lirgabriel Von Stroheim comes back with another after "Foolish wives", black comedy, this time about a romance involving both princes of fictional kingdom of Monteblanco. Romance firstly between a prince and a dancer, soon dancer and an old lecherous baron, soon widow and a crown prince… How do I make you understand…? Two princessssss…or simply princes are through the movie acting like boys in the sandpit, rivals fighting for the prize toy, out of love or out of greed. The object of their affections is rejected, because of the class difference, by Prince Danillo, who still loves her truly. Prince Mirko really starts trying only after our little lady out of anger and out of pity marries a very old and rich baron and soon becomes the merry widow. Very rich widow let me add. It's about people trapped in the knot of aristocratic rules of engagement, woman who cannot speak her mind, it is about stupid pride that makes it impossible to communicate in any relationship and primal pride disabling our males' minds. It is also entertaining and easy to watch until the very happy end. Maybe too happy.

Frances Farmer The biggest problem I have with user reviews on websites like IMDb is that the reviews are usually much too positive. People seem to love everything, and they seem to expect everyone else to love everything too. Positive reviews are invariably rated "helpful" and negative reviews are spat upon. The childish rule of "If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all" has a remarkable appeal for otherwise sensible adults... it is so strange.I rarely give strongly positive reviews, but "The Merry Widow" is such a fantastic movie that giving it a "10" is quite easy. Why is it fantastic? Well, for starters John Gilbert is a revelation in this film. I've seen him in a few other silents, but he is incomparable here. His eyes, his expressions, his movements.... it is marvelous just to watch him. Von Stroheim gives Gilbert lots of screen time to express his mental turmoil, and Gilbert does so with remarkable depth and nuance for a silent film. Next, the other actors are excellent in their roles. Roy D'Arcy is terrific as the mean, fastidious and sly Crown Prince. Unlike most Von Stroheim villains, his rather ham fisted nastiness does not become an annoying caricature -- he is actually rather charming and funny with a strange mixture of grace and hunched awkwardness. Mae Murray is incandescent as the love interest -- the superb cinematography makes her look gorgeous, almost ethereal at times -- though her acting, while good, isn't the best in this particular movie. Everyone else in the cast more than pulls his weight.The story, too, is quite wonderful. There are many twists and turns... it almost feels like an epic... and the pacing creates plenty of tension and suspense. I also noticed the editing -- the shooting was quite complex and the cutting very skillful. Then there's Von Stroheim's usual opulence with respect to decor, costume, and all the little details that evoke old-style European aristocracy. But even in the midst of the opulence there's a scene shot out in an open, barren field that is remarkably atmospheric and utterly simple. I could go on and on....There's really nothing to quibble with here. If possible, wait to see it in a cinema with live piano accompaniment -- I felt very fortunate to have had that opportunity.

MartinHafer lier/Despite this film having the same title as the 1934 Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald movie, it bears no real similarity other than the characters names and title. Otherwise, they really are completely unalike. I have no idea if the '34 version has anything to do with the operetta, though apparently the 1925 one only has a passing similarity. John Gilbert plays a Prince in a fictional European nation. His rival is the nasty Roy D'Arcy--his cousin the Crown Prince. Both are army officers and womanizers who both fall for a pretty American (Mae Murray). However, she just finds them both annoying at first. However, Gilbert's charms win her over--and hers win him as well and he decides to marry her--even if Princes are NOT supposed to marry commoners. But on the day of their wedding, Gilbert is a no-show--having been convinced to give up the folly of marrying her. Naturally she is heart-broken and the ULTRA-super creepy Baron (Tully Marshall) offers to marry her. After all, he is a major foot fetishist and she has the most exquisite feet!! Ick! You'd even more icky when you see the aging Marshall who looks a bit like death warmed over! Fortunately for Murray, the new husband dies on their wedding night. I say fortunate because he looked like the type who might eat or strangle her! I mean he is REAAALLY creepy!! Now this lady is now a rich Baroness and quite a welcomed member of royal society.So now that Murray is somebody, what will happen? Will she once again fall for Gilbert's promises and virile ways or will she tell him to get lost? Well, it sure looks like the latter as she now is cozying up to the snake-like Crown Prince--as nasty piece of work he is! Plus, the more Gilbert pursues her, the more she puts him in his place. But, when she announces her plans to marry the Crown Prince, Gilbert goes nuts and attacks him--which leads to them arranging to fight a duel. Will Gilbert survive to win the widow or will he soon be assuming room temperature? Tune in to this film and find out for yourself.The film is exceptionally well made--with gorgeous sets, lovely matte paintings and lots of cool costumes. It's obvious that MGM spared no expense for this production, though I was surprised that Louis B. Meyer allowed Erich von Stroheim to helm this project considering his reputation for waaay over-excess (with his bazillion-reeled epic "Greed" being pared down by an angry studio just a few years earlier). Regardless, the film looked great and was quite enjoyable--one of the better silents I have seen.By the way, at the 127 minute mark, get a load of Murray's headdress--it's a riot.

hcoursen I know that the film suffered from directorial changes back and forth, with Stroheim fired, replaced by Monte Blue, then rehired. The direction is the problem here. The film wanders, boringly and aimlessly, until Gilbert's love for Murray is suddenly kindled in the seduction scene. Suddenly Murray shows us that she can act and Gilbert's pop-eyed stare finds a purpose. Until then, the film has been a series of vaguely related scenes, fading out in what becomes a predictable mannerism. Then, it picks up pace. Gilbert's leaving Murray at the altar (actually in her room all dressed up in her gown) is implausible, as is his later belief that she really prefers the constantly leering Crown Prince D'Arcy. (Didn't his face hurt after a while?). But the duel scene is gripping and the suspension of its outcome effective. Lehar's score, as played and played by the organ, became a bit repetitive. But it called attention to itself primarily because a lot of the film should have tasted the cutting room floor. This one needed a ruthless editing. The scenes in which the king and queen pry apart the enraged cousins, Gilbert and D'Arcy,are hilarious however. I don't think, though, that they were meant as farce.