Déjeuner pour deux

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.

The film begins with rich and drunk playboy Herbert Marshall being taken to his home by nice girl Barbara Stanwyck. The butler's reaction (Eric Blore) at seeing her in the shower instead of his master is priceless! It seems that the Stanwyck and Marshall met the night before while he was on a bender and they share some sweet moments over breakfast. However, the nice moment is interrupted when Marshall finds that the fun and games are over, as he is practically broke and his family steamship line is about to be sold. Unknown to all, Barbara is loaded with cash and she buys the business and plans on letting Marshall run it--hoping to make him more responsible and her future husband! When Marshall discovers her plan, he is understandably miffed and immediately proposes to another woman!

This is a film that fans of old time Hollywood can enjoy. More "sophistsicated" viewers might see the premise of the film as very contrived and silly (which it is), but the point of the film is to enjoy the journey and NOT question the implausibility. Let me explain.... The film stars some excellent actors (Herbert Marshall and Barbara Stanwyck) and are very ably supported by some wonderful familiar faces--in particular, Eric Blore and Donald Meek. Unlike more modern films which often rely heavily on the stars, like some of the best 1930s films the supporting players give the film life and provide great laughs--providing a wonderful balance that is often missing in newer films. Heck, considering Blore's performance alone, I'd strongly recommend this movie. His appearances in TOP HAT and many other films of the 1930s did so much to improve the films, so I look forward to him at least at much as I looked forward to Stanwyck and Marshall! Also, while the plot is silly, the writing of the characters and dialog is amazingly witty and clever. In particular, the last 15 minutes of the film are sparkling and you can't help but laugh out loud--it's THAT good! Just turn off your brain and enjoy!

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.

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.