Enthüllung um Mitternacht

MIDNIGHT, too often overlooked in the shambles of what has been called the greatest year for movies, 1939, because audiences, accustomed to "screwball comedies" weren't quite ready for this smart-ass comedy of manners scripted by Wilder & Brackett. Claudette Colbert, arriving in Paris dressed only in a gold lame evening gown with matching purse, but without any money or connections, shows how to survive without surrendering her virtue and finds both love and riches. Don Ameche, lethally handsome in beautiful B&W shows he can wear a dinner jacket as well as Cary Grant, or Gary Cooper or Fred Astaire. This film is almost as good as the best Preston Sturges comedies and deserves to be seen by a contemporary audience.

Until Claudette Colbert utters the line, "Every Cinderella has her midnight," into the ear of her crony John Barrymore, you'll wonder as to the title of this movie. While you're wondering, though, you'll be in for a hilarious treat. This modern-day Cinderella comedy is adorable, and if you like it, check out The Palm Beach Story, which reunites Claudette and her costar Mary Astor in another comedy.

Claudette Colbert stars as a poor girl who wishes to mingle with high society. She bonds with the wealthy John Barrymore and he helps her weasel her way into the in-crowd, but her brief romance with cab driver Don Ameche threatens to ruin all her plans. Don drove Claudette in his cab, and stayed in his apartment overnight, but left before he could learn her name! When he finally tracks her down, he has two options: expose her or pretend to be her wealthy husband. . .

From start to finish, Midnight is hilarious. The comic timing is perfect, the jokes are witty, and the ending is insanely funny. One of the best forgotten comedies of the 1930s, it manages to create hilarious situations out of the absurd, while using witty banter to entertain the mind as well as the reflexes. Rent it when you're in the mood for something light and silly.

There are few films that can be seen often without the viewer tiring of them. Midnight is one of them. It glides effortlessly through the tinsel and magical world of barons and down-on-their heels showgirls without taking a mean shot at anyone. Claudette Colbert shows that she lost none of her "It Happened One Night" edginess, and Don Ameche gives the performance of his career as the romantic cab driver who sees himself as worthy to steal Colbert away from her rich suitor. John Barrymore may have been in decline at this point in his career-----but this is his last great effort at creating a truly endearing comic character. He does so splendidly. Mary Astor combines beauty and bitchiness in a memorable role. And what is there to say about Rex O'Malley as her gay pal in all this business? It is a shame that he is virtually unknown today, and didn't get many opportunities to show what a fine comic actor he was.

Midnight deserves a much wider audience than it now has. Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett have written wonderful comic dialog that continues to charm and amuse today's viewers. And it is without doubt Mitchell Leisen's masterpiece.

This is THE romantic comedy to see with someone you love.

Screwball comedy is an art and in '39 Charles Brackett wrote a perfectly wonderful one for CLAUDETTE COLBERT and DON AMECHE called MIDNIGHT and directed by the talented Mitchell Leisen.

Claudette is down to her last coin when she stumbles out of a taxi-cab driven by Don Ameche and strolls around Paris in the pouring rain in a gold lame dress, not exactly the picture of a girl down on her luck. But the fun begins when she crashes a party given by a bunch of socialites and has to pretend to be there as a member of high society. She calls herself a Baroness and before long, Ameche has caught up with her and goes along with her impersonation, calling himself a Baron.

Of course, it takes many plot twists and turns for the whole story to come to an end, and by that time there are quite a few laughs provided by Claudette and company. JOHN BARRYMORE is in especially good comic form as a man who wants his wife (MARY ASTOR) to get rid of her lounge lizard boyfriend (FRANCIS LEDERER), who happens to fancy Claudette. REX O'MALLEY has a fey role as a house guest and the cast includes HEDDA HOPPER and MONTY WOOLLEY as an exasperated and befuddled judge.

Claudette has her best role since IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT and makes the most of it. She schemes her way in and out of trouble with the disarming charm and ease of an actress who has worn many disguises before.

Summing up: A very winning comedy that is a perfect example of screwball at its best.

Quite delightful. Surprised it's not better known. Has been called "The first great Brackett and Wilder screenplay." Fantastic costumes too. Billy Wilder was frustrated that the director was more interested in the style and look of the movie (which is stellar) than in his dialogue, which he had to fight from being cut. This is probably one of the first films that made him think about directing his own, so he could have more control. Really great comic performances from John Barrymore, Don Ameche, and Claudette Colbert.