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Sweethearts:The Timeless Love Affair -- On-Screen and Off -- Between Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy, updated edition
"Sweethearts" is the true story of one of Hollywood's greatest cover-ups: the love affair between Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. Known as 'America's Singing Sweethearts' of the 1930s and 40s, they made eight box office hits together for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and became the most popular singing team in movie history. Rumor had it that they hated each other off-screen but the truth was that they were secretly engaged in the summer of 1935 while filming their famous "Mountie" movie, "Rose Marie." Interference by studio boss Louis B. Mayer triggered a series of tragic events that caused them to self-destruct their film careers, health and ultimately their lives. Read about MacDonald's four pregnancies by Eddy, her relationship with studio boss Louis B. Mayer, her marriage to bisexual Gene Raymond (who flaunted affairs with Buddy Rogers, Robert Stack, Cesar Romero, Rock Hudson and Jan Clayton). On the rebound, Eddy wed a mentally unstable woman who blackmailed him into marriage, threatened to disfigure MacDonald, and vowed to go to the press with the scandal if Eddy tried to divorce her. Eddy turned to young women when he and MacDonald were at odds, and several of them have gone on record in this book for the first time. Despite all the high drama, Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy had a fierce, spiritual bond and loved each other to the end. The author was a close friend of MacDonald's older sister plus had access to a wealth of unpublished letters, eyewitness accounts, diary entries, love letters and the unfinished memoirs of both Jeanette MacDonald and Isabel Eddy, Nelson's mother. Rich also interviewed over 200 co-stars, co-workers, family and friends. Included among her more famous sources were MGM stars Rise Stevens and Miliza Korjus, opera stars Rose Bampton, Helen Jepson and Theodor Uppman, MGM co-workers William Tuttle and Fred Phillips, and U.S. Senate Chaplain Richard Halverson who, in his youth, was MacDonald's butler/chauffeur and had occasion to observe her interaction both with Nelson Eddy and Gene Raymond. This is a completely rewritten and updated version of the 1994 edition, including an additional chapter, new information in every chapter, more photos and over 50 pages of source notes.
"Sweethearts" was a selection of the Entertainment Book Club and the #1 Best Seller on Booksurge.com for 4 weeks in March 2002.
Reviews:
"Offers considerable proof they may have been secret lovers for years." Robert Osborne
"Sweethearts" is one of the finest books about Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Hollywood during the Golden Era. It is a bittersweet love story of a famous couple whose musical duets on the silver screen thrilled a generation of moviegoers. They were a once-in-a-lifetime experience. With the knowledge, thanks to Miss Rich, that the actors were in love off the screen, gives their films a heartbeat. Included are love letters, notes from diaries, and observations of those who kept their secret. You will enjoy every word of "Sweethearts" and you will find a new meaning when viewing their musicals. Then you'll read it a second time." -Jane Ellen Wayne, Author, The Golden Guys of MGM
"The star-crossed love affair of the century....The account is anything but sugar-coated. Ms. Rich's book certainly contains much to raise the eyebrows. She names names and pulls no punches. Still, this is not a sensational expose; one comes away feeling sorry for the protagonists, and wishing that their story could have had a happier resolution....Scrupulously documented...give[s] credibility to an amazing story." Rob Ray, "Past Times"
"Rich affords a long, exciting, revealing look at two of the most important screen personalities of the 1930s. Vital reading to anyone interested in film history, Hollywood, or popular culture." Mike Tribby, "Booklist"
"A surprisingly interesting look at two people so wrapped up in make-believe that they began taking it seriously." Harry Bowman, "Dallas Morning News"
"A bonanza for MacDonald/Eddy fans." "Kirkus Reviews"
"This book rings true. Fans will love it." John Smothers, Library Journal
- GenresBiographyNonfiction
Paperback
First published October 19, 1994
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
May 23, 2013
I accept the author's insistence that MacDonald and Eddy had a long-time affair both before and after their marriage to others. I accept the author's extensive documentation of this affair. But, puhleeze, this clandestine, hidden from the public, secretive back-alley romance featuring multiple pregnancies and miscarriages, whose happy-ever-after was spoiled by the manipulative L.B. Mayer, is NOT a great love story to be remembered and celebrated some 70 years after their last film was produced. Their behind-the-scenes personal drama is irrelevant. What matters, and what makes the MacDonald Eddy team remembered today, is the films they made together. The films are glorious. MacDonald is gorgeous. Eddy is handsome and heroic. The songs are forever fresh. Together they made movie magic. Why should Rich spend 35 years pursuing the "truth" of their offstage "love"? And why should we care? Skip the book. Watch the films.
November 29, 2014
Yep - reads like an out-of-touch Mary-Sue piece of Fanfiction. I didn't invent that description, other reviewers of the book have. A Mary Sue is a Fan Author who wants to BE the woman in the imagined hook-up. I do agree with my wife that there is a strong odor of Anti-Semitism throughout the book, making it all about a Nasty Jewish Cabal keeping the nice White, Christians apart for some nefarious "Jew"purpose. Both my wife and I had the privilege of being close to Old-time Hollywood Insiders before their death, who knew both Eddy & MacDonald & the various alleged players. When my wife floated this "conspiracy theory as book" to them when it was first Self-published, we got more than our fair share of an education about the enforced Bisexuality of either Gay or Lesbian stars. They were married to Beards/Merkins and that method is unfortunately still enforced although a lot less so. The idea that an American Public that was clamoring for a real-life Love-Story between these two would be DENIED due to some weird and convoluted backstabbing by the nasty and coincidentally, Russian Jewish Studio Head, L.B. Mayer, beggers belief. The book hinges on one on-set romance and accidental pregnancy wich goes horribly arwy like some All My Children or something. There's a reason the Soaps have died and when the last of the Mac/Eddy "beliebers" go their graves, so will this soap opera and cottage industry. What sticks in my craw is the anti-semitism all over the book and I'm not even Jewish.
