Love Me Tonight is a 1932 Musical Romantic Comedy film starring Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald, directed by Rouben Mamoulian. Charles Ruggles and Myrna Loy play supporting roles. The music is by Richard Rodgers, with lyrics by Lorenz Hart.
Love Me Tonight provides examples of the following tropes:
- Ambiguous Syntax: A classic exchange between Gilbert and Valentine after Jeanette has a fainting spell.Gilbert: Valentine, can you go for a doctor?
Valentine: Certainly! Bring him right in! - Crash-Into Hello: Zigzagged in that Jeanette's buggy doesn't actually hit Maurice's car—but it does spill her into the ditch, leading to their first meeting.
- Defrosting Ice Queen: Jeanette.
- Dude, She's Like in a Coma: Jeanette has another fainting spell in the garden at the costume ball. Maurice kisses her until she wakes up—-whereupon she slaps him.
- Fake Aristocrat: Maurice. Interestingly, he doesn't change his behavior at all; the assumption that he's a Blue Blood is enough for the guests.
- Friend to All Living Things: Maurice Courtelin rescued a deer from being hunted and killed during the hunt.
- The Grand Hunt: There's an example of a stag hunt with all the elements: formal hunting clothes, horn-blowing, hounds, servants everywhere, etc.
- For Halloween, I Am Going as Myself: While the wealthy guests wear sumptuous, elaborate costumes to the ball, Maurice wears his everyday casual suit, turtleneck, and flat cap.
- Gilded Cage: Gilbert and Valentine regard the Big Fancy Castle as this, since the duc won't allow them to go enjoy the pleasures of Gay Paree.
- Healing Potion: Jeanette's aunts seem to be brewing one in an early scene, but we never see her drink it.
- "The Hero Sucks" Song: "The Son-of-a-Gun is Nothing But a Tailor."
- High-Class Gloves: Worn by both Jeanette (white) and Valentine (black) at the costume ball.
- "I Want" Song:
- "Isn't It Romantic?" starts with Maurice singing about having a wife who will cook, clean, wash his back, and provide him with lots of kiddies. Later, Jeanette sings to the same melody about her more idealized vision of a perfect man.
- "Lover," which Jeanette is singing just before she nearly collides with Maurice's car, also qualifies.
- Love at First Sight: Maurice for Jeanette.
- Meaningful Name: For the hunt, Maurice is offered a horse named Solitude—so called because he always comes home alone.
- Mistaken for Servant: Maurice finds the duc polishing a suit of armor. He asks where he can find the Vicomte de Varèze and adds, "Is this your only job?" Fortunately, the duc either doesn't notice or doesn't take offense at the question.
- Ms. Fanservice: Jeanette has two scenes in her underwear. When she first strips for the doctor's exam, the camera takes a moment to pan from head to toe appreciatively.
- One-Woman Song: "Mimi" (sung to Jeanette).
- The Peeping Tom: Valentine bores holes in a door so she can watch Maurice change clothes for the ball. So, more like Peeping... Tammy?Duc: That door has come down to us through generations.
Valentine: So have my instincts. - Penny Among Diamonds: Maurice. Lampshaded by his costume for the Masquerade Ball.
- Pimped-Out Dress: Many of them at the ball, but Valentine's eighteenth-century-style dress is particularly noteworthy.
- Prince Charming: Subverted. As Jeanette's three aunts say at the end of the film:"Once upon a time, there was a princess and a Prince Charming..."
"Who was not a prince..."
"But who was charming!" - Really Gets Around: Valentine would, if only she had the opportunity.Jeanette: Do you ever think of anything but men, dear?
Valentine: Yes—schoolboys. - Rich Boredom: Valentine is so bored that she spends much of her time napping.
- Royals Who Actually Do Something: Jeanette's stated that she's often done some hunting, who she's not doing princess duties.
- Title Drop: Maurice to Jeanette in the garden.Maurice: Listen, my beautiful princess, I love you! I love you! And whatever comes tomorrow, love me tonight. Love me tonight!
