Service de Luxe
- 1938
- Tous publics
- 1h 25m
IMDb RATING
6.1/10
250
YOUR RATING
The manager of a service agency for the wealthy clashes with--and falls for--an inventor who is seeking funding for a new kind of tractor.The manager of a service agency for the wealthy clashes with--and falls for--an inventor who is seeking funding for a new kind of tractor.The manager of a service agency for the wealthy clashes with--and falls for--an inventor who is seeking funding for a new kind of tractor.
Charles Ruggles
- Scott Robinson
- (as Charlie Ruggles)
Jane Barnes
- Telephone operator
- (uncredited)
Lionel Belmore
- Robert Wade Sr.
- (uncredited)
Wilson Benge
- Butler
- (uncredited)
Stanley Blystone
- Boat captain
- (uncredited)
Frank Coghlan Jr.
- Bellhop
- (uncredited)
Lillian Elliott
- Small Towner
- (uncredited)
Nina Gilbert
- Mrs. Devereaux
- (uncredited)
Lawrence Grant
- Nicolai Voroshinsky
- (uncredited)
Ben Hall
- Yokel on Boat
- (uncredited)
Harry Hayden
- Minister
- (uncredited)
Featured reviews
1938's "Service De Luxe" found Constance Bennett working at Universal in a formula quickie designed to capitalize on her recent hit "Topper," surprisingly upstaged by a screen newcomer direct from Broadway's "Victoria Regina," a 27 year old Vincent Price! Even he seemed to realize that his aristocratic bearing and distinguished tones weren't suited to romantic leads, so it was no surprise that villains like Shelby Carpenter in "Laura" would become his early stock in trade; better still, that a small company in American International Pictures would put him under contract at the age of 50 to do a series of films based on Edgar Allan Poe in which he could stretch his wings with tragic figures haunted by personal demons, sometimes heroic, sometimes evil, yet always engaging and even romantic. That is part of what makes this debut such a curiosity, to enjoy the chemistry he shares with his fetching leading lady, though he appears miscast in the role of a country boy who yearns to make something of himself in the big city. Robert Wade (Price) journeys to New York City to obtain backing for a new tractor he hopes to market, and meets Constance during the voyage, her character Helen Murphy the owner/manager of the Dorothy Madison Company, famous for seeing to the needs of their wealthy (mostly male) clientele. She is very good at her job, aided by loyal assistant Pearl (Helen Broderick, wisecracking mother of actor Broderick Crawford), but longs to meet a gentleman who can actually fend for himself, while Wade believes her to be the helpless type who needs a man to take care of her. He confesses that a lifetime of being surrounded by adoring but pushy aunts has made him wary of bossy females, so she naturally can't bear to spill the beans about her career, playing along in lovesick fashion until using her influence to gain him a contract for his new tractor. An accidental engagement is enough for her to come clean, but in being rejected by the man she loves is then called upon to set up his own wedding! Light and frothy but with this unique pairing an interesting match, sluggish to start until Price enters near the 20 minute mark, with one fascinating moment of foreshadowing where he tries to gently dissuade his unlikely fiancee by pretending that madness runs in his family, perhaps a blueprint for Roderick Usher.
I've been aware of this film's existence since I was a teenager and after 45 years have finally caught up with it. 'Service de Luxe' is a competent assembly-line romantic comedy with Constance Bennett her usual glamorous blonde self bolstered by a vintage supporting cast (Helen Broderick is particularly good). That it is remembered today is due to its handsome young leading man fresh from Broadway snapped up by Universal.
The title will be familiar to his many admirers as the film debut of the 27 year-old Vincent Price, starting at the top playing a romantic lead in an 'A' feature opposite an established star. Already sporting the pencil-line moustache that was to come and go for the next twenty years, the young Vincent gracefully towers over the rest of the cast (even Mischa Auer!), moves comfortably in front of the camera and of course speaks in that wonderful purring baritone.
