Eve Peabody (Claudette Colbert) arrives in Paris with no luggage and no money. She convinces Tibor Czerny (Don Ameche), a taxi driver, to drive her around town while she looks for a job in a nightclub. Coming up ended handed, she flees his kindness and lands a job pretending to be a baroness. Her assignment is to woo and marry the lover of Georges Flammarion's (John Barrymore) wife (Mary Astor) so she will stay with her husband.
Don Ameche and Claudette Colbert get cozy while John Barrymroe looks on
An example of the excellent script is the exchange between Ameche and Colbert's characters as she tries to explain her past "business" ventures:
Eve Peabody: I landed a lord, almost.
Tibor Czerny: Almost?
Eve Peabody: Well, the family came between us. His mother came to my hotel and offered me a bribe.
Tibor Czerny: You threw her out, I hope!
Eve Peabody: How could I, with my hands full of money?
My only issue, and I swear it isn't her fault, is with Claudette Colbert. I don't know what it is, but I just can't warm up to her. Part of it, I think, is her voice and the way she carries herself. I always feel like she is an 60 year-old woman in a 30 year old body. I am sure this isn't fair, but I always think she carries herself that way. I don't see a spark or much personality emanating from her like I do other actresses of the same period. I know she is beloved so I am sure you guys will have a different opinion and I welcome it. I would love to get over the Claudette Colbert hump.
As a warning, I read that they are in the process of remaking this one starring Reese Witherspoon. So those of you who are anti-remakes (I am in that camp most of the time too) start preparing your groans for the upcoming trailers.
But as far as this one, even with my Claudette issue, this was a delightful film. It was recently released on DVD and is available from Netflix so check it out.
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3 comments:
Midnight is such a delightful movie. The kind of movie that modern Hollywood could only wish to make. The performances and the direction are first-rate, but it all starts with the writing and in this case it was the first collaboration of Billy Wilder and Charles Bracket. They went on to write some of cinema's greatest movies, including Ninotchka, Ball of Fire, Hold Back the Dawn, The Major and the Minor, The Lost Weekend and Sunset Boulevard.
Karl - You are such a wealth of knowledge. Thanks for posting and adding credibility to my pathetic little blog. :-)
I haven't seen this one. I'll look out for it. I love Colbert and the Wilder/Bracket team is one of my favorites.
I'm glad you are feeling better. I've had walking pneumonia a few time myself that's no fun. Let's hope you got a much needed rest and enough movies to put you in the pink, my dear!
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