Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1929
Running time: 112 minutes
Directed by Robert Z. Leonard
Songs:
Marianne, When I See My Sugar, Just You-Just Me, Blondie, Ooo La La La La, Hang on to Me.
Cast:
Marion Davies, Lawrence Gray, Cliff Edwards, George Baxter, Benny Rubin.
Synopsis:
Marianne (Marion Davies) is a French girl who says good-bye to her lover Andre' as he
marches off to battle in World War I. While Andre' is gone, American 'Dough Boys' move
into her barn and steal her pet pig (Anatole) for dinner. Lawrence Gray plays Stagg, who
ends up with the Pig and takes the brunt for its theft. When the MP arrives to quell the
commotion Marianne forgives Stagg and later invites the soldiers to dinner. The soldiers
sing "Blondy" to Marianne who then sends them home.
Stagg is attracted to Marianne and mistakenly thinks that the war orphans she is attending
are her own; born out of wedlock to various soldiers. There is a humorous brawl when
Marianne discovers his theory and she quickly sets the record straight. The next morning
Stagg finds Marianne drawing water from the well, he takes is Ukulele to her place and
sings "Just You, Just Me". Marianne is flattered but plays it off casually,
saying "All the American soldiers sing that song." Marion does a cute rendition
of the tune with slightly different words:
Not You, Not Me
This world would be so nice,
So nice without YOU!
Of course Marianne and Stagg fall in love, but Stagg gets into more trouble when he
steals Anatole (again) after Marianne has cooked him for the General. Stagg is imprisoned
for stealing the Generals dinner and Marianne gets him pardoned by impersonating an
officer in an hilarious drag scene.
The war is over and Marianne knows that Andre' is going to be home soon so she cuts ties
with Stagg with great remorse. A bon- voyage party is held for the Dough Boys and Marion
is in true comic form dancing on a table and impersonating Maurice Chevalier and Sarah
Bernhardt.
The soldiers leave and Andre' returns blinded in combat. He feels that Marianne doesn't
love him so he decides to become a monk so she can be free. The film ends abruptly as
Stagg spots Marianne disembarking from the ship in New York and they embrace.
[Note: A separately filmed silent version of Marianne was completed with a different
supporting cast, including Oscar Shaw.]