Sunday, November 19 8:00 p.m. (ET)/5:00 p.m. (PT) THE GIRL OF THE GOLDEN WEST (1938) * Requested by Glenn Farrington of Florida Love comes down to the luck of the draw in The Girl of the Golden West (1938). Fortunately, the cards are stacked in favor of screen sweethearts Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald in their fourth pairing. Eddy plays the dangerous Ramerez, an outlaw in love with small town saloon owner MacDonald who he must woo in disguise. Based on a 1905 play by David Belasco, The Girl of the Golden West had been previously filmed three times before MGM decided it was the perfect vehicle for its hottest duo. The first version was a 1915 film by Cecil B. DeMille, the second one appeared in 1923, directed by Edwin Carewe, and the third version starred Ann Harding and was released in 1930. The Girl of the Golden West was originally set to music from an opera by Puccini (Belasco also penned the drama that would become Puccini's famed Madame Butterfly). Yet, in 1938, an entirely new score was created for the Eddy and MacDonald version. None of Puccini's music was used. This time, Sigmund Romberg, the operetta composer who had co-written the play on which the popular Maytime (1937) was based, and lyricist Gus Kahn teamed up to create the memorable tunes. Curiously, The Girl of the Golden West was short on duets, only allowing the stars a few bars together at the end of "Mariachie" and a short reprise of "Senorita". Some might claim this was the best approach, considering reports of feuding between the two stars. Apparently MacDonald originally wanted Allan Jones, her co-star from The Firefly (1937) to play the role, reasoning that he'd be more believable as the masked, Mexican bandit than blond Eddy. In the end, Eddy got the part, and the story was changed, adding flashbacks at the beginning to set him up as the adopted son of a Mexican outlaw. Here's some amusing side notes about The Girl of the Golden West. It was rumored that Joan Crawford had wanted to play the female lead, hoping to show off her singing abilities. Also, had Jeanette MacDonald agreed to it, she and Eddy might have been paired in a Robin Hood operetta. But MGM scrapped the idea when Warner Bros. beat them to the punch with 1938's The Adventures of Robin Hood starring Errol Flynn and Olivia de Havilland. Look for lots of famous faces in The Girl of the Golden West. Walter Pidgeon plays the sheriff. H.B. Warner appears as a priest. Buddy Ebsen, one of the best song and dance men around at that time, displays his unique talents. Unfortunately, due to the excessive length, Ray Bolger (The Wizard of Oz's Scarecrow) had his musical scenes cut for time. Director: Robert Z. Leonard Producer: William Anthony McGuire Screenplay: Isabel Dawn, Boyce DeGaw, based on the play by David Belasco Cinematography: Oliver T. Marsh Editor: W. Donn Hayes Art Direction: Cedric Gibbons, Eddie Imazu Music: Sigmund Romberg Cast: Jeanette MacDonald (Mary Robbins), Nelson Eddy (Ramerez/Lt. Johnson), Walter Pidgeon (Sheriff Jack Rance), Leo Carillo (Mosquito), Buddy Ebsen (Alabama). BW-122m. By Stephanie Thames 10:15 p.m. (ET)/7:15 p.m. (PT) CHINA DOLL (1958) * Requested by Decile Deason of Louisiana A romance between an American flyer and his housekeeper produces a living China Doll (1958) in this World War II tearjerker. Victor Mature takes on the role of the American father who is separated from his wife and child by war. Shanghai born Li Li Hua plays his wife in her first and only credited American screen role. China Doll also marked the directorial return of Frank Borzage following a ten year Hollywood absence. Borzage made no films between 1948's Moonrise and China Doll, apparently a victim of blacklisting. Best known for his unabashed romanticism, Borzage's filmography includes movies like A Farewell to Arms (1932), a Dick Powell-Ruby Keeler musical Shipmates Forever (1935) and the wartime love story, Till We Meet Again (1944). He won two early Best Director Oscars for Seventh Heaven (1927) and Bad Girl (1931). And regardless of later communist allegations, Borzage's The Mortal Storm (1940) was one of the few anti-German movies made before the U.S. entered the war. In fact, the film's anti-fascist slant so angered Hitler it resulted in all MGM films being banned in Germany. Borzage did appear as an actor in the 1957 film Jeanne Eagels playing, interestingly enough, the part of an assistant director. He made just one more film for Hollywood after China Doll, directing Howard Keel in the religious epic The Big Fisherman (1959). One other face to note in China Doll is two-time Olympic decathlon winner Bob Mathias. Mathias, who turned actor to play the title role in his own biography The Bob Mathias Story (1954), takes on his first non-sports related role in <China Doll. The part re-teamed him with his Bob Mathias Story coach Ward Bond, who appears here as a priest. Director: Frank Borzage Producer: Frank Borzage, Victor Mature (uncredited), John Wayne (uncredited) Screenplay: Kitty Buhler, story by Thomas F. Kelly and James Benson Nablo Cinematography: William H. Clothier Editor: Jack Murray Art Direction: Howard Richmond Music: Henry Vars, 'By' Dunham (song) Cast: Victor Mature (Cliff Brandon), Li Li Hua (Shu-Jen), Ward Bond (Father Cairns), Bob Mathias (Phil Gates), Johnny Desmond (Steve Hill). BW-100m. By Stephanie Thames