The Marriage Circle

Have always found Ernst Lubitsch to be a very gifted director. When he was at his best, like with 'Trouble in Paradise', 'The Shop Around the Corner', 'Heaven Can Wait', 'To Be or Not to Be' and 'The Merry Widow', he was brilliant. Although so many directors at their worst fared far worse than him, Lubitsch was not immune from disappointment. Was not crazy about 'That Uncertain Feeling' for example and 'Eyes of the Mummy' was a dud.

'The Marriage Circle', his first film for Hollywood when diverting away from his German silents, however is thankfully closer to Lubitsch being on top form than being a disappointment or a slightly conflicted sort of film (he also had those early on). Instead it is one very well rounded, quite beautifully so even, circle. It was remade as 'One Hour With You' in 1932, which was just as good if not quite with the story being a little better done in 'The Marriage Circle'.

My only complaint of 'The Marriage Circle' is the ending, which felt abrupt and on the silly side. Which also coincidentally happened to the weak link of 'One Hour With You' too.

Otherwise it really sparkles as a film and one of Lubitsch's best early efforts and where his trademark style was starting to emerge. It did become even more refined from 'The Love Parade' onwards, but one can really see the famed wit and sophistication in his direction here. He also opens up the action enough so that it never becomes stage bound, while not trying to do too much avoiding the danger of the style swamping what's going on. The production values still look very elegant now, especially the clever photography that always feels part of the action and sumptuous decor.

Script is full of smart wit that is sharp and never less than very amusing. The story is also smart and only got a little silly at the end, the telling of it is also full of energy and sophisticated. It is also very touching in parts, with the romantic relationship tenderly handled and the subject done in good taste. Not a dull moment in sight. The cast are on top form with sparkling and never static chemistry together, with Marie Prevost and Adolphe Menjou particularly good.

In conclusion, great. 9/10

One near constant in the history of cinema is that romantic comedies tend to follow a very specific pattern. Chance encounters lead to romantic inclinations, and possibly drama in established relationships, but ultimately everyone is happy in the end - or at least most characters are, while anyone painted as a more antagonistic figure is probably left out in the cold. Even though we generally know the story before it's ever told, the finer points of the narrative can make all the difference. With slightly more somberly toned drama, this iteration is a little bit of a deviation from the genre norm, written with just enough deftness that for most of the length I wasn't actually sure exactly how it would end. Though hardly revelatory, 'The marriage circle' is fairly worthwhile.

All those small moments that cumulatively build into the divisions and connections between the characters are clever, and endearing as a viewer. Characterizations and intertitles aren't especially noteworthy, but the overall narrative is complete and cohesive, if unremarkable in retrospect nearly 100 years on. The scene writing is pleasantly engaging - a series of light scheming, misunderstandings, and near misses, with timing and cues just right to build the story with mild comedy. While their roles are pretty straightforward, the assembled cast put in solid performances to inhabit the parts and bring the tale to life. As the plot focuses most of all on the dynamics between Charlotte, Franz, and Mizzie, their respective actors get the most time in front of the camera, and Florence Vidor, Monte Blue, and Marie Prevost demonstrate suitable range, nuance, and physicality to communicate the mix of emotions sans sound or dialogue.

Whether one loves romantic comedies or hates them, there is nothing here to radically change one's mind about the genre. Meanwhile, enjoyable as this particular feature is, and for whatever tiny variations in the formula, there's nothing so outstanding about it that would make it a must-see. Yet it's ably written and directed, with capable performances from all involved, and is sufficiently appealing to keep us watching and entertained. Provided one is receptive to pictures from the silent era, and open to romcoms above all, 'The marriage circle' is an agreeable, satisfying diversion that's worth a look if you have the opportunity.

A superb, honest, tender romantic comedy of manners, which features acting today's performers would be hard to match. You can laugh and feel for these characters. Ernst Lubitsch's smart direction keeps the movie always interesting, never dated.

"The Marriage Circle" should be required viewing for today's filmmakers. They'd learn how to reveal characters in emotionally complicated situations with minimum dialogue. And how to tell a story with minimum dialogue. And be funny.

This was actually Ernst Lubitsch's first film for Warner Brothers, he remade it 8 years later as the sublime One Hour With You for Paramount. It's always been difficult for me to not mentally refer to the latter whenever watching this – because it's a good film in its own right and is better not compared to the technically and technologically improved later musical version.

In Vienna city of dreams the husband of an ever-flirting wife grasps the opportunity to obtain a divorce on the grounds of her infidelity with the husband of her best friend. And the husbands' best friend fancies his wife too. Farcical situations develop, with the prevailing morals and manners always to the fore, but basically everyone gets what they deserve. Lubitsch's elegant production, the lovely décor, lightly salted frivolous story and human acting proved a big hit at the time and dare I say it, could be ultimately just as rewarding to watch as OHWY. It might have been a little better if it had only been 10 minutes shorter – some of the scenes are stultifyingly languorous, but I'm not really complaining.

Although neither version ended satisfactorily, this was still a wonderful piece of film-making, a foretaste of things to come from Lubitsch and above all else, nice entertainment.

Professor Stock (Adolph Menjou) and wife Mizzi (Marie Provost) have reached an impasse in their marriage and he wants out. Mizzi's best friend Charlotte ( Florence Vidor ) is blissfully married to Dr. Charles Braun (Monte Blue). His partner Dr. Mueller (Creighton Hale) has designs on Charlotte who has no interest. When Mizzi sets her sights on Dr. Braun suspicions, stoked by misinterpretation and the diabolical Mizzi arise and accusations fly.

The Marriage Circle is an excellent comedy of errors from the Silent Era featuring the wit and sophistication of Ernst Lubitsch that would go on to brilliantly inform some of the finest adult comedies before and after sound and code enforcement. Here he breezily unfolds his story with a benign amorality and suspense as his quintet of characters all share a little guilt and selfishness.

Vidor is a beauty and paragon of virtue to behold but capable of being petty. Blue and Hale comically pine and mope while Menjou is pure dinner at eight collected. Acting honors however belong to Provost's Mizzi whose side glances and brashness haul the rest of the characters into the circle.

The Marriage Circle is an outstanding example of silent film comedy and in large contrast to the slapstick that still dominated. Doors are closed, not slammed or run through, the humor is sly not pie in the face. Lubitsch conveys it beautifully here as he would into sound as well as influence a generation of filmmakers.