Déjeuner pour deux

A New York playboy & a Texas rich girl enjoy BREAKFAST FOR TWO after a wild night on the town.

Here is a screwball comedy which derives its humor more from the fine acting of its cast than from zany situations. When these situations do appear late in the film the characters are well established in the viewer's mind, adding extra zest to some very funny sequences.

Barbara Stanwyck stars as the highly determined young woman who uses her considerable resources to save the man she loves from his improvident lifestyle. This was an actress equally adept at the grittiest drama or the lightest comedy. Her timing was impeccable and her delivery uniquely all her own. As the object of her affections, Herbert Marshall makes excellent use of his suave demeanor and marvelous speaking voice to add a soupçon of sophistication to his character's wastrel ways.

An excellent supporting cast gets fully involved in the zany proceedings. Brassy Glenda Farrell plays the dumb blonde actress who adores Marshall; good-hearted & jolly, the plot really does treat her unkindly. Eric Blore is wonderful as Marshall's faithful, scheming valet. Tiny chittering Etienne Girardot plays Marshall's elderly office manager. Donald Meek, as a flustered little Justice of the Peace, gets to preside over three of the funniest wedding ceremonies ever committed to film.

RKO has given the film very fine production values, as epitomized by the mansion sets shown in the opening sequence. And what about those crazy window washers?!

Breakfast for Two (1937)

** (out of 4)

A tough as nails Texas woman (Barbara Stanwyck) tries to break a playboy (Herbert Marshall) from some of his bad habits. This screwball comedy didn't really work for me mainly because I didn't feel anything between the two main characters. Eric Blore steals the show as the butler and the highlight happens at the start of the film when he goes into the bathroom to drop off some towels and notices it's not his boss in the shower but Stanwyck. There's also a talking dog on hand, which is somewhat more eerie than funny. There's also a subplot dealing with Marshall marrying a woman but I'm pretty sure you know how this romantic comedy will end.

Barbara Stanwyck and Herbert Marshall enjoy "Breakfast for Two" in this 1937 comedy which also stars Eric Blore, Brenda Farrell, and Donald Meek.

Stanwyck is Valentine Ransome from Texas, who meets playboy Jonathan Blair one night and ends up spending the night at his apartment. No, it's not precode, it's just that Blair's dog frightened her when she went for the door. Valentine is attracted to Jonathan, but he appears to have a lack of direction. He runs his family shipping company and has just about plowed it into the ground.

Valentine buys the company in the hopes that Jonathan will get in there and make good. Meanwhile, she has to worry about his marriage to an actress (Glenda Farrell) and how she's going to stop it.

Some hilarious scenes, including a chorus of window washers and a funny performance by Donald Meek as the poor justice of the peace. As the dizzy actress Carol, Glenda Farrell is a riot.

There's some slapstick that involves Marshall which I assume was done with a stand-in since he had an artificial leg - but it was done seamlessly.

Beautiful sets and nice production values, a cute comedy, with the young Stanwyck looking beautiful.

Barbara Stanwyck and Herbert Marshall starred in Breakfast For Two with her as a Texas oil heiress and he as dissolute playboy living off his dad's trust fund.

Both Stanwyck and her dad Frank Thomas are in town as minority stockholders of the shipping company that was the business that gave Marshall the fortune he enjoys. The company from poor management looks like it's going under. Stanwyck who wakes up in Marshall's apartment after she brought him home in a drunken state can't leave because of his trusty Great Dane. The film begins here and it's obvious a large portion of film was cut away giving more background to the story.

Stanwyck played a few madcap heiresses in her salad days. Marshall does all right. But his part really calls for someone like Cary Grant or William Powell especially with a lot of physical comedy involved. Given the fact that Marshall was missing a leg due to injuries in the First World War I sincerely doubt he was doing any pratfalls. Those were done in long shot and clearly by a double.

Glenda Farrell does well here as the fiancé Marshall is supposed to marry. Highlight of the film is how Stanwyck breaks up the wedding. Farrell gets hysterical as the justice of the peace Donald Meek who is trying to give out with some boring homily about, yes the birds and the bees. Meek is very funny. So is Eric Blore as Marshall's ever helpful valet.

Too bad Cary Grant wasn't available.

This movie was my first Barbara Stanwyck experience, so I perhaps enjoy it for more sentimental reasons than most. However, it is a terrific screwball comedy. Where else do you get Eric Blore (being his wonderful self), a talking dog, and Barbara Stanwyck wearing a boxing glove? I strongly recommend it to any Stanwyck fan. It is quite humorous and enjoyable. It's a cute little film and one of my all-time favorite comedies.