Beautiful Black & White

When movies were not moving pictures, but moving paintings, moving works of art: Jeanette MacDonald sings “Vilia” in Ernst Lubitsch’s “The Merry Widow.” Gorgeous. Wow. This scene in which Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy sing “Sweetheart” is gorgeous, too. The beginning and end, especially, look like paintings. You could stop the shot and hang a framed still up on the wall. The close-ups of Jeanette are beautiful, too. The singing is gorgeous in the scene of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Edd performing “‘Ah Sweet Mystery Of Life.” As I have said in the past: I don’t know if we have copyright issues with these video clips. Are they within copyright, as would be quoting someone? Are they competing with the seller of the video? Could they be considered advertisements, since without some of the videos, fewer people would know about, and therefore seek to buy, the movies? How many people here knew about Jeanette MacDonald or Deanna Durbin before I posted about them?? Some people, yes; but few, I’d imagine.