History Is Made at Night

Charles Boyer has never been more charming and Jean Arthur never more beautiful as impromptu lovers Paul and Irene. Colin Clive is brilliant as Irene's madly jealous and obsessive husband Bruce, who unwittingly brings the two lovers together and follows desperate measures to keep them apart. Boyer's and Arthur's tender love scenes make this film one of the greatest unsung screen romances.

When I wash up on that proverbial desert island with little more than a generator, a VCR (or DVD player) and a TV, I want "History is Made at Night" among the 10 films in my possession.

Someone -- film critic Myron Meisel, I think -- once described this as the most romantic film ever shot in the English language, and I completely agree.

The plot turns on some of the creakiest story points ever conceived. But no matter, because the leads are so appealing, the look of the film so overwhelmingly romantic (Borzage at his best) and the score is so warm and appropriate, that "HIMAN" is just irresistible.

Frank Borzage's "History Is Made at Night" is one of the most spiritually romantic of all films and a model of how to portray a sublime, gorgeous romance on screen. Jean Arthur and Charles Boyer have never been more sublime and magical; they give some of their most luminous and warmest performances. In many ways, this is Borzage's testament: full of warmth, humanity, and tenderness.

I saw this on a VHS release here in the 1980's and was one of those films years later I could not forget. How could one forget this memorable title with a equally interesting and unusual combination of love, comedy, drama and disaster that in many other circumstances would simply not work! Boyer and Arthur's romantic moments...pure magic as is Boyer and Leo Carillo's comedic turns. Produced to the tune of over a million dollars (a very generous budget for 1937) independently by Walter Wagner the look of this "A" production certainly reflects this. The deft hand of Borzage could only keep the goings on fluent with the seemingly challenging narrative in a film that easily keeps the viewers attention. To my mind one of the highlights of 30's cinema. I urge anyone interested in this era - see this film!! Available on DVD (mine is a South American copy and OK print quality).

Fairly sharp mixture of comedy, romance and melodrama has an American woman in Paris falling for the charming head-waiter in a posh French restaurant; later, after returning to the States (and to her abusive husband), she chances to meet the dashing Frenchman again. Sparkling first-half is either enhanced or destroyed by heavy drama in the second-act, depending on your viewpoint. However the film affects you, the finale aboard a sinking cruise ship certainly boasts showmanship! I caught this in a romantic mood, so I enjoyed it; any other day of the week, I might've taken a glimpse and passed.

*** from ****