La soirée de Miss Stanhope

Here's a sweet, little movie, looking to prove nothing, just wanting to entertain-- and entertain it does-- there you have it.

I won't ponderously go over the plot (as so many reviewers do despite the plot summary already being part of an IMDb listing-- what gives with that?) except to say that there are NO surprises; the film is rather formulaic-- but it's a good formula.

Rather, the thing to focus on here is the Pre-Code ethics dramatically underscored by the female lead's need to get married! Additionally, the bit parts are delicious! We have a rascally Wasp party planner, a sympathetic Jewish impresario and, in top form, Nigel Bruce NOT playing and English dotard. There's even a gay florist-- well, fay at least.

There's a guilty pleasure side to the party-- which is costing astronomical sums while people starve, not that the starving masses are allowed in to this movie, but WE are! And the thing is wonderfully directed with interesting angles and lots of entering doors that seem to draw you in to the action. Want to see a debutante's bedroom? Wait for it... ah, there you go!

Give this little gem a try. Despite its overly virginal heroine and plasterboard hero, there is a lot worthwhile here.

The notion of a coming out party is something of the past...and today, folks might think a 'coming out party' is something very different than it really is. So, in short, it's a high society party for the rich where a young woman is 'introduced' to society and eligible bachelors. It's a big to do...a bit like a Quincinera but for the very wealthy. I don't know if the rich do that any more (it's not like I travel in those circles), but it was a bit thing way back in the day.

Making a film about such a party in 1934 is an odd thing, as the country was STILL in the grips of the Great Depression...and the average person only made about $603!! And, the unemployment rate was about 25%! You'd THINK most folks wouldn't care or want to see a film about the rich at this period of time, though films featuring the rich were actually VERY common at the time and films about the poor were extremely rare. Strange, huh?

The coming out party is for Joy (Frances Dee) and her parents are determined to spend thousands to making the party a success. However, what her folks DON'T know is that she's secretly been dating Chris (Gene Raymond)...an up and coming musician. He has plenty of talent and is a nice guy...but clearly poor...and not the sort to ever attend a coming out party and an unlikely guy to be accepted among the elitist parents of Joy. Plus, by keeping him under wraps, it makes you wonder what sort of person she is! What is going to come of all this? See the film.

Like the godawful dress Dee wore to the big party, I was not particularly enamored with Dee's character, Joy. Joy SAID she loved Chris...but hid them from her society friends and family. She also was a bit of a milquetoast when it came to dealing with the alcoholic suitor who was also chasing her. I think this really weakened the character and making her more in control of her life would have made you care about her more. As for me, I liked Chris...but felt he deserved someone who ACKNOWLEDGED that he existed to her friends! As a result, despite being a pretty film, it was also a bit frustrating. Worth seeing but also skippable.

It's not a film version of Phillip Barry's play, HOLIDAY. That's obvious from the beginning and it suffers from a lack of sympathy for the subject of its opprobrium. The drunk looks a little like Lew Ayres, but he drinks not because he is a poet, and not because he is not a poet. He drinks because he can barely conceive of anything else.

But that's the basic idea, really. A producer said "Give me something like HOLIDAY" and this is what they came up with. Frances Dee does as much as she can, but she can't carry this movie by herself, and neither the script nor the actors seem capable of much more -- no, that's not true. Nigel Bruce, as a Scotch butler, is wonderful, and totally unlike any of his other roles. Alison Skipworth is, as usual, hilarious as Mrs. Vanderdoe, the society arbiter and adviser -- for a commission. And Harry Green, an actor I have seen in only one other movie, is excellent. But this movie, although it's clear that in another year, the genre would morph into the screwball comedy with its class warfare of the sexes, is a dull, disapproving drama.

John G Blystone is probably a name not known to many in this day and age but he was obviously a more than capable director with a long career in direction with stars such as James Cagney and Tom Mix. He also helmed a Charlie Chan movie and pertinent to this review worked ably in comedy, calling the shots with Buster Keaton and perhaps, most impressively, Laurel and Hardy in Swiss Miss and Blockheads. Going by the title one would envision a frothy, light headed farce with a gaggle of bright young things whooping it up and painting the town red, and it does fall under the comedy banner, but subtly goes beyond that, too. The plot concerns Joy Stanhope, played by Frances Dee, who gives a real leading lady performance, going from vivacity to despair and we are with her every step of the way. She is a privileged young woman about to come out as a debutante on her 18th birthday. Her dilemma? Her family want her to marry the eligible Jimmy Wolverton who is in reality, a hopeless drunk, but she's in love with Chris Hansen, a struggling but talented musician, not of her set. Unfortunately, these suitors, played by Phillip Trent and Gene Raymond don't match Dee in the acting stakes. They have their moments (particularly Trent when inebriated) but both are a little on the bland side. Fortunately there are a plethora of great character turns: Alison Skipworth is formidable and very watchable as a wedding planner, Jesse Relph brings warmth and twinkle to the housekeeper that dotes on Dee, Harry Green brings real drollery and likeability to his role of a bandleader, Harold Minjir (if I've identified him correctly) does an amazing and painful looking pratfall over a stepladder and Nigel Bruce, my reason for watching, plays it sort of straight (a comic interlude witb bagpipes aside) as faithful family retainer, Troon. His Scottish accent isn't always on the money (odd considering his ancestry) but he has some nice moments, particularly in his firm but dignified final speech to his master. The film is well shot with some great overhead views of the ballroom and there is a very effective, disturbing scene where the traumatised debutante, Dee is passed around from man to man in an excuse me dance (all of whom, for entrance purposes have had their hands 'stamped') which puts one in mind of a timid cow being preyed upon by lecherous bulls. This film is far better than I was expecting and it will only take up an hour and 20 minutes of your time. Not a masterpiece but recommended to those that enjoy the silver screen of the 30s.