Starring Jeanette MacDonald, Maurice Chevalier, Genevieve Tobin, and Charlie Ruggles
Directed by Ernst Lubistch and George Cukor
Music by Richard A. Whiting and Oscar Strauss; Lyrics by Leo Robin
The second MacDonald/Chevalier/Lubistch musical has a complicated history. Lubistch originally planned to direct it himself, but then his big dramatic film The Man I Killed ran over schedule. Paramount brought in Cukor, who had several films to his credit by that point, to take over. Lubistch, however, re-wrote the project as a remake of his silent comedy The Marriage Circle and more-or-less took over filming two weeks later. Cukor remained as an "assistant," but he wasn't happy and sued. Ultimately, Lubistch won...and his touch wound up all over this romp about infidelity among married couples in Paris. How did it fare with all this going on? Let's begin with the happily married Dr. Andre Bertier (Chevalier) and his wife Colette (MacDonald) at home and find out...
The Story: Andre and Colette are so wild about each other, they remain faithful to each other no matter what. Colette's best friend Mitzi Olivier (Tobin) insists on being treated by Andre. Her unhappy professor husband (Roland Young) is tired of her infidelity and knows what a flirt she is. Andre does finally succomb to her charms...but angry Colette ends up having an affair of her own.
The Song and Dance: This saucy romantic comedy is short on plot but long on charm and sophistication. You'd never know filming became such a hassle. It's smooth as cool bubbly champagne on a warm summer day. MacDonald and Chevalier have a great deal of fun talking and singing directly to the camera, explaining their predicaments. Ruggles fits in far better here as the hapless gent who falls for MacDonald than he did in Anything Goes four years later, and Tobin is a delight as the naughty flirt who causes a lot of the trouble. The shimmering costumes, especially the elaborate gowns for the ladies, and lavish Art Deco sets bring the world of middle-class Paris between the wars to life.
Favorite Number: The movie opens with Andre and Colette reminding each other "What a Little Thing Like a Wedding" can do for one's relationships while getting ready for bed. Singer Donald Novis initially performs the title song while the two couples keep switching off dance partners during the dinner party. Andre and Colette insist "We Will Always Be Sweethearts," even after she suspects him of infidelity with Mitzi. For his part, Andre insists to the audience "Oh, That Mitzi!" is hard to resist. Mitzi herself reminds Andre that he should call on her for treatment "Three Times a Day." The film ends with Andre and Colette asking the audience "Well, What Would You Do?" in a situation like theirs.
Trivia: Lubitsch shot a French-language version simultaneously with the English-language film. Chevalier is a native Frenchman and MacDonald spoke fluent French; Lili Damita replaced Tobin.
Lubitsch's final film for Paramount.
One of the first musicals to be based on a movie.
Some restored copies have blue tints added during night scenes.
What I Don't Like: Too short, and sometimes too fluffy for its own good. This is a fairly simple, yet sophisticated romantic comedy. Those who want a meatier story or something that treats marriage and divorce less lightly need to look elsewhere. The songs serve their purpose adequately enough, but only the title number is anywhere near as memorable as the songs in their other three films.
The Big Finale: A bubbly delight; highly recommended if you love the stars, "the Lubistch touch," or romantic comedy with a sophisticated European flair.
Home Media: Only on DVD as part of a Criterion Collection set with The Love Parade, The Smiling Lieutenant, and Monte Carlo.
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