April 5, 2015
Another of my guilty pleasures is the music of Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy....those lovely voices and beautiful faces made their films together top grossers in the 1930s when the public needed something to lift their spirits during the Depression. They seem corny to the modern audiences but they made beautiful music together. With that said, I have to admit that this book appears to be fiction being passed off as non-fiction/biography. It purports to tell the story of their real life "love affair" off screen and the studio's successful attempts to keep them apart (even though they kept starring them together in film) for some curious and frankly, ridiculous reasons.......and how their lives were affected forever. Stir in several abortions, bi-sexuality,and mental illness for good measure and I wasn't buying any of it. Audiences wanted to believe that they were in love when they looked into each other's eyes and sang "Oh Sweet Mystery of Life", so it was natural that sooner or later a book would be written to validate that belief. With all the players and sources either dead or possibly in need of money, I just couldn't give much credence to the book. And it appears that I am in the minority.
December 26, 2017
This book - wow! I knew that Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy were singing stars at MGM in the 1930s but not much more than that. I had no idea they had a secret 30-year love affair and that their lives and choices were so heavily dictated by the studio. This book was a roller coaster of emotions through an incredible love story that is ageless, which is why I think it can still appeal to people today. Through diaries, personal letters and interviews, the author was able to give so many specific details about their lives and Hollywood of the 1930s - 1960s; I couldn't put it down. Despite the book being 550 pages, I read it in just a few days, and as soon as I finished I turned right back to page 1 and started again for a second time! The author did a great job researching for this book - the amount of information and people interviewed is extremely impressive. Highly recommend it!
August 26, 2022
“I used to think love was the most powerful emotion. But I found out it wasn’t. Pride is the greater emotion.” -Nelson Eddy
The TLDR review: this book is a detailed biography of two stars (Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy) known for making romantic musicals together. The romance was also going on offscreen for years, before and after they were married to other people. It’s a detailed and at times melodramatic look at a love story that is controversial because both stars denied it during their lifetimes. The drama on screen doesn’t even come close to the drama of the stars' private lives. There are detailed accounts from interviews from people who knew and worked with them, letters from them and their family, and excerpts from Nelson's letters to Jeanette and Jeanette's unfinished autobiography. Even if you’ve never heard of them, the look at old Hollywood and the love story surrounding it is worth your time. If you’re a fan of Jeanette Macdonald or Nelson Eddy, you will either love this book or hate it, but it’s worth the read. The pictures included in the book are lovely.
Free on Kindle Unlimited
Here's the long review - this book is a ride and I can't get their story out of my head.
I grew up watching MacDonald/Eddy movies with my mom and grandmother. My grandmother loved them so much. So as a kid I remember asking if they were married. And I was surprised when my grandmother told me they couldn’t stand each other, it was a well known fact. They were happily married to other people.
That's the story Hollywood PR was pushing. But there was a bigger story offscreen.
Jeanette and Nelson met, for him, it was love at first sight. Jeanette was a career minded woman, she was not going to give up her dreams to be home as a wife and mother. But there was attraction between the two of them. While filming their second movie (Rose Marie) Jeanette and Nelson got engaged. She became pregnant during filming. She was told by the studio (MGM) to have an abortion. She ended up having a miscarriage (she miscarried multiple times and never carried a pregnancy to term). Unfortunately Nelson didn't believe her and thought she had an abortion because she didn't want to have their child. They fought and broke up.
Jeanette starts seeing Gene Raymond, which was encouraged by the studio. She got engaged to Gene, Nelson didn’t think she would go through with it. His anger had cooled and he realized he still loved her. She did marry Gene though. MGM paid for a fairytale wedding that Nelson sang at (ouch). Jeanette found Gene in bed with another man on their honeymoon (ouch).
Turns out Gene was told to marry by the studio to cover up his bisexuality. I could not figure out why the studio would not want two popular stars like Jeanette and Nelson to get married. Why would they encourage her to marry Gene? But with as dramatic and as on again off again they were, I could see them thinking it would be a huge risk if their stars marriage didn’t work and got a divorce.
"Anticipation is greater than consummation,” was Mayer’s philosophy as explained by Sandy Reiss. “On the screen, the dynamics became more powerful. By keeping them apart, Mayer kept the passion high.” Mayer feared that if the two married, they would soon land in the divorce courts and he would have no team left.
Nelson and Jeanette continued to work together on multiple films. They were back together while filming Sweethearts and she is visibly pregnant in scenes/photos from that movie. Nelson had this big plan that she will divorce Gene, marry him, have their baby and run off in the sunset. But she miscarried again - the studio covered it up as her being in the hospital with an ear infection. Now that there is no baby, Jeanette is not in a hurry to divorce Gene because it would kill her career. Nelson is fed up with this, gets drunk and elopes with Ann. Even though they were married to other people, they continued their affair off and on until her death in 1965. Jeanette had said Nelson would not live long after her. He died an early death two years later while performing onstage.