Playing a young inventor designing a new type of tractor, Vincent basically serves as eye candy for Connie Bennett and straight man to Charlie Ruggles and Mischa Auer. With odd exceptions, as when he attempts to discourage the amorous advances of Joy Hodges by telling her that madness runs in his family, we get little sense of just how deliriously funny he could later be in more eccentric roles, or how satanic a villain he would be; he would never play such a conventional lead again. Just two films later he was cast by this film's director, Rowland V. Lee, as the Duke of Clarence in 'Tower of London', in which he was murdered by Basil Rathbone and Boris Karloff and it was already clear that he was not destined to continue to play uncomplicated romantic leads. After signing up with Fox in 1940 he would kept busy for the next seven years in eye-catching supporting roles in big budget prestige productions. And the rest is history.
The title will be familiar to his many admirers as the film debut of the 27 year-old Vincent Price, starting at the top playing a romantic lead in an 'A' feature opposite an established star. Already sporting the pencil-line moustache that was to come and go for the next twenty years, the young Vincent gracefully towers over the rest of the cast (even Mischa Auer!), moves comfortably in front of the camera and of course speaks in that wonderful purring baritone.
Playing a young inventor designing a new type of tractor, Vincent basically serves as eye candy for Connie Bennett and straight man to Charlie Ruggles and Mischa Auer. With odd exceptions, as when he attempts to discourage the amorous advances of Joy Hodges by telling her that madness runs in his family, we get little sense of just how deliriously funny he could later be in more eccentric roles, or how satanic a villain he would be; he would never play such a conventional lead again. Just two films later he was cast by this film's director, Rowland V. Lee, as the Duke of Clarence in 'Tower of London', in which he was murdered by Basil Rathbone and Boris Karloff and it was already clear that he was not destined to continue to play uncomplicated romantic leads. After signing up with Fox in 1940 he would kept busy for the next seven years in eye-catching supporting roles in big budget prestige productions. And the rest is history.
Fun comedy. A bit labored in parts, but enjoyable. Mischa Auer as a Russian chef who talks to his spirit guide and threatens at a crisis moment to return to his job at the Sara Goode Waffle Shop is a hoot. Constance Bennett is rather bland and forgettable, but it's fun to see Vincent Price six years before the classic "Laura". He looks much you would expect a young Vincent Price to look, but he sounds quite different. It's before he started doing the "Mid-Atlantic" accent that many actors affected in the 1930s and 1940s. Unfortunately, the great Helen Broderick isn't given enough to do in this film and the bland Constance Bennett is given too much.
From 1938, "Service de Luxe" gave Vincent Price his first leading role. He was young and quite handsome. The film also stars Constance Bennett, Helen Broderick, Mischa Auer, Charlie Ruggles, and Joy Hodges.
Bennett is Helen Murphy who runs the Dorothy Madison service, which does everything for its clients: plan their weddings, get emergency passports, find them apartments, you name it. Helen is tired of the whole thing.
She then meets Robert Wade (Price). Wade has been henpecked all his life by his aunts. If there's one thing he doesn't like, it's a meddling woman. He is in New York to sell plans for a new tractor. He and Helen fall in love, but because of his feelings about take-charge women, she can't tell him what she does for a living.
In her capacity as the head of her company, she calls a client, Mr. Robinson (Ruggles) and asks him to meet with Robert about his tractor. He hasn't had any success in selling it. Robinson loves the invention and gives Robert a place to work and has the Madison service find him an apartment nearby.
Robinson's difficult daughter Joy falls for Robert. Meanwhile, Helen is stuck - she hasn't told Robert her profession, and he really resents the Madison agency doing things for him.
This is a cute movie and a great chance to see Price as a young romantic lead. He's delightful as a hard-working, serious man seeking success. Bennett is her usual gorgeous self, tired of the rat race and believing she's found true love.
