Servizio di lusso

Constance Bennett and her aunt Helen Broderick run the Madison Agency, a collection of women who help out people with lots of dollars and no sense. Miss Bennett is sent upstate by Lionel Belmore to stop his nephew Vincent Price (in his screen debut) from coming to New York. She stops the wrong man. After Price knocks her hat into the Hudson, they swiftly fall in love. However, he doesn't like bossy women, so she has to hide behind Miss Broderick as she gets him an appointment to sell his three-way tractor -- whatever that is -- to Charles Ruggles, whose ditzy daughter, Joy Hodges, develops a passion for the immensely tall Price. Meanwhile, Mischa Auer and his spirit guide teach Ruggles how to be a chef.

You can see how this will easily become the makings of a romantic comedy, and with a good script by various hands who include Vera Caspary. Ruggles and Auer are delightful, Miss Broderick plays the sort of role that Eve Arden would assume, and Price and Miss Bennett are very amusing, playing their roles mostly straight. Rowland Lee is better remembered these days for his horror movies, but demonstrates the good studio director's ability to do well with any assignment handed him.

I've been aware of this film's existence since I was a teenager and after 45 years have finally caught up with it. 'Service de Luxe' is a competent assembly-line romantic comedy with Constance Bennett her usual glamorous blonde self bolstered by a vintage supporting cast (Helen Broderick is particularly good). That it is remembered today is due to its handsome young leading man fresh from Broadway snapped up by Universal.

The title will be familiar to his many admirers as the film debut of the 27 year-old Vincent Price, starting at the top playing a romantic lead in an 'A' feature opposite an established star. Already sporting the pencil-line moustache that was to come and go for the next twenty years, the young Vincent gracefully towers over the rest of the cast (even Mischa Auer!), moves comfortably in front of the camera and of course speaks in that wonderful purring baritone.

Playing a young inventor designing a new type of tractor, Vincent basically serves as eye candy for Connie Bennett and straight man to Charlie Ruggles and Mischa Auer. With odd exceptions, as when he attempts to discourage the amorous advances of Joy Hodges by telling her that madness runs in his family, we get little sense of just how deliriously funny he could later be in more eccentric roles, or how satanic a villain he would be; he would never play such a conventional lead again. Just two films later he was cast by this film's director, Rowland V. Lee, as the Duke of Clarence in 'Tower of London', in which he was murdered by Basil Rathbone and Boris Karloff and it was already clear that he was not destined to continue to play uncomplicated romantic leads. After signing up with Fox in 1940 he would kept busy for the next seven years in eye-catching supporting roles in big budget prestige productions. And the rest is history.

Seeing Vincent Price fall in love on a cruise ship on his way to New York makes you think that this film will be set on a luxury cruise ship. As it happens, the woman he falls in love with is the managing director of a dating agency who arranges marriages. There should have been more scenes on the ship because they fell in love too quickly. It needed more character development to make their alliance more credible. As it turns out, it's not a bad film, neither is it a good film because of what's missing. It's an okay film which could have been better, but that's not down to the actors, it was down to the script. For Vincent Price fans it's watching to see what he did after 'Tower of London'.

Most romantic movies have a very basic formula...boy meets girl...couple start to fall in love...there is a misunderstanding that threatens to break them up...this is resolved and they live happily ever after. In essence, this is what you get in "Service de Luxe"...a typical formula though HOW you do through each of these steps is what makes this film a bit unique.

Helen Murphy (Constance Bennett) and her friend, Pearl (Helen Broderick) own a business called 'Dorothy Madison Service'. It's a company that solves problems and hires folks, as needed, for helpless rich folks who can't seem to do these things for themselves. The clients love her. However, when Robert (Vincent Price) is contracted with Dorothy Madison, he HATES this. He's a very self-reliant guy and wants to take care of details himself! What he doesn't realize is that his new girlfriend is Helen...of Dorothy Madison fame! She doesn't tell him, either, as she likes him...perhaps loves him and his independent ways. After all, she spends her life taking care of people and the idea of a man she does NOT need to take care of is very exciting.

In the meantime, Audrey Robinson, the daughter of a rich man who uses Dorothy Madison Service, has fallen for Robert...though he has no interest in her at all. One day, he's working and is completely distracted with his project...as Audrey blathers and essentially proposes to him. Without his realizing it, suddenly he's engaged to Audrey even though he loves Helen.

So, how will Robert get rid of Audrey? And, how will Helen get him to marry her even after he finds out who she is?

Overall, this is a very nice romance...enjoyable, clever and with likable character. The only thing working against it is that over time Vincent Price became typecast and seeing him in his first Hollywood film playing an inventor that has made an improved tractor seems odd given Price's screen persona. He just doesn't seem like the farm and tractor sort!

Since Thriller seems to be played every five minutes on the radio following the death of Michael Jackson, I've found myself lecturing the kids about the wonderful, 55-year career of the legendary Vincent Price.

Well here's where that wonderful career began - the male lead in his debut feature! His role here couldn't be any further removed from the genre he's famous for. This romantic screwball comedy sees Price play the heart-throb hero(?!) opposite comedy actress Constance Bennett (who, incidentally, my mother was named after).

Helen Murphy (Bennett) runs the titular service which caters for the every need of its customers, from meals to shopping, finances to social arrangements. Constance is sick of running around after men (her main customers) and seeks an independent, self-sufficient partner.

She meets one in the form of Robert Wade (Price) who, after a case of mistaken identity (have you ever seen a 30s comedy in which this didn't happen?), treats her like a real woman. Unfortunately, Murphy's business-like lifestyle clashes with Wade's vision of the ideal woman - a homely child-bearer who lets the man pay for everything.

So Murphy lies and hides the truth of her real occupation - with hilarious consequences. Naturally Wade hates Murphy's service (remember, he doesn't know she's behind it!) which he finds unnecessary intrusive. This of course causes Murphy to perpetuate the deceit.

There's plenty of madcap behaviour as Wade's now antiquated views of women force Murphy to use underhanded tactics to win his heart. Bennett is great as always and Price is also very good, although no Cary Grant. There's also a supporting cast of zany characters including Mischa Auer (mad Russian chef who constantly consults his spirit guide), Charles Ruggles (eccentric old businessman) and Helen Broderick (dumb romantic dreamer).

The comedy is often predictable as Wade sets about selling his new innovative tractor idea and gets himself accidentally engaged to the wrong person. However, it's all very likable and sweet and makes for a perfect afternoon matinée.

Considering Price makes his feature film debut here, it is amazing to see how comfortable he is and how consistent his look and persona are with later roles. The ever-present 'tache is obviously on show, as is that slight southern twang and dignified manner. To be fair, the 27-year old Price looks exactly here as he does in 'The House on Haunted Hill' – 20 years later! And there's an interesting scene in which Price jokingly talks about madness in his family, as he slowly and menacingly advances towards his finance – an eerie forecast of things to come