The author discovered their affair after becoming friends with Jeanette’s older sister Blossom. Blossom wanted her sister’s story told and told Sharon a lot of Jeanette’s story and provided names of people to interview. Opinions about this book seem to be divided. There are fans that think it’s absolute trash. Others think it’s the truth and the definitive guide to Jeanette. I think the truth is somewhere in the middle.
The tone of this book can be defensive at times. But I get that. The PR story that Jeanette has a perfect marriage and she and Nelson couldn’t stand each other and were at best polite coworkers was spread for years and years, especially by her fanclub. To take Jeanette off her pedestal and make her a normal person with flaws was upsetting for a lot of her fans and it got a lot of push back when this book was first published in 1994. Jeanette’s husband Gene was still alive then and there are accounts of him sleeping with other men and abusing Jeanette.
I do think they were in love. But it’s hard for me to think that Anna Macdonald, Louis Mayer, Gene Raymond, and Ann Eddy were the evil, mustache twirling villains that this book makes them out to be. For the book to give such a realistic portrayal of the flaws of Nelson and Jeanette, it really places the blame of their failed relationship on these four people. But I think that the biggest obstacle in Jeanette and Nelson’s life is the fact neither one could get over themselves and compromise.
Jeanette and Nelson were very dramatic people. They were either in the deepest love or bitter hate in their relationship. And honestly, it is the people we love most that can hurt us the deepest. Their on again off again relationship is frustrating, to them and the reader. It is supremely sad that they could never get on the same page.
The TLDR review: this book is a detailed biography of two stars (Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy) known for making romantic musicals together. The romance was also going on offscreen for years, before and after they were married to other people. It’s a detailed and at times melodramatic look at a love story that is controversial because both stars denied it during their lifetimes. The drama on screen doesn’t even come close to the drama of the stars' private lives. There are detailed accounts from interviews from people who knew and worked with them, letters from them and their family, and excerpts from Nelson's letters to Jeanette and Jeanette's unfinished autobiography. Even if you’ve never heard of them, the look at old Hollywood and the love story surrounding it is worth your time. If you’re a fan of Jeanette Macdonald or Nelson Eddy, you will either love this book or hate it, but it’s worth the read. The pictures included in the book are lovely.
Free on Kindle Unlimited
Here's the long review - this book is a ride and I can't get their story out of my head.
I grew up watching MacDonald/Eddy movies with my mom and grandmother. My grandmother loved them so much. So as a kid I remember asking if they were married. And I was surprised when my grandmother told me they couldn’t stand each other, it was a well known fact. They were happily married to other people.
That's the story Hollywood PR was pushing. But there was a bigger story offscreen.
Jeanette and Nelson met, for him, it was love at first sight. Jeanette was a career minded woman, she was not going to give up her dreams to be home as a wife and mother. But there was attraction between the two of them. While filming their second movie (Rose Marie) Jeanette and Nelson got engaged. She became pregnant during filming. She was told by the studio (MGM) to have an abortion. She ended up having a miscarriage (she miscarried multiple times and never carried a pregnancy to term). Unfortunately Nelson didn't believe her and thought she had an abortion because she didn't want to have their child. They fought and broke up.
Jeanette starts seeing Gene Raymond, which was encouraged by the studio. She got engaged to Gene, Nelson didn’t think she would go through with it. His anger had cooled and he realized he still loved her. She did marry Gene though. MGM paid for a fairytale wedding that Nelson sang at (ouch). Jeanette found Gene in bed with another man on their honeymoon (ouch).
Turns out Gene was told to marry by the studio to cover up his bisexuality. I could not figure out why the studio would not want two popular stars like Jeanette and Nelson to get married. Why would they encourage her to marry Gene? But with as dramatic and as on again off again they were, I could see them thinking it would be a huge risk if their stars marriage didn’t work and got a divorce.
"Anticipation is greater than consummation,” was Mayer’s philosophy as explained by Sandy Reiss. “On the screen, the dynamics became more powerful. By keeping them apart, Mayer kept the passion high.” Mayer feared that if the two married, they would soon land in the divorce courts and he would have no team left.
Nelson and Jeanette continued to work together on multiple films. They were back together while filming Sweethearts and she is visibly pregnant in scenes/photos from that movie. Nelson had this big plan that she will divorce Gene, marry him, have their baby and run off in the sunset. But she miscarried again - the studio covered it up as her being in the hospital with an ear infection. Now that there is no baby, Jeanette is not in a hurry to divorce Gene because it would kill her career. Nelson is fed up with this, gets drunk and elopes with Ann. Even though they were married to other people, they continued their affair off and on until her death in 1965. Jeanette had said Nelson would not live long after her. He died an early death two years later while performing onstage.
The author discovered their affair after becoming friends with Jeanette’s older sister Blossom. Blossom wanted her sister’s story told and told Sharon a lot of Jeanette’s story and provided names of people to interview. Opinions about this book seem to be divided. There are fans that think it’s absolute trash. Others think it’s the truth and the definitive guide to Jeanette. I think the truth is somewhere in the middle.