All the performances are good, particuarly from Mischa Auer and Helen Broderick. Auer is hilarious as a Russian chef who is teaching Robinson to cook, and Broderick provides the sarcastic comments.
The only one I wasn't crazy about is Joy Hodges. Part of it is because the character she plays is so annoying. She wasn't a particularly subtle actress. She was, however, a fascinating woman, who helped Ronald Reagan get his start in show business. She was an accomplished singer and Broadway stage actress.
Enjoyable film. Price had an amazing career. It's great to see him at its start.
Bennett is Helen Murphy who runs the Dorothy Madison service, which does everything for its clients: plan their weddings, get emergency passports, find them apartments, you name it. Helen is tired of the whole thing.
She then meets Robert Wade (Price). Wade has been henpecked all his life by his aunts. If there's one thing he doesn't like, it's a meddling woman. He is in New York to sell plans for a new tractor. He and Helen fall in love, but because of his feelings about take-charge women, she can't tell him what she does for a living.
In her capacity as the head of her company, she calls a client, Mr. Robinson (Ruggles) and asks him to meet with Robert about his tractor. He hasn't had any success in selling it. Robinson loves the invention and gives Robert a place to work and has the Madison service find him an apartment nearby.
Robinson's difficult daughter Joy falls for Robert. Meanwhile, Helen is stuck - she hasn't told Robert her profession, and he really resents the Madison agency doing things for him.
This is a cute movie and a great chance to see Price as a young romantic lead. He's delightful as a hard-working, serious man seeking success. Bennett is her usual gorgeous self, tired of the rat race and believing she's found true love.
All the performances are good, particuarly from Mischa Auer and Helen Broderick. Auer is hilarious as a Russian chef who is teaching Robinson to cook, and Broderick provides the sarcastic comments.
The only one I wasn't crazy about is Joy Hodges. Part of it is because the character she plays is so annoying. She wasn't a particularly subtle actress. She was, however, a fascinating woman, who helped Ronald Reagan get his start in show business. She was an accomplished singer and Broadway stage actress.
Enjoyable film. Price had an amazing career. It's great to see him at its start.
Romantic comedy from Universal Pictures and director Rowland V. Lee. Constance Bennett stars as Helen Murphy, who runs the title company which specializes in overseeing the mundane details of her wealthy clients' daily lives. Her exhausting work pace forces her to take a short vacation where she meets engineer Robert Wade (Vincent Price in his debut). He's on his way to the city to see about building his new tractor design, and he and Helen fall for each other without knowing the identities of each other. Wade finds a financial backer in Scott Robinson (Charlies Ruggles), but a complication in Robinson's daughter Audrey (Joy Hodges) who sets her sights on marrying Wade. Also featuring Helen Broderick, Mischa Auer, Frances Robinson, Halliwell Hobbes, Raymond Parker, Frank Coghlan Jr., Lawrence Grant, and Chester Clute.
This is an agreeable, fairly routine rom-com of the era, made noteworthy thanks to Price's debut. He was 27 at the time, and he looks traditionally handsome. He sounds as if he deepened his voice a bit to try and sound more macho, and his height is imposing. He has a scene late in the film where he angrily shouts about having insanity in his family bloodline, and I thought, "There's the Vincent I know!" Mischa Auer is amusing as a pompous Russian chef.
This is an agreeable, fairly routine rom-com of the era, made noteworthy thanks to Price's debut. He was 27 at the time, and he looks traditionally handsome. He sounds as if he deepened his voice a bit to try and sound more macho, and his height is imposing. He has a scene late in the film where he angrily shouts about having insanity in his family bloodline, and I thought, "There's the Vincent I know!" Mischa Auer is amusing as a pompous Russian chef.
Did you know
- TriviaFeature film debut of Vincent Price, and in the leading role.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Biography: Vincent Price: The Versatile Villain (1997)
- How long is Service de Luxe?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime1 hour 25 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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