Nostalgie viennoise

Herbert Marshall, in his follow-up to TROUBLE IN PARADISE, stars as an impoverished Count who finds the girl of his dreams (Sari Maritza) the very night his former butler (Charlie Ruggles) gets him a job as a gigolo. She finds out what he does and isn't happy and the ditzy rich dame he's "romancing" (Mary Boland) doesn't find out and couldn't be happier.

A masked ball, a Viennese castle, "The Blue Danube", a duel... all the ingredients are there and "The Lubitsch touch" might have turned this romantic trifle into a risqué soufflé but, alas, it is what it is.

"Fair entertainment but extremely doubtful on the draw." -Variety

Paramount superstar Mae West once quipped, "Too much of a good thing can be wonderful" and the studio must have taken it to heart when they signed Sari Maritza in 1932 as the new Marlene Dietrich when the troublesome Teuton insisted on working only with director Josef von Sternberg. The NY Times hailed Sari as a "vivacious Continental actress" but when it came out she was English (born Dora Detering-Nathan in China to a British Army officer and his Austrian wife) the public resented the ruse and "stayed away in droves". Unperturbed, Ms. Maritza upped and married MGM producer Sam Katz and retired from the screen in 1934.

While he was never a super-star, Herbert Marshall is one of my favorite actors of his era. Much of this is because he had a lovely voice and he also made his acting seem so natural. Here in "Evenings for Sale", he takes an okay plot and elevates it...as usual.

The Count (Marshall) is broke and about ready to shoot himself. However, a possible answer to his problems arrives when he sees an old servant,Bimpfl (Charlie Ruggles). Bimpfl convinces the Count to be a gigolo...of sorts. While the word is even used, the Count does NOT sleep with his prey. Instead, he uses his charm and sophistication to sweep them off their feet. The problem is that one of the ladies he meets (Sari Maritza) means more to him...but she wants nothing to do with him because of his line of work.

Despite being a Pre-Code film, it is clear that the Count is NOT providing sex...making him a most unusual gigolo! Still, the idea works and the acting (Mary Boland is also excellent) very nice. Well worth seeing.

This lovely, fluffy bit of nonsense is exactly the type of pseudo-sophistry which Paramount exemplified in the early thirties. Ernst Lubitsch epitomised the zenith of their Depression-busting other-worldly genre and this little film was one of the studio's many other but very competent 'also rans'

It's a fairly frivolous and un-memorable picture with as much depth as a puddle but it's so beautifully put together you can't help but get hooked by it. Furthermore with Herbert Marshall's effortless charm, you'll have to stick with it until the end. You also get a rare chance to see Sari Martiza who doesn't have much to do in this other than look pretty. She is however not nearly as bad an actress as many more famous actresses of that era were who unlike her, didn't know their own limitations. Overall it's professionally made resulting in an enjoyable if rather pedestrian hour of uplifting fun.

There's actually some historical accuracy in the story. After The First World War, Austria's aristocracy (who started the thing) had all their assets confiscated so were plunged instantly into poverty. There is evidence that some former nobles really did resort to becoming gigolos in clubs like the one Herbert Marshall's character finds himself in. It's interesting to see that a hundred years ago, just like now, you could wander into a club, be approached by an attractive member of the opposite sex and all of a sudden find yourself with a £150 bar bill!

Lubitsch might have done it better but nevertheless, this is a warm, cosy bit of harmless nonsense that will put a gentle smile on your face.

Count Herbert Marshall (Franz) faces a dilemma. Should he kill himself or go to a party? Well, that party was a good choice because he meets Sari Maritza (Lela) and falls in love. He also gets a job. As a gigolo. He goes to work and has a price list for various activities - it's a well organized gigolo outfit that he works for. This is where he meets wealthy widow Mary Boland (Jenny) who falls in love with him. Several misunderstandings and blunt conversations later and the film has a happy couple. But who are they?

I wish the happy couple were a different combination - one that involved the Count's valet Charles Ruggles (Bimpfi). The cast are ok in this comedy although Sari does make some strange decisions and seems to be a bit of a horrid character. Kudos to her, though, as pretty soon after this film, she quit acting recognizing the fact that she couldn't act. Ha ha. Well done, girl. Unfortunately, that doesn't help this film. Marshall is also a bit grumpy in this. It's a comedy with an amusing subject matter but needed a better ending. It lacks the true romance that should have been played out between two of the other characters.

This starts off with wealthy American widow Mary Boland heading off for Vienna with a headful of 'The Merry Widow'. Meanwhile broke aristocrat Herbert Marshall is contemplating suicide but ends up romancing Sari Maritza at a masked ball, even though she is engaged - sort of - to portly Bert Roach. Marshall is then given the chance of a job as a professional dance partner at a nightclub run by his family's ex-butler.

Marshall shows a very strong streak of pride when offered another job (these jobs - so plentiful!) by Maritza's father and instead becomes rather friendly with the by now lonely Boland who has turned up at the place. A fair number of confusions keep the plot going, and Boland's usual soulmate Charles Ruggles is on hand as Marshall's old batman and current savior.

Attractively put together, this one had some criticism because it wasn't Lubitsch, but the old boy was pretty busy in 1932.