The tone of this book can be defensive at times. But I get that. The PR story that Jeanette has a perfect marriage and she and Nelson couldn’t stand each other and were at best polite coworkers was spread for years and years, especially by her fanclub. To take Jeanette off her pedestal and make her a normal person with flaws was upsetting for a lot of her fans and it got a lot of push back when this book was first published in 1994. Jeanette’s husband Gene was still alive then and there are accounts of him sleeping with other men and abusing Jeanette.
I do think they were in love. But it’s hard for me to think that Anna Macdonald, Louis Mayer, Gene Raymond, and Ann Eddy were the evil, mustache twirling villains that this book makes them out to be. For the book to give such a realistic portrayal of the flaws of Nelson and Jeanette, it really places the blame of their failed relationship on these four people. But I think that the biggest obstacle in Jeanette and Nelson’s life is the fact neither one could get over themselves and compromise.
Jeanette and Nelson were very dramatic people. They were either in the deepest love or bitter hate in their relationship. And honestly, it is the people we love most that can hurt us the deepest. Their on again off again relationship is frustrating, to them and the reader. It is supremely sad that they could never get on the same page.
May 11, 2021
I've been a die-hard fan of Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonald all my life. I cherish the memories I have of watching "Naughty Marietta", "Rose Marie", "Maytime", "New Moon" and "Bittersweet" with my beloved grandmother, mom and aunt. To this very day, "Naughty Marietta" and "Rose Marie" are two of my most favorite movies of all time. I take great pleasure in watching them with my own daughter now.
Most assuredly, this story will forever remain the most tragic love story I have ever or will ever read, hear about or talk about. The more I read, the more I discovered how each of Nelson and Jeanette's movies they made together mirrored their personal, real-life experiences. I never noticed as a little girl, but now, whenever I watch any of their films, it's touchingly apparent how much they loved and cared for one another. The two "villains" of each of their stories were Jeanette's mother, Anna MacDonald, and Nelson's horrendous and gold-digging wife, Ann. When I read that Anna refused to allow Jeanette to marry Nelson, I could have thrown the book across the room. No mother should EVER interfere in her daughter's romantic life in any way, shape or form. It was far more sickening to read that Anna was actively involved as a spy for Louis B. Mayer, who threatened to kill Nelson if Jeanette ever divorced her gay husband, Gene Raymond. Of course at the time of their marriage, homosexuality was a serious offense that resulted in jail time, making his marriage to Jeanette nothing more than a fraud, so as to cover up the fact that he was gay and be able to retain his public image as a "loving" and "doting" husband. Ugh.
It was devastating to read how Jeanette suffered from poor health for most of her adult life. If she wasn't touring or performing, she was either in the hospital, resting at home alone, or, finding the only comfort and solace she possibly could with Nelson. I almost cried when I read that Jeanette wasn't ever able to sleep peacefully unless Nelson was with her. Reading of Nelson's lifelong devotion to Jeanette was absolutely crushing. No matter how much he begged or pleaded with Ann to divorce him, she would only threaten to completely trash Jeanette's career, and leave him financially destitute. In my humble opinion, I'm sure Jeanette regrets not accepting Nelson's first marriage proposal when she first had the chance. It nearly ruined the remainder of their lives when they were unable to be completely and wholly together. So very sad.
Most assuredly, this story will forever remain the most tragic love story I have ever or will ever read, hear about or talk about. The more I read, the more I discovered how each of Nelson and Jeanette's movies they made together mirrored their personal, real-life experiences. I never noticed as a little girl, but now, whenever I watch any of their films, it's touchingly apparent how much they loved and cared for one another. The two "villains" of each of their stories were Jeanette's mother, Anna MacDonald, and Nelson's horrendous and gold-digging wife, Ann. When I read that Anna refused to allow Jeanette to marry Nelson, I could have thrown the book across the room. No mother should EVER interfere in her daughter's romantic life in any way, shape or form. It was far more sickening to read that Anna was actively involved as a spy for Louis B. Mayer, who threatened to kill Nelson if Jeanette ever divorced her gay husband, Gene Raymond. Of course at the time of their marriage, homosexuality was a serious offense that resulted in jail time, making his marriage to Jeanette nothing more than a fraud, so as to cover up the fact that he was gay and be able to retain his public image as a "loving" and "doting" husband. Ugh.
It was devastating to read how Jeanette suffered from poor health for most of her adult life. If she wasn't touring or performing, she was either in the hospital, resting at home alone, or, finding the only comfort and solace she possibly could with Nelson. I almost cried when I read that Jeanette wasn't ever able to sleep peacefully unless Nelson was with her. Reading of Nelson's lifelong devotion to Jeanette was absolutely crushing. No matter how much he begged or pleaded with Ann to divorce him, she would only threaten to completely trash Jeanette's career, and leave him financially destitute. In my humble opinion, I'm sure Jeanette regrets not accepting Nelson's first marriage proposal when she first had the chance. It nearly ruined the remainder of their lives when they were unable to be completely and wholly together. So very sad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2014
In my own personal Opinion: Breathless and tiresome wishful thinking. The book reads like an oversized Mary-Sue fanfic 'zine. Both Nelson and McDonald have been previously well-documented to be, well, LGBT in one way or another or several. Here, the sources are mostly "anonymous conversations with the author" from the 1970s while she worked or visited them in the Actors Home (The rest home for aging, penniless Hollwyood in those days, it's better now.) The other sources are highly biased, such as Nelson Eddy's Mom's bizarre private letters about her son's sex life. The author runs one of several large fan Clubs of the pair and hers is the ONLY one that endorses the "Greatest Love of All Time" theme. If you want to believe this, then buy her mnagazine for more of the same turgid prose. Buyt all her stamps and products, CDs and such. Shower her with approval of her storyline. I don't care.
