as a simple girl named Marietta and joining a group of casquette girls being sent to the French colony of Louisiana. The journey across the Atlantic is fraught with danger, and when pirates attack their ship in a fierce sea battle, the women are rescued by Captain Richard Warrington (Nelson Eddy) and his rugged band of frontier scouts who patrol the colonial wilderness. The fiercely independent Marietta clashes with the equally strong-willed Captain from the moment they meet, their sharp verbal sparring barely concealing a powerful mutual attraction. In the colorful streets of old New Orleans, Marietta attempts to build a new life free from the constraints of aristocratic obligation, taking in the vibrant culture of the colonial city with its bustling markets, elegant balls, and diverse population. She must navigate the attentions of the corrupt Governor’s nephew, who becomes obsessed with possessing her, while carefully hiding her true royal identity from the colonial authorities who would return her to France. As the net closes around her, Captain Warrington begins to suspect that this extraordinary woman is more than the simple casquette girl she claims to be. Their growing love is tested when Marietta’s aristocratic past threatens to tear them apart, forcing both to choose between duty and the passionate love that has blossomed between them in the untamed beauty of the New World.

Cast & Crew

Director: W.S. Van Dyke

Stars: Jeanette MacDonald, Nelson Eddy, Frank Morgan, Elsa Lanchester, Douglass Dumbrille, Cecilia Parker, Walter Kingsford, Greta Meyer, Akim Tamiroff, Joseph Cawthorn

Why Buy This Classic in Color?

This colorized version of Naughty Marietta reveals the ornate French court, the colonial New Orleans streets, and the lush Louisiana landscapes with breathtaking new visual splendor. The elaborate 18th-century costumes — from Marie’s royal French gowns to the frontier scouts’ rugged attire — are rendered in rich, authentic period colors that bring the fashion of the era to stunning life. The original black and white film captured the musical grandeur beautifully, but the professionally colorized restoration brings out the tropical settings with their verdant greenery and warm sunlight, the candlelit elegance of colonial ballrooms, and the elaborate production design that recreated old New Orleans with frame-by-frame precision. The pirate attack sequence gains thrilling new visual impact with colorized flames, dark ocean waters, and the vivid contrast between the attackers and the heroic scouts. Watch this restored classic film in gorgeous, romantic color. Now also available in colour.

Buy Naughty Marietta in color today for just €15.00. Your DRM-free MP4 download is available for instant access.

Historical Significance

Naughty Marietta won the Academy Award for Best Sound Recording and was nominated for Best Picture, launching the most successful musical partnership in cinema history. Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy would go on to make eight films together, but this first pairing established the extraordinary chemistry of their combined voices and the romantic magic that audiences adored. The film’s signature song “Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life” became one of the most popular songs of the era, performed at countless weddings and romantic occasions for decades afterward. The operetta was based on the work of Victor Herbert, one of America’s greatest composers of light opera, and the film preserves some of his most beautiful melodies including “Italian Street Song,” “Tramp! Tramp! Tramp!,” and the hauntingly romantic title song. Producer Hunt Stromberg assembled a remarkable supporting cast including Frank Morgan, who would later achieve immortality as the Wizard of Oz, and Elsa Lanchester, fresh from her iconic role as the Bride of Frankenstein. Director W.S. Van Dyke, known as “One-Take Woody” for his efficient filmmaking style, delivered a polished and emotionally resonant production that proved operetta could be commercially successful on screen. The colorization brings visual magnificence to this groundbreaking musical classic, allowing modern audiences to experience the full romantic beauty of the production design.

Technical Details

• Format: MP4 digital download
• Resolution: HD restored
• Colorized: Professionally colorized from original black and white
• Audio: Original mono restored
• Runtime: Approximately 105 minutes
• DRM-free: Yes — watch on any device
• Instant download: Available immediately after purchase
• Price: €15.00

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Movie-Specific Questions

Q: Is this the first MacDonald-Eddy film?
A: Yes, Naughty Marietta launched their legendary partnership and features their iconic duet “Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life,” which became one of the most beloved songs in American popular music.

Q: Is this the complete version?
A: Yes, this is the full 1935 theatrical release with all musical numbers intact, presented in its professionally colorized version.

Q: What awards did this film receive?
A: Naughty Marietta won the Academy Award for Best Sound Recording and was nominated for Best Picture at the 1936 ceremony, cementing the MacDonald-Eddy team as a major box office draw.

Digital Download Questions

Q: What format is the download?
A: DRM-free MP4, compatible with virtually any device or media player.

Q: How much does it cost?
A: €15.00 for instant download. The colorization process ensures every scene looks stunning in color.

Q: Can I watch on multiple devices?
A: Absolutely. The file is DRM-free, so you can watch on your TV, tablet, phone, or computer.

Related Colorized Classics

• Born to Dance (1936)
• Song of Love (1947)
• Follow the Fleet (1936)
• Ladies of Leisure (1930)
• The Valley of Decision (1945)