Tonight I watched a classic from the notable early Hollywood director Ernst Lubitsch : "Trouble In Paradise" (1932), starring Miriam Hopkins, Herbert Marshall and Kay Francis. I discovered this movie in a library search for Francis after seeing her in "When The Daltons Rode" a couple weeks ago. That movie was a Western. In "Trouble In Paradise" she plays a role - that of a perfume magnate - more in tune with what she was known for, high style and glamour, and dressing to the hilt.
The disc was released on Criterion, and features an introduction by Peter Bogdanovich. He says that Lubitsch was responsible for creating the whole "sophisticated and glamorous" image of Hollywood in the 30s, and he also said that "Trouble In Paradise" can be considered the first romantic comedy of the sound era. I didn't know any of that, though I knew of Lubitsch because of "Ninotchka" and other famous films. He was known for having "The Lubitsch Touch" a light and very smooth directorial technique that used a lot of facial expression, body language, repartee and risque suggestion to build romance in his plots. He was also renowned for his seamless edits, that make his pictures easy on the eye. I learned these things from Mr. Bogdanovich as well.
The plot in this movie begins in a hotel in Venice. Herbert Marshall is a suave thief posing as "Baron" von So-And-So. He targets the wealthy at their parties, where he blends in as a peer. But before any of that can happen in the movie, he first meets Miriam Hopkins, an American gal in Italy on her own after a divorce. She acts the sophisticate role too, but during their first encounter, they come to find out that each has ripped the other off - unnoticed - of wallet, and handbag, and cufflinks, and necklace....and other things too.
Hopkins and Marshall are a couple of Master Criminals, and they are meant for each other. Naturally, they fall in love. Soon thereafter, Marshall attends a party in the hotel for the ultra wealthy Kay Francis, heir to a perfume fortune. He targets her for theft, but in the process, she hires him to become her secretary........and the plot takes a second romantic turn. And Miriam Hopkins becomes increasingly pissed at Herbert Marshall's infatuation and obedience to Kay Francis.
Of course this means that things must come to a head, and a showdown must ensue.
All of this happens, but the real attraction of the movie is in the romantic interaction between the players, and the way the crooks insinuate themselves into the lives of Kay Francis and her business manager, played by early era stalwart C. Aubrey Smith.
The movie was released in 1932 and is therefore pre-code. I was surprised at some of the dialogue - yowza! - and I won't tell you more except to say that Hollywood really had it down in the early 30s. The scripts could be very risque, and yet still clean and romantic and not crude. Watch and see for yourself the type of High Style that made Hollywood famous.
5 Stars and Two Big Thumbs Up for "Trouble In Paradise", and now I will look for other Lubitsch films and more from Kay Francis..
Elizabeth, if you are reading, I wanted to mention that I am glad you posted one of your photos from the fashion shoot two days ago. I would've mentioned it last night, but I got lost in my Utopia concert review. The building you used as your location reminds me of a Brutalist building that we had right here in Northridge, which was located almost across the street from where I live. I've mentioned it before - it was called the Northridge Medical Arts Building - and it is still there on the corner of Reseda Boulevard and Plummer Street. Except that.....horrors!.....it was covered over in a terrible Miami Vice looking facade in 1996, after it suffered damage in the '94 Earthquake.
As you pointed out in your FB post for your photograph, Brutalist buildings look stark. Yes, they do, but as you know they also stand out as architectural masterpieces. Your photos show this (in addition to the very professional fashion aspect!)
Our Medical Arts Building was designed by Richard Neutra. Somewhere under the gross stucco facade, his original concrete design remains. Maybe one day they will restore it again. :):)
See you in the morning. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo :):)
No comments:
Post a Comment