As for the bigger questions: DId they screw? Probably. Were they "in Love"? Maybe, briefly. Were they both in Studio Fix-up Marriages, Hell yeah, but Queer Historians now call them Lavender Marriages. In the end, the only reason I gave it 2 stars was that for the cobbled together biographical material the author wove into her fantasy love affair from real interviews, fan magazines and studio claptrap. That stuff was midlly interesting. Finally, even if I accepted this bizarre twisty-turny love/hate affair story, the author's theory about some vast and all-powerful Studio conspiracy to doom these nice two gentile kids who fell in love to everlasting agony and torment seemed to me to border on Anti-semtitism. It truly doies read like "The big bad Jews did this" to the sweet, poor, misunderstood gentile couple.
As for the bigger questions: DId they screw? Probably. Were they "in Love"? Maybe, briefly. Were they both in Studio Fix-up Marriages, Hell yeah, but Queer Historians now call them Lavender Marriages. In the end, the only reason I gave it 2 stars was that for the cobbled together biographical material the author wove into her fantasy love affair from real interviews, fan magazines and studio claptrap. That stuff was midlly interesting. Finally, even if I accepted this bizarre twisty-turny love/hate affair story, the author's theory about some vast and all-powerful Studio conspiracy to doom these nice two gentile kids who fell in love to everlasting agony and torment seemed to me to border on Anti-semtitism. It truly doies read like "The big bad Jews did this" to the sweet, poor, misunderstood gentile couple.
April 14, 2020
I read this almost as a novel. I found it interesting & like some of the other reviews there were times when my eyes couldn’t roll farther back in my head. However some of the strange & almost viscous reviews surprised me.
Sharon Rich seems to have documented her sources well. Naughty Marietta was made 85 years ago. Managing first hand accounts or documents would have been a daunting task. Would someone be able to relay an event from 50 years ago accurately ... who knows. It still seems to be as accurate a depiction as possible.
I did not find it anti Semitic, as someone said. The idea that a producer or studio head could make or break a career is stuff of legend & has implications from today’s news.
Did it read like “ fan fiction”? Well the author certainly has a fascination with Nelson Eddy & Jeanette MacDonald.
Did that color her depiction? Probably.
If you have seen their movies or enjoy that era, I would recommend this book. I don’t know if there is a more in depth look at their lives anywhere else.
Sharon Rich seems to have documented her sources well. Naughty Marietta was made 85 years ago. Managing first hand accounts or documents would have been a daunting task. Would someone be able to relay an event from 50 years ago accurately ... who knows. It still seems to be as accurate a depiction as possible.
I did not find it anti Semitic, as someone said. The idea that a producer or studio head could make or break a career is stuff of legend & has implications from today’s news.
Did it read like “ fan fiction”? Well the author certainly has a fascination with Nelson Eddy & Jeanette MacDonald.
Did that color her depiction? Probably.
If you have seen their movies or enjoy that era, I would recommend this book. I don’t know if there is a more in depth look at their lives anywhere else.
August 6, 2013
*Foul Language Alert* This book is shit. Absolute and utter shit. If you took a crap in an open field, and all you had to wipe with was this book, you'd be out of luck because the pages are literally made from shit.
June 14, 2018
This is the second time I've read this book. I didn't know anything about their story before picking it up and I couldn't stop reading - such a tragic love story mixed in with golden Hollywood age. Loved it!
August 5, 2025
I love the MacDonald-Eddy films. Watching them with my mom draws us closer together with her grandma and learning the truth behind their lives was really special for me.
May 10, 2013
What a turbulent, enduring, passionate love affair Janette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy had! As a fan of their movies this was very insightful. Their story is both inspiring and heartbreaking.
April 15, 2026
I just finished this and my thoughts are all over the place. Here’s an attempt to organize my reaction to the story of Nelson Eddy and Jeannette MacDonald.
I can’t decide if the author is an apologist for Nelson (or if the sources are apologists for Nelson). Maybe, but since I’ve just finished, I’m continuing to mull it over. I do think Nelson was so very 1930s patriarchal - as a husband, boyfriend, friend, coworker, son, employee. And it definitely disturbs me what that meant for people around him.
I also think that the author wants to rescue the truth about the Eddy-Macdonald relationship (i.e., that it was definitely a relationship, or what we’d now call a “situationship”) from the whitewashing it had received from … others. It’s clear there was an affair that was on again off again. It’s clear that the affair impacted quite a few lives. And it’s clear that for some reason it became important for someone (the studio? Ann? Others?) to tell a different story about the love lives of Eddy and MacDonald. I’m not sure the book does a great job of persuading exactly why the erasure of their situationship was necessary, though several theories are put forth that could hold weight. My uncertainty could rest with the fact that witnesses in the book are uncertain about why it was necessary for the situationship to be covered up.
There was a crazy amount of what we today would acknowledge as abuse throughout the story, and that makes it a hard read. Moreover, the mental health issues were evident everywhere. As I was reading, it depressed me so much to know how childish, vindictive, and selfish Eddy and Macdonald had been to each other, and how being wrapped up in each other’s mystique in the most codependent of ways probably drove much of their story after their first foray into coupledom. Macdonald’s eating disorder and Eddy’s anger issues were also difficult to read.
