Un bacio al buio

Picture quality is pretty rough at the beginning, but this thing is already 85 years old, so i guess we should just appreciate still having it around. Produced by Mary Pickford, it stars Francis Lederer as Philippe, who is planning on meeting his (married) girlfriend in a Paris Theater. He mistakenly kisses the wrong girl, Monique, played by Ida Lupino. this starts a huge uproar in Paris, as the President of the Purity League was also in the theater. and no comedy would be complete without Donald Meek. and Erik Rhodes and Hugh Herbert. Roland Young (Topper!) this one is just loaded up with the best comedians. and we sit through the whole court case as they demand to know why Philippe kissed a girl. kind of like Much Ado about Nothing! a kissing caper. fun. moves right along. ice skating. Directed by Rowland Lee, who had directed some biggies, Count of Monte Cristo and Three Musketeers. Pickford played such a HUGE role in all aspects of films over her career, although it seems to have stopped when she divorced Fairbanks in 1936. THIS film was one of the last ones she produced. looks like she mostly retired from the biz when she married Buddy Rogers. Definitely catch One Rainy Afternoon if you can find it... Roland Young does a really FUN version of "Rainy Afternoon"!

In Paris, "Incorrigible Philippe Martin, a rakish actor, has arrived at a darkened movie theater for a tryst with his married girlfriend Yvonne. Everything changes when he accidentally sits in the wrong seat and kisses a beautiful publisher's daughter named Monique. To protect Yvonne in the ensuing scandal, he claims that Monique's beauty was irresistible. Now Monique is intrigued, but her fiancé is anything but happy," according to the fine folks at Mill Creek Entertainment.

This is a mostly unsuccessful romantic comedy from the intriguing production team of Mary Pickford and Jesse L. Lasky. She was, of course, THE film sweetheart last appearing in "Secrets" (1933) and he was the likewise legendary former Paramount Studios boss. "One Rainy Afternoon" was the first of two films from Pickford and Lasky, both starring Ida Lupino. The second was better, but they stopped there. Interestingly, you can see traces of Ms. Pickford in Ms. Lupino's character - these parts look like they might have appealed to Pickford herself. Leading man Francis Lederer receives star-billing, but is lesser remembered today; he was a versatile and convincing actor. Everyone delivers competent, albeit uninspired, work.

Interesting, too, is that two of filmdom's very first popular players appear as uncredited extras. They are Florence Turner and Florence Lawrence, two of the movies' first genuine "STAR" actresses. Popular for several years, they were still big enough to appear in the first annual "Motion Picture Story Magazine" players poll, for 1912; Ms. Lawrence was #8, Ms. Turner was #11, and an up-and-coming Pickford appeared at #12. Pickford passed them in the next year's poll.

**** One Rainy Afternoon (5/13/36) Rowland V. Lee ~ Francis Lederer, Ida Lupino, Hugh Herbert, Roland Young

"One Rainy Afternoon" is an American remake of the French film "Monsieur Sans-Gêne". I have no idea if the French film is any good or not, all I know is that "One Rainy Afternoon" became VERY tiresome almost as soon as it started! This is due to a terrible miscasting of Francis Lederer in a comedy--and his abilities with comedy were nonexistent. A fine actor, yes, but a comedian, no way! In addition, there is a lot of Hugh Herbert in the film and my theory about his films is that the more of him in a movie, the less I'll enjoy it. High laugh just pierces my brain and makes me want to scream.

As for the plot, it's VERY contrived and not enough to support an entire full-length film. Lederer is going to meet a married woman at the theater but instead of sitting there and kissing her in the dark, he accidentally kisses a stranger (Ida Lupino). What makes this so unendurable is everyone's reaction to this--like the world is about to end or something! To base an entire film on such a faux pas--what a mistake and the film comes off as very forced and unfunny.

UPDATE: I saw this film again recently and think the original review a bit too severe. I now admit that the film, while seemingly endorsing sexual harassment, has some charm nevertheless.

Middle thirties studio fodder that would be completely forgotten if it didn't have Ida Lupino in one of the star parts. She's very young although starting to move away from the English Jean Harlow mold the studio tried forcing her into when she first arrived. Her voice is still high and light not having yet acquired the smoky whiskey tinge that was to come within a few years. Some fun is provided by two members of the supporting cast, the always reliable Roland Young and the buffoonish Hugh Herbert plus Ida and the forgotten Francis Lederer make an attractive couple but this is a minor romantic comedy nothing more.

This is a fun romantic comedy which relies upon Ida Lupina's face expressions to do much communication. This is an under rated enjoyable movie w lots of laughs. Ida is terrific.