The Cat and the Fiddle is a weird, charming relic

Should you watch this?

If you like old musicals that feel like they were made in a different universe, yes. People who hate stage-bound sets or anyone who needs their romantic leads to actually have chemistry might want to skip it. It is not for the impatient.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Cat and the Fiddle (1934) through its definitive frames.

There is something inherently bizarre about watching a 1934 musical shot in that early Technicolor process. Everything looks like a dream you had after eating too much cheese. The colors aren't just vibrant; they’re aggressive.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Cat and the Fiddle (1934) through its definitive frames.

Jeanette MacDonald is basically playing the role of 'the person who is always right' and she does it with a lot of grit. Ramon Novarro plays the struggling composer who is so mopey you almost want to reach into the screen and shake him. They spend the whole movie arguing over music, which is a surprisingly relatable way to fall in love.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Cat and the Fiddle (1934) through its definitive frames.

The pacing is all over the place. Sometimes it feels like a snappy play, other times it just sits there. I found myself looking at the background extras more than the leads. There is one waiter in the background of the cafe scene who seems to have no idea what to do with his hands. He just keeps rearranging the same two spoons.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Cat and the Fiddle (1934) through its definitive frames.

The music and the mess

It’s not a Jerome Kern masterpiece, let’s be honest. Some of the songs feel like they were tacked on because someone decided they needed to fill a quota. Yet, there’s a charm to it that feels very different from something like The Way of All Flesh, which has a completely different energy. This isn't trying to be heavy.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of The Cat and the Fiddle (1934) through its definitive frames.

The finale goes full-on spectacle. It’s a bit much. It’s like they suddenly realized they had a budget left and decided to build an entire theater set just to burn it down with glitter. It makes zero sense in the context of the story, but that’s fine. I don't need logic when I have that many trumpets.

The movie gets noticeably better when it stops trying to be a serious romance and just leans into the silliness. Frank Morgan is in this, and frankly, he’s the only one who looks like he’s having a good time. Everyone else is sweating through their period costumes.

• That one song that repeats about six times too many.
• The weirdly specific sound design on the footsteps.
• The way the light hits the set during the night scenes.

It is not a classic. It’s a curiosity. You watch it for the weird color palette and to see two pros try to sell a script that was clearly written by a committee of eight people. Sometimes a movie just needs to be weird enough to keep you awake. This one fits the bill. 🎻