Il Giglio d'oro

THE GILDED LILY packs a lot of good-natured fun into a standard Paramount assembly line product. Claudette Colbert, perhaps never more perfectly photographed and framed, plays an office worker torn between two handsome young suitors: a brash newspaper reporter (Fred MacMurray) and a cultivated Englishman (Ray Milland, who, unbeknownst to Colbert, is actually a duke traveling in the States under an assumed name to avoid the press). The plot picks up when Colbert discovers Milland's true identity (via MacMurray who by chance is assigned to do a story on him), whereupon emotions take over, spin out of control and create a whole new world of developments, including Colbert's overnight rise to celebrity-by- association, which relocates her from workaday surroundings to nightclub dressing rooms and luxury hotels, from simple lace collars to glittery evening gowns. There is no logical explanation for how she could become so closely involved with Milland, yet know nothing about him other than the fact that he is English and has no job. But we must suspend disbelief so that the plot can develop.

The first half is the best, beginning charmingly as Colbert and MacMurray's friendly- flirtatious relationship is established on a bench outside the main branch of the New York Public Library where they meet each Thursday to eat popcorn, chat and watch the world go by. Their dialogue provides all the exposition we will need: he is in love with her, plain and simple; she isn't in love with him, because her vision of love is based on an ideal fantasy which no reality has ever matched. From this introduction we are taken on a lively ride as she is soon swept off her feet by Milland in the surging chaos of a packed subway station. Following is a series of beautifully written scenes, expertly played by Colbert, charting the giddiness of falling madly in love through the descent into despair when that love suddenly appears to be a cruel illusion. The peak occurs when Colbert exquisitely botches a nightclub song-and-dance act intended to launch her as a marketable celebrity.

Thereafter the story sags and gets mechanical, contracting into the old "which suitor shall I choose" routine, but momentum resumes toward the end. Even at its lowest points, however, just the beauty of the three main faces in close up is enough to hold interest. It is impossible to judge which of Colbert's many light comedy performances is the finest, but this one would have to be in the top five. MacMurray and Milland are perfectly cast as the opposite love interests. They resemble each other in build, height and hair color, so that even accounting for Milland's accent and slightly more reserved demeanor we can see why it's so difficult for Colbert to choose between them. The resemblance is most pronounced when the men appear together in formal attire.

Get that cast... Claudette Colbert, Fred MacMurray, Aubrey Smith, Ray Milland, Don Meeks. all so good. Marilyn (Colbert) and Pete (Mac) are buddies, working in new york city. When Marilyn bumps into Charles Gray (Milland), she gets all flustered, and they spend the next couple days running around the city together. but Gray must return to england to break it off with his fiancee. Marilyn sees the photos of Lord Gray in the paper, and thinks he has lied to her... he had, but only to break it off with the one back home. another little problem that snowballs into something much bigger, since someone couldn't tell the truth to begin with. Marilyn hits it big as a singer, and now things really turn around for her. can they pick up where they left off? Aubrey Smith was always the uncle, the congressman, the wise judge. here, he's Gray's father, and wants to avoid any whiff of scandal to protect the family name. Colbert and Milland had been around hollywood a bit, but this was one of MacMurray's first credited roles. it's fun to watch it all happen. liberal use of backdrops. clearly there was a magic between Colbert and Mac. directed by Wes Ruggles.was nominated for Cimarron. he had started in EARLY silents as an actor, and carried on with directing, into the talkies. had worked with the Chaplins. his brother Charles Ruggles was hilarious in so many comedies. Watch this one. shame they don't show it very often.

In this very sweet and charming picture, Claudette Colbert is Marilyn David, a girl divided between two men. One is an English nobleman traveling unknown (Lord Granton/Charles Gray, played by Ray Milland) and the other a friend reporter (Peter Daws, played by Fred MacMurray, in his good old American style). Colbert has a strong friendship bond with MacMurray - they meet each other every Thursday to sit on a bench, take off the shoes and eat popcorn while the world is passing by - while Milland is just that kind of guy women fall for. It is a lovely picture, with a predictable ending, but representing very well a reasonable woman exercising her selection privileges during the good old times, when marriage was meaningful and fidelity and trust where more valuable then gold. There is no use in putting here a good word for Colbert. After all, as everybody knows, she is just fantastic.

Entertaining romantic comedy starring Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray as a pair who have a "date" each Thursday meeting on a city bench to eat popcorn together, sans shoes. He seems to be in love with her, but she longs to meet her dream man for her idea of an ideal romance. And she does - in the form of handsome Ray Milland, who assists her in a crowd situation on the subway. They have a fun date together at Coney Island where the camera takes us on a wild ride on the roller coaster with them; they fall in love instantly. She thinks he's out of a job - he doesn't tell her he is a Lord (and has a fiancée back home in England!). But when she sees his picture in the paper (coincidentally attached to a story done by MacMurray, a reporter) she believes she's been duped. Follows a series of publicity newspaper stories, out of her control, which causes her to become famous as "The No Girl" for saying "no" to a lord. Then he thinks she was just in the whole relationship with him for the publicity. Well, based on her huge public fame, she is amazingly hired to sing and dance in her own solo nightclub act - even though, as seen in a quite amusing performance scene, she has zero talent!

This is a fun, enjoyable romp - a little frustrating in the way of many romantic comedies in which you feel like you know a couple should be together, but misunderstandings have caused them to remain apart. The ending of this was not particularly what I hoped to see either. But - Claudette Colbert sparkles as always, she's great. Fred MacMurray also does a fine job in his part, Ray Milland looks very young, handsome and, well, rather dashing! One thing I wondered about in this film - why are the Colbert and MacMurray characters so satisfied with just a date on a bench once a week, how come they never desire to get together for a dinner out, go to a movie, or any other normal type activity?! Seemed a bit odd to me. All in all, a quite enjoyable film.

Just what I wanted from a film-- to feel good, smile, and applaud at the end. Colbert was fantastic.