When The Brits Sent Us a Great Musical Star

Jessie Matthews Glows In Evergreen (1934)

UK's Evergreen Earns Top-Of-Bill Bookings In The US

Why couldn't we have had Jessie Matthews to partner Fred Astaire and send Ginger Rogers to the Brits? Matthews was more appealing, certainly sexier, a better dancer --- to these eyes anyhow. Evergreen was an earlier success for her, having broke bigger than customary for a UK pic on US shores. Yank response to Gaumont's release suggested an offshore name could become meaningful here; Jesse certainly had the goods for it. There was even press to effect that Astaire wanted her for a next partner. Matthews had personal troubles and that may have shorted out a wider reach. Evergreen boasts full complement of elaborately staged songs; you'd not think England had so much to spend in '34. The story is multi-generational, JM as both mother and (later) daughter. Supporting is Sonnie Hale (a Matthews husband), putting over low-rung music hall-ing with conviction (was there a little of Sonnie in Archie Rice?), and Barry Mackay tries at brashness of a sort that Gaumont hoped might click US-wise. A string of Matthews musicals graced the 30's, some disc-available to us courtesy VCI. Evergreen meanwhile plays TCM in a nice print from owner MGM.