A-maz-ing

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

Evelyn Laye and John Boles are absolutely charming. The musical sections are quite beautiful my only complaint is that there isn't enough music. Much of the music seems to have been tragically cut out of the film before release due to the public's untimely distaste for musical at the time of the release of this film. By the time musicals became popular again, operettas of this classy type had unfortunately gone out of fashion. Rare chance to see one of the last of the first wave of musicals (1929-1931) from Hollywood (and in my opinion, it's best and most tasteful period). By the time the second wave came in 1932, musical films too a decidedly more low-brow approach with more emphasis being given to low comedy as opposed to classy tasteful music.

"Caught in her Own Love Trap... she could not stem The Fury of His Love!" screams the poster that was used to advertise this 1930 musical/operetta. If only it were true... Even though elegantly produced by Samuel Goldwyn, "One Heavenly Night" became one of the big flops of the year and the passing decades have not been kind to it. This "talkies" screen debut of West End singing star Evelyn Laye was obviously intended to launch her on a musical film career in Hollywood, but both critics and audience rightly perceived the flick as a turkey, and Miss Laye's career as a screen song siren never materialized. In fairness to the lady, it's difficult to imagine what vocal and thespian powers she might have drawn upon to overcome the stale script, the so-so music, and the stilted performances of her co-actors (including John Boles and a painfully unfunny Leon Errol). It's nice to know that -- after being bruised by Tinseltown -- Evelyn Laye returned to a long and highly successful career on the British stage and died in the 1990's, much loved and appreciated by her audiences, at the ripe old age of 95. As for "One Heavenly Night," if you get the opportunity to see it... don't...

During the 1930s, there were quite a few god-awful musicals that are awfully hard to stomach today. That's because unlike other musicals, the songs were almost operatic in style and high-pitched warbling abounded. Now you probably are immediately reminded of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy's films, though there were some that came out before theirs that were actually far more difficult to stomach--the films were so old fashioned and the singing so dreadful. Oddly, the studio heads even placed Laurel and Hardy in a few of these musical monstrosities--they were that popular an 'art' form at the time.Here in ONE HEAVENLY NIGHT, we've got all the makings of a terrible old musical. The singing is among the most high-pitched and ear-shattering, the songs are dull, the acting (at times) is suspect, the film features comic relief (Leon Erol) that isn't all that funny and the love story is rather creepy.Let's talk about the love story for a moment. The film begins with a not especially attractive lady singing a song rather poorly. Yet despite this, the men in the audience respond like she's "Swing Shift Cinderella" (from the Tex Avery cartoon) and begin hooting and hollering and acting like horny dogs. After a riot, the police order this sex kitten out of the city but instead she sends a similar looking friend. This friend (Evelyn Laye) has dreamed about the life of a vamp and she's quick to agree to the masquerade. However, the vamp's reputation proceeds her and the Count in the town she arrives in assumes she's an easy sexual conquest. When he practically rapes Laye (great name, huh?), she runs off and realizes she doesn't want to be a vamp! Yet, oddly, later the Count realizes he actually loves Laye and wants to marry her, not just lay Laye. And so the two kiss and live happily ever after! Aside from promoting date rape, this plot is really, really hard to believe and is made all the worse by the couple periodically breaking into song.Overall, the idea behind the plot isn't bad but the execution and romance are so god-awful I can't recommend the film.

This original operetta was a flop in 1930 and still is, despite good production values (no surprise, with Goldwyn as producer) a shimmering leading lady (Evelyn Laye) and a fun supporting turn by Lilyan Tashman. The songs by Clifford Grey, Herb Nacio Brown, Edward Eliscu and Bruno Granichstaedten are mildly pleasant, nothing more, and a musical with a boring book (by Sidney Howard, of all people!) needs superior songs to float, and these second- rate numbers don't help. Finally the enterprise sinks completely during long and tiresome slapstick routines performed by Leon Errol. Sometimes the viewer wonders whether this production was meant to be a conventional operetta or a variety show. John Boles as the romantic lead exudes more energy than in his straight dramatic roles and sings well, but not often enough to put a dent in the tedium. Students of cultural history will find this film interesting as an example of why screen musicals became unpopular for a time. It's too bad Laye had to be in a turkey for her American sound film debut. She had everything it took to be a major player.