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Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

It takes a special sort of person to enjoy this film--a person who likes ultra-sappy operetta music. So, if you think that Janette MacDonald & Nelson Eddy films are the greatest things EVER, then you'll no doubt enjoy "The Night is Young"--even though neither of these stars are in the film. However, I do not, as I happen to be sane!! Sure, a few of the songs (the ones without the opera-like singing) are cute, but for the most part, when Evelyn Laye sings, I felt like screaming. It's amazing that such high-pitched caterwauling was popular in the 1930s and 40s, but today you'd be very, very hard-pressed to find anyone who'd like this sort of 'singing'. Oddly, however, Charles Butterworth of all people sang quite a bit in the film--even though he's certainly not a singer with his thin voice. But despite this, he was a delight throughout the film--even when he sang.The story is likely inspired by a sad true-life story. Back in the late 19th century, Crown Prince Rudolf of the Austria-Hungarian empire fell for a woman of not especially noble birth. His father (Emperor Franz Josef) forbade the romance--as love has nothing to do with marriage! Franz Josef's own marriage was a loveless disaster and by gum, so would Rudolf's--marriages were simply ways of forging political alliances...period. So, in a very tragic turn, it appears that Rudolf killed his lover and then himself! None of this is alluded to in the film. Instead, Franz Josef has ANOTHER son (something he did not have in real life) and this one also falls for a commoner--but with non-tragic results.The perennial lover of the 20s and 30s, Ramon Novarro, plays the handsome Prince. While he was always very good in such roles, it seemed weird that this guy had a strong Mexican accent. Laye (a really, really bad name for an actress) plays the commoner who ADORES singing. As for Una Merkel and Butterworth, they were welcome as comic relief. Oddly, however, the usually wonderful Edward Everett Horton (one of the best comic supporting actors of his age) was mostly wasted and had little opportunity to play his usual lovable befuddled self.Overall, the film had quite a few cute moments and the romance wasn't bad, but the singing had the effect of derailing the film. Too old fashioned and too schmaltzy, this film could have been lovely, but is simply not worth your time unless you are a die-hard Butterworth fan!

Wistful, bittersweet operetta seemingly belonging to a time considerably earlier than 1935; it has elements of "Maytime," "The Student Prince," and, yes, "Bitter Sweet" in its plotting and sentimentality. (And leading lady Evelyn Laye, who is extraordinary, had in fact starred in "Bitter Sweet" on Broadway.) But Romberg and Hammerstein, whether au courant at the time or not, chose to write sincerely and with feeling, and MGM trotted out some good screenwriters and excellent production values to realize their vision. The result is an operetta familiar in its doomed-love-among-different-classes plotting, but integrated in a then-modern way, with characters subtly switching into song on the flimsiest of excuses. It's really charming, and Novarro, in his MGM farewell, is dashing and gentlemanly. Charles Butterworth, who had played this sort of part for Hammerstein on the stage in "Sweet Adeline," is a delightful underplaying buffoon, and his vis-a-vis, Una Merkel, gets more screen time than she was generally allowed. Rosalind Russell, as the well-bred woman Novarro must marry (like I said, it's very like "The Student Prince") isn't interesting at this point in her career, but Edward Everett Horton had by now perfected his fussy-major-domo characterization and does it to a T. Well directed by the nearly unknown Dudley Murphy, and lovely to look at.

Ramon Novarro (in his last MGM movie) stars as a prince who falls in love with someone beneath his station--the lovely Lisl (Evelyn Laye). Meanwhile he's being forced into marriage with a horrid woman (Rosalind Russell!!!). What will he do?Lavish musical comedy romance shot in beautiful black and white. By the time this was made, Novarro knew his career at MGM was over. He was a gay man who refused to marry so MGM did not renew his contract when it expired. What's surprising is they went all out to give and gave him a really great film as a sendoff.The budget was obviously huge--some of the sets are really impressive. The script is very good with some truly beautiful songs interwoven (I loved it when people just slipped from talking to singing). The whole cast is good-there's not one bad performance. Evelyn Laye is beautiful and has a wonderful voice--one hell of an actress too. Edward Everett Horton as a prissy palace official is quite funny--just his facial looks had me chuckling. And a very young Rosalind Russell is interesting. Best of all is Novarro--Incredibly handsome with a beautiful smile and voice and also a very good actor. It's really a shame that homophobia ruined his career.The picture has a very romantic feel to it and Laye and Novarro had some serious sexual chemistry between them. I'm only giving this an 8 because of the ending. It's realistic but I didn't like it--it threw the whole film off kilter. Still, this is a real treat worth seeing.This was a HUGE box office bomb when it came out and has disappeared over the years (even Leonard Maltin doesn't have it in his book). Now that TCM is showing it let's hope it gets the recognition it deserves.