Regret is a powerful thing. And it does seem like they were filled with it in the last 10 years of their respective lives. I felt sympathy for them, growing older, aging out of the prevailing culture, living with disappointment, and only then realizing the mistakes of the past that they just couldn’t undo.
The author has done an incredible amount of research, and I respect that. And I appreciate her desire to get to a closer truth of what Eddy and MacDonald were to each other. But their story isn’t a romance. A cautionary tale, maybe.
I am glad I read this, but I wouldn’t say it was an enjoyable read. It did however leave me reflecting on my life and the lives of my friends, and there is value in that.
I can’t decide if the author is an apologist for Nelson (or if the sources are apologists for Nelson). Maybe, but since I’ve just finished, I’m continuing to mull it over. I do think Nelson was so very 1930s patriarchal - as a husband, boyfriend, friend, coworker, son, employee. And it definitely disturbs me what that meant for people around him.
I also think that the author wants to rescue the truth about the Eddy-Macdonald relationship (i.e., that it was definitely a relationship, or what we’d now call a “situationship”) from the whitewashing it had received from … others. It’s clear there was an affair that was on again off again. It’s clear that the affair impacted quite a few lives. And it’s clear that for some reason it became important for someone (the studio? Ann? Others?) to tell a different story about the love lives of Eddy and MacDonald. I’m not sure the book does a great job of persuading exactly why the erasure of their situationship was necessary, though several theories are put forth that could hold weight. My uncertainty could rest with the fact that witnesses in the book are uncertain about why it was necessary for the situationship to be covered up.
There was a crazy amount of what we today would acknowledge as abuse throughout the story, and that makes it a hard read. Moreover, the mental health issues were evident everywhere. As I was reading, it depressed me so much to know how childish, vindictive, and selfish Eddy and Macdonald had been to each other, and how being wrapped up in each other’s mystique in the most codependent of ways probably drove much of their story after their first foray into coupledom. Macdonald’s eating disorder and Eddy’s anger issues were also difficult to read.
Regret is a powerful thing. And it does seem like they were filled with it in the last 10 years of their respective lives. I felt sympathy for them, growing older, aging out of the prevailing culture, living with disappointment, and only then realizing the mistakes of the past that they just couldn’t undo.
The author has done an incredible amount of research, and I respect that. And I appreciate her desire to get to a closer truth of what Eddy and MacDonald were to each other. But their story isn’t a romance. A cautionary tale, maybe.
I am glad I read this, but I wouldn’t say it was an enjoyable read. It did however leave me reflecting on my life and the lives of my friends, and there is value in that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 7, 2018
More to the story
I found this book while reading an online article on Hollywood's longest marriages. There was a link in the section on Jeanette Macdonald and Gene Raymond which took me to Amazon. It was around Mother's Day and I thought reading Sweethearts would be a nice tribute to my mom whom I lost a couple of years ago. She was such a huge fan of their movies! I remember her telling me that Nelson Eddy and Jeanette Macdonald really did have a romance prior to her marriage to Gene Raymond. Also that it was a sad marriage for her because Mr. Raymond was gay. I don't know where or how she came to believe that information but she loved Old Hollywood and read many books and magazines on it.
Maybe she read this book! She would have over it and found it romantic.
I however found it a little bizarre. There were sections that are supposedly written from Nelson Eddy's letters to his mother. Described as pornographic, I didn't find them to be that. More like someone writing part of a love scene as a Bronte sister. In fact one paragraph read every similar to one in Wuthering Heights! It's just not a believable section of the book. If these letters do exist it would do the writer well to include photographs of them online or in the book.
My other thought was that Nelson and Jeanette were nuts! Loving each h other yet torturing each other. He rapes her but she kind of likes it ?!?!
I do t know if anything in the book is true or just wishful thinking. I watched their first two movies together after reading this book. They did have amazing chemistry on-screen! They look like two people in love and longing for each other. So do we just see what we want to see? Or did art imitate life? Who knows. All involved are dead. Even if they were not the only two who really knew what went on behind clothes doors were Nelson and Jeanette.
This book seems to have a lot of controversy. There are strong opinions for and against there being a romantic relationship between the two actors.
There is another book out there on Jeanette Macdonald. I read it after this. It's written very differently. If you want to know nearly anything on her career that's the bible.
Sweethearts is worth the read. Even if it is more entertainment than anything. It reminds us what an incredible duo Nelson Eddy and Jeanette Macdonald were! Those voices were once in a lifetime gold!
I found this book while reading an online article on Hollywood's longest marriages. There was a link in the section on Jeanette Macdonald and Gene Raymond which took me to Amazon. It was around Mother's Day and I thought reading Sweethearts would be a nice tribute to my mom whom I lost a couple of years ago. She was such a huge fan of their movies! I remember her telling me that Nelson Eddy and Jeanette Macdonald really did have a romance prior to her marriage to Gene Raymond. Also that it was a sad marriage for her because Mr. Raymond was gay. I don't know where or how she came to believe that information but she loved Old Hollywood and read many books and magazines on it.
Maybe she read this book! She would have over it and found it romantic.
