Over the Moon (1939)

Slow pace in the most part of the movie.

A Masterpiece!

In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

The joyful confection is coated in a sparkly gloss, bright enough to gleam from the darkest, most cynical corners.

For some reason all of the reviews for this film are from the state's.As this film was recently shown on London Live I can redress this.Firstly the colour is typical of pre war Technicolour and is quite beautiful.The sound was totally audible,at least to me.This was not the only London Film held up for release,21 Days being another.In any event since British film production had fallen to a low level due to bombing and requisition of studios,the release of these films would help British cinemas cope with their quota requirements.It is not a film which will rate highly in the careers of either stars.The plot must have hackneyed even at the time of production.Oberon inherits a lot of money and is then perused by a lot of aristocratic Chinese wonders who can offer a title in return for large wads of cash..Incidentally there is a really fine musical number by the immortal Elizabeth Welch which license up the proceedings.

The typical film of a girl from poverty who inherits $18 million British pounds and how she goes into high society.Of course, distant relatives and others come out of the woodwork to befriend our new heiress.About to marry country doctor Rex Harrison, the engagement soon falls apart and she begins to mingle with the upper crust of society thanks to that distant relative and supposed friend, both of whom are only too eager to introduce her to a man of their choosing. Gigolos abound here and are naturally drawn to Oberon's new wealth, but one is included who is even wealthier than she is thanks to a respective family.We see snobbery at its worst and if a whirlwind adventure, Oberon finds her true love while realizing that she is still basically a plain girl of plain origin.

In a small Yorkshire village, girlish Merle Oberon (as Jane Benson) tends to her bedridden grandfather. His country doctor, young Rex Harrison (as Freddie Jarvis), seems more interested in checking Ms. Oberon's heartbeat. Their pulses rise and a marriage is considered. Suddenly, Oberon inherits 18,000,000 pounds, courtesy of her penny-pinching grandfather. That should be happy news, but Oberon reacts with a perplexed look. After the riches sink in, she decides to join high society in London, Monte Carlo and Nice. Initially along for the ride, Mr. Harrison becomes bored with fancy cars, parties and glitter. Harrison leaves. Oberon parties on, but something is missing...This film meanders along clumsily. It appears disjointed, and Oberon often looks less than her beautiful self. One reason for this is the fact that "Over the Moon" jumped around three production years. It was begun in 1937 and completed in 1939. Although Oberon had yet to appear in the classic "Wuthering Heights" (1939), she was already an established star, having received an "Academy Award" nomination for "The Dark Angel" (1935). Herein, it appears that filmmakers are still searching for the proper way to photograph Oberon. This may be due to the fact that "Over the Moon" was filmed in color. Some of the camera angles, lighting and takes used are not flattering.*** Over the Moon (2/12/39) Thornton Freeland ~ Merle Oberon, Rex Harrison, Ursula Jeans, Robert Douglas

SPOILERS Twenty-eight year old Merle Oberon is heiress Jane Benson in this British story. A young looking 30 year old Rex Harrison is the family doctor Fred Jarvis at the film open. When her father passes away, relatives come out of the woodwork, ready to advise her on what to do with her new bank account. And when Jane decides that she and the doctor are to be married, we see signs of discord between them, and Jarvis goes off to France to "explore". Another interesting character, the ever flaming Peter Haddon is the Lord Petcliffe, who shows every stereotype known at the time, even his fuzzy slippers and purple pants. Then Jane is off to Monte Carlo for her own adventures, where she meets a variety of guys. The sound quality and picture quality in the first half is pretty bad. It was filmed in spherical technicolor, but it looks like it has been restored, or maybe NEEDS to be restored. There are some memorable scenes to watch for... like the outdoor scenes of London and Monte Carlo, and the fashion show, with its comedic moment. Both Harrison and Oberon had been in films for almost ten years, so they both showed skill and style. The trivia section here discusses the filming delays and retakes, and it is quite evident in some scenes that much time has passed. While the actors appearances have changed a bit, the sound and picture quality improved greatly in those scenes. Made by London Film Productions, under the Cinematograph Films Act by British Parliament. It's quite entertaining, with several scenes of low-key comedy. Fun song "Red Hot Annabelle" by Elisabeth Welch about halfway through. Saw this on Turner Classics, although they must not show it very often -- as of today, only 67 votes.