L'ammaliatrice

You see a wedding dress floating in the ocean, and the story begins of how it came to be there. Marlene Dietrich lives basically upon the kindness and generosity of men. She sets her sights on Roland Young (from "Topper"), who has scads of money. She also has a particular habit of fainting, which she uses to her advantage, whenever it serves her purpose or whenever she doesn't know else to get out of a particular situation. Roland starts to pursue her, but doesn't realize he was already picked from the beginning. She tries to be hard to get, but just enough to get what she wants.

Enter Bruce Cabot who of course meets her in such a way as to antagonize her without them actually seeing each other. When her plans get mixed up with Roland and her reputation gets compromised by a rumor, she resorts to drastic measures.

I had never seen this and loved it, obviously by my rating. Marlene and Bruce's chemistry, its use of time and place, the imagery and colors of the clothes of the time, and its expressive grand music made for the most perfect 80 minutes spent on a movie in a long time.

Featuring a slew of recognizable faces including Mischa Auer, Andy Devine, Franklin Pangborn, Melville Cooper, Laura Hope Crews ("Aunt Pittypat" from "Gone with the Wind"), Anne Revere (Oscar winner for "National Velvet" as the mother), and Eddie Quillan, this is one movie not to be missed.

Eddie Quillan? You don't know him? Sure, you do. You've seen him. You just didn't know it. He was a prolific supporting actor in movies in bit parts like this one and also made memorable appearances in 50s and 60s TV shows, like "The Addams Family." His most famous role was probably that in "The Grapes of Wrath."

Directed by Rene Clair who also made "Le Million", which I reviewed, and "A Nous La Liberte," (some say that is his masterpiece, but I have yet to see, but will) this is yet another example of Dietrich at her sexiest, and all Dietrich fans and film lovers should buy the Marlene Dietrich DVD collection with this on it and sit back and see one of the greatest screen icons ever!

French director, Rene Clair, went to Hollywood to direct German Marlene Dietrich in this role where she played a con-artist known as the Countess and/or Lili. The story is set in New Orleans in the 1800s and has a fabulous art direction with costumes and set designs that are first rate. The problem with this film is really in the writing. It never holds up to me. While I love the cast, Dietrich is supported by a first rate cast and crew of Hollywood's golden age of cinema where even character parts were done brilliantly. I enjoyed the relationship between the Countess and her African American maid, Clementine, in the film as her friend and confidante. The countess has too many suitors much like any Marlene Dietrich film. The one suitor is a poor sailor with a pet monkey and the other is Giraud, an older, wealthy but unattractive man. In this film, the Countess is expected to get married like all women are expected to do in this day and age. The film begins with a mystery of a wedding dress found in the Mississippi River. There are plenty of light hearted moments as well. Still, this film is fine to watch.

Marlene Dietrich, ever since seeing her for the first time in the brilliant 'Witness for the Prosecution' (where she gives a very memorable performance), was a very engaging actress and performer. Especially in the 30s, where she was in a lot of films that played to her strengths. Also like some of Rene Clair's other films, my personal favourite (and my first watched film of his) being one of the best versions of one of Agatha Christie's best books 'And Then There Were None'.

'The Flame of New Orleans' is worth seeing, if more a one-time watch than repeated viewings worthy. Dietrich did much better before and since, though she is not disgraced here, and the same goes for Clair who doesn't come off too badly still either. There are a good deal of good things here, including Dietrich, but some quite serious drawbacks that take away from the enjoyment somewhat. Making for an inoffensive and above average if not much more than that film.

Admittedly the story can be a little over-complicated and in other places it can be quite flimsy, the central triangle could have done with more personality perhaps too and the ending can be seen from miles off.

Did find Andy Devine a bit wearing at times and his comedy overdone.

However, 'The Flame of New Orleans' benefits greatly from classy production values, the sets and production design being particularly great. The music is immensely appealing to listen to and fits the film's frothy nature very nicely. The script is gently witty, charmingly frothy and has a lively energy. While the story can easily be criticised, at least to me it wasn't dull and it has a genuine charm underneath all the froth.

Clair's direction has the right lightness of touch, and doesn't get pedestrian. Furthermore, Dietrich is luminous and brings a lot of grace and verve to the lead role. Roland Young and particularly Bruce Cabot make the most of their fairly sketchy characters, having quite nice chemistry with Dietrich. The rest of the cast do good jobs, with particularly amusing turns from Theresa Harris and Mischa Auer.

Altogether, good frothy fun though with not everything working. 7/10

This is a delightful old film with a cast of characters, from Bruce Cabot, who plays the captain and romantic interest, to Andy Devine, Frank Jenks, Mischa Auer and a whole bunch of studio character actors. Roland Young, who delighted us in the original Topper with Cary Grant, plays the befuddled count who plans to marry Die Marlene on the pretext she's an innocent young darling. The scene where the New Orleans ladies take Marlene aside to give her a little lecture on the "burden of womanhood she'll have to endure" after her marriage is priceless, with the tiny smirk that plays across Marlene's face (given her well-known history, it makes it doubly funny). While this little film isn't (and wasn't)a great shake at the box office at the time, it is delightful to see Die Marlene, always beautiful in that classic, classy European sense, at her best.

Marlene D plays a dual role. As the Countess, she dresses like an ostrich and is a trickster who gets her way by fainting so she can bag a wealthy suitor. In her other role, she looks exactly the same yet seems to fool the rest of the cast. There you go, it can't be a good film. A Dietrich vehicle that has some amusing scenes at the beginning with potential suitor Bruce Cabot (Catour) resembling a Clark Gable type.

As always, Dietrich just glows star quality. Roland Young (Giraud) plays his part well as a wealthy, interested party and I also thought Anne Revere (Giraud's sister) and Melville Cooper (Giraud's brother-in-law) put in amusing, convincing performances.

As for the other characters, unfortunately, we get comedy sailors that include Andy "clear your throat" Devine (1st Sailor). Not funny. The better comedy comes from a surprising source – Mischa Auer (Zolotov). For a change, Mischa Auer doesn't miss the mark – he's funny in his role (the only time I can remember him successfully doing this) and Franklin Pangborn (Bellows) as Auer's European companion has that kind of face that screams comedy. He reminds me of one of my Portuguese cousins – she looks just like him.

It's a fluffy film that is completely unbelievable but entertains while it is going. I wouldn't recommend it, but it's OK - nothing too gripping going on.