Against his wishes, an Austrian Archduke must pretend a lovely ballet girl is his mistress - but THE NIGHT IS YOUNG and anything might still happen...Ramon Novarro had his last starring role at MGM in this forgotten - but surprisingly enjoyable - musical comedy. This time the Studio's chameleon star plays a Habsburg royal and he brings his usual sense of good fun & high spirits to the role - laughing & singing & charming the ladies. To its credit, the Studio gave him a sendoff with fine production values and a worthy supporting cast.English songstress Evelyn Laye was to be Novarro's final (major film) leading lady. She is lovely & very talented & will remind some viewers of Jeanette MacDonald - except she's much easier to understand when warbling than Jeanette.Wizened Edward Everett Horton is well cast as a pompous palace bureaucrat; it's quite a hoot to watch his facial expressions throughout. Pert & sassy, Una Merkel is fun as Miss Laye's girlfriend; laconic Charles Butterworth provides some chuckles as Merkel's solemn beau. Herman Bing is very enjoyable as Novarro's majordomo; and elderly Henry Stephenson adds a touch of grace & dignity to his small role as Emperor Franz Josef.Movie mavens will recognize Elspeth Dudgeon as an old Duchess in the Royal Box at the Ballet; Christian Rub as a cafe waiter; and George Davis as a milkman - all uncredited.The musical score by Oscar Hammerstein II & Sigmund Romberg is all pleasantly lilting, with the standout being the classic ‘When I Grow Too Old To Dream.'***************************After doing very fine work in front of the Hollywood cameras for thirteen years, Ramon Novarro found himself in the unfortunate position of being the human flotsam swept up by two powerful tides.First, there was the definite change in the public's taste for male movie stars. The Latin Lover was out -the rugged He-man (personified by Gable & Cooper) was very much the vogue. Sensitive Novarro, with his still strong Mexican accent, no longer fit in. Thus, THE NIGHT IS YOUNG can easily be seen as the last gasp of the Hollywood Latin Lover, with roots stretching back to Valentino.Second, with the strengthening of the Hayes Office and the enforcement of the Production Code beginning in mid-1934, a powerful studio like MGM had to be very careful with its sexually nebulous stars. Already MGM had been involved in silencing little imbroglios Novarro had gotten into in the past. A big sex scandal now could be disastrous. Unwilling to hide behind a fake marriage (as a few other male stars were forced to do), Louis B. Mayer quietly reserved the right to not renew Novarro's contract when it expired in 1935.Ten years previous, in the title role of the hugely popular BEN-HUR, Novarro had been one of MGM's brightest stars. Now, he was a has-been.Novarro seems to have accepted the changes with typical good grace. Always wise with his finances, money was not going to be much of a problem. He did some film work at lesser studios, both in California & Mexico. He even went on the stage for awhile and lent his fine singing voice to light operetta. And eventually, as he aged, there was some television work.Basically, though, Novarro had already slipped into obscurity by the mid-1950's, as can be seen by a rather cruel comment Ricky Ricardo (Desi Arnaz) makes about him in one of the Hollywood episodes of I Love Lucy. Novarro continued with the occasional acting job into the 1960's.It would certainly be comforting if movie heroes all came to happy ends at last. Such culminations to long lives would be both poetic & tidy. Ramon Novarro, alas, would have no such Final Farewell.At the end of October in 1968, Novarro made the incredibly bad mistake of allowing two young ruffians into his home. Over the course of a very long night, he was humiliated, beaten, tortured & murdered in the most grisly, ghastly manner. (The culprits were quickly caught.) Novarro was 69 years old.And so ends the wonderful, horrible, exciting, terrifying saga of Ramon Novarro. It is too bad that for decades the most that people recalled about him, if at all, was the gruesome manner of his death. He should be remembered as a fine actor with much charm & vivacity, who acquitted himself well in both silent & talking motion pictures. If for no other reason than BEN-HUR, he will be assured his place in film history. Now that his old movies are slowly becoming more readily accessible, it may at last be possible to give Ramon Novarro the acknowledgment & respect he deserves.