Jeanette MacDonald had already achieved stardom in a series of sophisticated Ernst Lubitsch musicals in which she co-starred with Maurice Chevalier (including the operetta The Merry Widow) when Louis B. Mayer convinced her to co-star in a production of his favorite operetta, Naughty Marietta, with an unknown baritone named Nelson Eddy. Ah, sweet mystery of Hollywood, the team took off, and Naughty Marietta was only the first of eight such popular operettas. The pirate adventure story is, and was, all in good fun, and the film keeps its humor apace, aided by the unforced comedy of Frank Morgan and Elsa Lanchester in supporting parts. Direction by W. S. Van Dyke brings out the sparkling good humor of the naughty heroine herself. Featuring such Victor Herbert favorites as “Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life,” “Tramp, Tramp, Tramp” and “I'm Falling in Love with Someone,” and added lyrics by Gus Kahn, the film took the Oscar for Best Picture and Best Sound Recording.