I however found it a little bizarre. There were sections that are supposedly written from Nelson Eddy's letters to his mother. Described as pornographic, I didn't find them to be that. More like someone writing part of a love scene as a Bronte sister. In fact one paragraph read every similar to one in Wuthering Heights! It's just not a believable section of the book. If these letters do exist it would do the writer well to include photographs of them online or in the book.
My other thought was that Nelson and Jeanette were nuts! Loving each h other yet torturing each other. He rapes her but she kind of likes it ?!?!
I do t know if anything in the book is true or just wishful thinking. I watched their first two movies together after reading this book. They did have amazing chemistry on-screen! They look like two people in love and longing for each other. So do we just see what we want to see? Or did art imitate life? Who knows. All involved are dead. Even if they were not the only two who really knew what went on behind clothes doors were Nelson and Jeanette.
This book seems to have a lot of controversy. There are strong opinions for and against there being a romantic relationship between the two actors.
There is another book out there on Jeanette Macdonald. I read it after this. It's written very differently. If you want to know nearly anything on her career that's the bible.
Sweethearts is worth the read. Even if it is more entertainment than anything. It reminds us what an incredible duo Nelson Eddy and Jeanette Macdonald were! Those voices were once in a lifetime gold!
March 14, 2022
2.5. I read the 1996 original, not the updated one. I enjoy their movies and often find myself singing Rose Marie, so I was intrigued that they had an off screen relationship. And so I now know that he mentally, physically and sexually assaulted her, had a violent temper, abused many women including his mother, and she also had to deal with abuse from her actual husband, all the while dealing with mental and physical illness, 8 miscarriages, and a heart problem that killed her. And the author vehemently believes they were desperately in love for 30 years. Theirs was not a love affair! It was scary and obsessive and codependent and abusive.
I went to her fanclub page and she is absolutely a Nelson apologist, and she and her friends are highly obsessed with "proving the truth" of their relationship. Like, super obsessed. That said, and having browsed their documentation, I think there is a fair amount of truth in this, along with some made up coloring.
I think they were both very messed up individuals with mental health issues, and if they'd just gotten together in the 30s that it would have burned out and their lives could have been less awful. (Especially hers.) The story was interesting, and Hollywood history going on was interesting, but I came out of this with some major Nelson Eddy issues. :(
(Yes, I read this 500 page tome in one day.)
I went to her fanclub page and she is absolutely a Nelson apologist, and she and her friends are highly obsessed with "proving the truth" of their relationship. Like, super obsessed. That said, and having browsed their documentation, I think there is a fair amount of truth in this, along with some made up coloring.
I think they were both very messed up individuals with mental health issues, and if they'd just gotten together in the 30s that it would have burned out and their lives could have been less awful. (Especially hers.) The story was interesting, and Hollywood history going on was interesting, but I came out of this with some major Nelson Eddy issues. :(
(Yes, I read this 500 page tome in one day.)
August 5, 2024
This book is about the careers of old-time Hollywood stars Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy and the secret love affair they shared. It details letters and diary entries about their career and their romance, and also how Louis B. Meyer pushed them apart, either because he sexually assaulted Jeanette MacDonald or because it is simply boring to hear that two Hollywood stars playing romantic couples are actually in love.
I loved the details about the movies and all the sordid details of how Old Hollywood worked. The MacEddy romance is also interesting, although it does contain issues from how romance generally played out in the thirties. That is how you can tell that the negative reviews describing this book as “fanfic” were made by people who haven’t read the book. I especially loved how Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy were described as people. Not love objects.
After reading this book, I wanted to watch Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy movies. Their chemistry on screen is definitely great. I also wanted to look into MacEddy shipping communities online and none of them cared about this book. That is a grave omission of this valuable resource.
I loved the details about the movies and all the sordid details of how Old Hollywood worked. The MacEddy romance is also interesting, although it does contain issues from how romance generally played out in the thirties. That is how you can tell that the negative reviews describing this book as “fanfic” were made by people who haven’t read the book. I especially loved how Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy were described as people. Not love objects.
After reading this book, I wanted to watch Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy movies. Their chemistry on screen is definitely great. I also wanted to look into MacEddy shipping communities online and none of them cared about this book. That is a grave omission of this valuable resource.
September 29, 2021
After I watched a movie with Jane Powell and Jeanette McDonald, I went on to watch one with Nelson Eddy and MacDonald. This gave me an unseemly curiosity about their real life relationship. Both married other people, in part due to the tyranny of the studio system. Neither of their marriages worked, but their attraction continued, in spite/because of the obstacles. Eddy wanted MacDonald to quit show biz for him, which she wasn't ready to do. Eddy didn't want to give his wife a big divorce settlement. So they carried on an on-off relationship. Their voices mix well. The main source for the book was MacDonald's sister Blossom, who attained modest fame as a member of the Addams Family.
August 18, 2020
A WELL RESEARCHED AND THOROUGHLY INTERESTING PRESENTATION OF THE LIVES AND LOVE AFFAIR OF TWO BELOVED SINGERS AND ICONS OF MUSIC
I loved this book, highly romantic ,informative , and yet sadly tragic of star crossed lovers Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. They made wonderful films, had great voices, were adored
by so many, yet could not seem to get it together. So sad. An
engrossing detailed account of their careers and long love affair.
I highly recommend this book to music and movie fans.
L
I loved this book, highly romantic ,informative , and yet sadly tragic of star crossed lovers Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. They made wonderful films, had great voices, were adored
by so many, yet could not seem to get it together. So sad. An
engrossing detailed account of their careers and long love affair.
