oscaralbert Review of Romance Road

Romance Road (1938)

This Warner Bros. spoof of Jeanette MacDonald\Nelson Eddy musicals . . .

[6/10 · 24 April 2015]

. . . probably seemed a wonderful way to save about 90 minutes of time when it was released in 1938, but it might be just as effective today if an editor pared it down from nearly 19 minutes to ten or so. For instance, Mountie Shane could yell out, "Stop, in the name of the King!" during the first five minutes, so that the only two Native Canadians in the tribe who do NOT dress like chiefs might be saved from the railroad's serial rapist. The opening title card of ROMANCE ROAD says that Mounties are encouraged to mix business with pleasure, wooing the most eligible chicks around as they move from town to town in their bright red uniforms to replenish a thinning Canadian gene pool. After wedding planning, priority Number Two seems to be enforcing Fat Cat Englishmen's property rights over the livelihoods and well-being of any "Frenchies" or Native Canadians who are in the way. This live action short was made so long ago that Canadians still flew a real-looking national flag, rather than a banner featuring a forest waste product. That's why those North of the border will want to view this in its buffoonish entirety.