Trivia and Other Fun Stuff on THE MERRY WIDOW

When the film's 1925 version appeared, a real Prince Danilo turned up and sued the studio. He agreed to drop the complaint when they paid him $4,000.

Cinematographer Oliver Marsh had also worked on the 1925 version.

To create a language for Prince Danilo and Sonia's native Marshovia, the lyrics to the "Russian Dance" were written in gibberish.

The 24 gowns Adrian designed for Jeanette MacDonald were so lavish it took 12 seamstresses four months to build them.

This was the first film on which MacDonald had to lip synch to her pre-recorded song tracks. MacDonald and Maurice Chevalier shot a French-language version of the film at the same time as the English one. French audiences were suitably impressed with her handling of the language, even down to subtleties in her line readings. Russian actor Akim Tamiroff, who plays the manager of Maxim's in the American version, took on the larger role of Turk for the French film. He was the only other cast member to appear in both versions. The French version is now lost.

The famous ball scene featured 500 extras dancing through mirrored rooms that made the crowd seem even larger.

The ballroom set featured 1,000 gas chandeliers. It took two hours to light them.

Chevalier's assistant and good friend Robert Spencer did a bit in the film as the man Chevalier cuts in on so he can dance with MacDonald.

For the versions released in England and Belgium, where gibes at the monarchy were considered offensive, King Achmet was turned into a general.

Una Merkel, who plays Queen Dolores, is the only performer to appear in two different screen versions of The Merry Widow. She played the role of Kitty Riley, the widow's traveling companion, for the 1952 version.

by Frank Miller

Famous Quotes from THE MERRY WIDOW (1934)

"Are you pretty? Or beautiful?"
"Gorgeous." -- Maurice Chevalier, as Prince Danilo, and a veiled Jeanette MacDonald, as Sonia.

"Love calls to love and my heart is your own." -- Sterling Holloway, as Mischka, serenading MacDonald, as Sonia, on behalf of Chevalier, as Prince Danilo.

"So they're blaming me, huh?"
"For everything. They're even telling jokes about your majesty."
"Are they funny?"
"No."
"That's bad." -- George Barbier, as King Achmet, discussing his failing country with Donald Meek, as his valet.

"Put Gabrielovitsch and Sienkovitsch together, and what have you got? Gabrielovitsch and Sienkovitsch." -- Una Merkel, as Queen Dolores, dismissing rumors of her infidelity.

"Have you ever had diplomatic relations with a woman?" -- Edward Everett Horton, as Ambassador Popoff, making sure Chevalier, as Danilo, is up to the task of seducing MacDonald, as Sonia.

"Your left eye says yes, and your right eye says no. Fifi, you're cockeyed!" -- Chevalier to MacDonald, when he thinks she's one of the girls at Maxim's.

"I'm a soldier. My duty is to fight. I'm willing to die on every battlefield. But I'm not going to drink another cup of coffee!" - Chevalier.