Service for Ladies

Hungarian-born director/producer Sir Alexander Korda was responsible for bringing what had once been the provincial English cinema into world prominence through a series of spectacular pre-World War II films -–among them "Thief of Bagdad," "Rembrandt,""Four Feathers," "Drums," and "The Private Life of Henry VIII." Their exceptional performances and lavish production values were even the envy of the grand Hollywood studios. In later years as head of his own international company, London Films, Korda only produced, but here in this stylish 1931 film made in the early days of sound and on-the-cheap at the Paramount British studios, he chose to direct as well. Ironically, the film stars that quintessential Englishman, London-born Leslie Howard, whose parents were also Hungarian expatriates settled in the UK. Perhaps because the film was written by the two of Korda's fellow countrymen, script by Lajos Biro from a story by Ernest Vajda, there is a naughty continental touch to this film, more Lubitsch and Molnar than British, with suave Howard pursuing or being pursued by two sexy English beauties, Elizabeth Allen and Benita Hume. (The latter was to marry Ronald Coleman and George Sanders.) Keep an eye out for the future Lady Korda, the gorgeous Anglo-Indian actress Merle Oberon, seen here as only an extra.

Service For Ladies is an early film by producer Alexander Korda in Great Britain before he started his London Film Company. This one was made under the auspices of Paramount Pictures shot over on the other side of the pond and released in America and in the United Kingdom under their white mountain banner.

I'm not sure how well it did here because it deals with the European concept of class distinctions. Not that we don't have it here, but in America it usually involves money. Over there it's titles.

Leslie Howard plays the head waiter at a posh London night spot where Morton Selten and daughter Elizabeth Allan are dining out. One look at her and he chases her to the continent when he hears she's going to a resort. And she gets it in her head that Howard is some kind of royalty. After all there is a king from some unnamed country vacationing there who knows Howard who is played by George Grossmith. Of course the king's dined at Howard restaurant before.

Service For Ladies is kind of a Cinderella story in reverse where the boy is the one who gets the magical evening. Howard plays the role with his usual charm. I'm sure it did well over in Europe, I can't see it having much of a market in Depression America. Still it's a nice dated antique of a film.

Alexander Korda's first British film is a typical escapist depression-era fantasy set in the lap of luxury in which the action moves from London to the Austrian Tyrol and back again without ever leaving the studio.

Kings travel incognito, the hero promptly falls in love with a girl he just happened to be standing next to while waiting for a taxi (although the Hays Office would have soon taken issue with him simultaneously juggling her with the high maintainance mistress he already has), and the difference between wearing black tie and white tie is considered important enough for characters to remark upon at one point.

When stylish Sylvia Robertson (Elizabeth Allan) keeps dropping her packages, Max (Leslie Howard) keeps picking them up and returning them to her. He follows her back to her hotel, and asks the clerk about her, and the clerk is quite willing to tell all about her -- so much for privacy! Then we see Max speaking with Countess Ricardi (Benita Hume), who is calling from her bathtub. Max heads off to work, and manages to find out where Sylvia is going on holiday, so he decides to follow her (like a stalker....) This love triangle is one of the early talkies, and there are some clever lines and comedy moments via the identity mixups and surprises. The middle portion of the story supposedly takes place in an exotic European ski lodge, but I'm sure it was all done in a film lot on Paramount UK studios. Our story, originally by Ernest Vajda, ends up being a statement on love between the classes. Everyone behaves badly, but the best performance is by Morton Selten, as Sylvia's father. Enjoyable film, but I personally thought the ending was a little abrupt; it ties up some loose ends, and leaves us with another funny scene. Now, on IMDb, "run time" shows UK version 93 minutes, but US version only 73 minutes, and that is indeed what we saw on Turner Classic... That may explain why the end is so abrupt... what's in those missing 20 minutes ?? This1932 version seems to be a remake of the 1927 silent film, which starred Adolphe Menjou.

I love this movie (except for the title), which I found on YouTube when searching for George Grossmith. I have one slight quibble with the action: Peggy would have noticed Sylvia as Sylvia walked from the bar where she had been waiting for Max. But who cares? Perfectly cast, light as a feather, totally delightful and smoothly acted. Howard at his subtle best.