I highly recommend this book to music and movie fans.
L
May 15, 2023
I'm a big MacEddy fan. But even I found this book a sure-fire cure for insomnia.
So never mind this over-written, over-wrought soap opera on paper. Just watch the nearest MacEddy. Because in the end, what matters isn't the "secret romance" of MacDonald and Eddy, but rather the glorious films they made together in their hey-day. They still deliver movie magic, nearly a century later. And there aren't many films you can say that about.
There. I just saved you about 450 pages, most of which move with the alacrity of a three-toed sloth. You're welcome.
So never mind this over-written, over-wrought soap opera on paper. Just watch the nearest MacEddy. Because in the end, what matters isn't the "secret romance" of MacDonald and Eddy, but rather the glorious films they made together in their hey-day. They still deliver movie magic, nearly a century later. And there aren't many films you can say that about.
There. I just saved you about 450 pages, most of which move with the alacrity of a three-toed sloth. You're welcome.
May 2, 2020
Just awesome. I remember watching them in my early teens and used to tell my mother that they were together I real life. She used to laugh at me saying they were only acting. Turned out I was right. The book is very well documented and the author was meticulous with her references and research
March 8, 2021
If I weren't a fan of this couple, I wouldn't even have read this, but as a fan, I enjoyed reading what is as close to the truth as possible at this "late" date. I will admit that I skimmed parts, but I actually read most of it. Also, I find human behavior intriguing. Happily, there were photos, too, which contributed to my liking the book. Basically, it's a pretty quick read.
January 25, 2021
So thoroughly researched and detailed. At times you weep for the pair at other times you find yourself screaming at their moves. But you can never watch their movies the same way again.
I love this book and highly recommend it
I love this book and highly recommend it
Read
June 23, 2022Crazy love!
The story is a crazy one. The author did a good job of piecing together the fabric of their lives. So much secrecy, deception, and foolishness it almost seems like fiction.
The story is a crazy one. The author did a good job of piecing together the fabric of their lives. So much secrecy, deception, and foolishness it almost seems like fiction.
July 20, 2023
Great Book
A very sad story about two singers and film stars whose choices affected their lives negatively. I had no idea that they were lovers but had they made different decisions they might have led happier lives.
A very sad story about two singers and film stars whose choices affected their lives negatively. I had no idea that they were lovers but had they made different decisions they might have led happier lives.
August 12, 2026
Heavily researched story of the long romance and also a picture of the studio control of their actors in the old days.
June 27, 2021
I could hardly get through this boring book. I accept that they had an affair but I take 90% of this tawdry saga with a grain of salt. The book contradicts itself all the time - Nelson was easy going ... had a bad temper ... Jeanette was promiscuous ... lived with her mother until she married - none of it made sense and the number of times they had it off, the long dialogues between them - Sharon Rich must have been a fly on the wall taking notes. It's a load of rubbish but Ms Rich has made a fortune off it
June 16, 2021
A cautionary romance on how ego and selfishness can ruin your love relationships and how you need to keep God first.
November 30, 2016
Heartbreaking
I only saw Nelson Eddy once in 1953 when he appeared at the Sahara in Las Vegas. ,I was a teenager at the time on a family vacation with my parents. My mother was an ardent Nelson Eddie Van and I had heard many wonderful stories about the Nelson Eddie Jeanette McDonald relationship so it was wonderful to have the opportunity to watch him perform with Gail Sherwood. Of course, at that time the extent of this tragic love for Jeanette McDonald was not totally known by the general public certainly not by me. Love and devotion these two people share is wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time . It only reminds us that everything is so different today . Their movies all considered probably too corny for today's audiences to me still reflect a wonderful period of romantic love energized by strong sexual attraction . I hope they are indeed singing together forever
I only saw Nelson Eddy once in 1953 when he appeared at the Sahara in Las Vegas. ,I was a teenager at the time on a family vacation with my parents. My mother was an ardent Nelson Eddie Van and I had heard many wonderful stories about the Nelson Eddie Jeanette McDonald relationship so it was wonderful to have the opportunity to watch him perform with Gail Sherwood. Of course, at that time the extent of this tragic love for Jeanette McDonald was not totally known by the general public certainly not by me. Love and devotion these two people share is wonderful and heartbreaking at the same time . It only reminds us that everything is so different today . Their movies all considered probably too corny for today's audiences to me still reflect a wonderful period of romantic love energized by strong sexual attraction . I hope they are indeed singing together forever
March 23, 2013
This book is so thick and full of stuff. I love every word.
Maceddy are the reason I fell in love with the theatre years ago and I love seeing them progressively fall in love with each other. Their turbulent relationship is brought to attention, particularly the years working with Louis B Mayer.
This books is so romantic and full of evidence to support the belief that the two were the real deal. And they were.
Maceddy are the reason I fell in love with the theatre years ago and I love seeing them progressively fall in love with each other. Their turbulent relationship is brought to attention, particularly the years working with Louis B Mayer.
This books is so romantic and full of evidence to support the belief that the two were the real deal. And they were.
September 11, 2015
Excellent storytelling of a romance that rivals any movie script. I hope during my lifetime this book will be made into a movie. I can see it opening with the author meeting Blossom Rock (Jeanette's sister and Grandmama on "the Addams Family") and not even knowing who Jeanette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy are until the story gradually unfolds.
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