La Baronne de minuit

Why this simply marvelous comedy is not hailed as a screwball classic standing shoulder to shoulder with "It Happened One Night," "The Awful Truth," and "My Man Godfrey," and just under "Bringing Up Baby," is utterly beyond me. Claudette Colbert sparkles in the role of an American golddigger in Paris, Don Ameche is a charming romantic lead, Mary Astor is a delightfully bitchy rival, and John Barrymore is spectacular in one of the funniest performances I have ever seen on celluloid. As others have stated, it is astonishing that he read his lines off cue cards. Anyway, everything in this film works perfectly together: the acting, the direction, the crackling writing, and the zany plot which I will not go into now, but which is absolutely ideal for a screwball. It is also refreshingly politically incorrect, and while feminists might flinch at one or two scenes, that should not prevent anyone from enjoying "Midnight," which is really one of the best comedies of all time. An enthusiastic and unequivocal 10/10.

Claudette Colbert wanders around Paris broke and in gold lame in "Midnight." She meets a cab driver and, finding herself attracted to him, she takes off. While he's organizing a city-wide cabbie search for her, she's at a private party and winds up at the Ritz as Baroness Czerny - which is his last name, chosen by her in a moment of panic. She is backed in all her lies by John Barrymore, in a wonderfully funny performance, who wants her to woo his wife's boyfriend away from her.

There are some familiar themes at work here - one is the suitor for hire and/or opportunity, used (with variations, of course) in "Her Cardboard Lover" and "Palm Beach Story," "Mannequin," and the affable, unambitious man who feels that by having nothing, he has everything, such as in "Magnificent Dope" and "You Can't Take it With You." That's the Ameche character. Knowing she could fall for him sends Colbert running - just as she ran from Joel McCrea in "Palm Beach Story." This hunger for money in some characters (usually women) and loathing of it (usually men) is a strange dichotomy than runs through several post-Depression, pre-war films.

The handsome Czech leading man, Francis Lederer, plays Mary Astor's boyfriend who falls for Colbert. In 1929, when he made a film in Germany with Louise Brooks, Lederer couldn't speak a word of English. He lived to be nearly 101 and in his last years, taught at the American National Academy of Performing Arts, which he and his wife founded.

The funniest scene to me was a phone conversation between Barrymore and Colbert, in which she pretends she's talking to her sick daughter. But everyone is great in this movie, which is very funny and refreshing.

Until Claudette Colbert utters the line, "Every Cinderella has her midnight," into the ear of her crony John Barrymore, you'll wonder as to the title of this movie. While you're wondering, though, you'll be in for a hilarious treat. This modern-day Cinderella comedy is adorable, and if you like it, check out The Palm Beach Story, which reunites Claudette and her costar Mary Astor in another comedy.

Claudette Colbert stars as a poor girl who wishes to mingle with high society. She bonds with the wealthy John Barrymore and he helps her weasel her way into the in-crowd, but her brief romance with cab driver Don Ameche threatens to ruin all her plans. Don drove Claudette in his cab, and stayed in his apartment overnight, but left before he could learn her name! When he finally tracks her down, he has two options: expose her or pretend to be her wealthy husband. . .

From start to finish, Midnight is hilarious. The comic timing is perfect, the jokes are witty, and the ending is insanely funny. One of the best forgotten comedies of the 1930s, it manages to create hilarious situations out of the absurd, while using witty banter to entertain the mind as well as the reflexes. Rent it when you're in the mood for something light and silly.

Claudette Colbert at her best, playing a down-on-her-luck singer in Paris who is mistaken for a member of Hungarian royalty; she goes along with the deception, but only to help wealthy John Barrymore out of his marital fix. Tightly-wound screwball farce written by Charles Brackett and Billy Wilder, from a story by Edwin Justus Mayer and Franz Schulz (with such a distinguished pedigree, the movie has to reach some high expectations--and does so joyfully). Directed in an efficient, brisk manner by Mitchell Leisen, with superb performances by the cast and pleasant, airy surroundings. Remade in 1945 as "Masquerade in Mexico". *** from ****

There are few films that can be seen often without the viewer tiring of them. Midnight is one of them. It glides effortlessly through the tinsel and magical world of barons and down-on-their heels showgirls without taking a mean shot at anyone. Claudette Colbert shows that she lost none of her "It Happened One Night" edginess, and Don Ameche gives the performance of his career as the romantic cab driver who sees himself as worthy to steal Colbert away from her rich suitor. John Barrymore may have been in decline at this point in his career-----but this is his last great effort at creating a truly endearing comic character. He does so splendidly. Mary Astor combines beauty and bitchiness in a memorable role. And what is there to say about Rex O'Malley as her gay pal in all this business? It is a shame that he is virtually unknown today, and didn't get many opportunities to show what a fine comic actor he was.

Midnight deserves a much wider audience than it now has. Billy Wilder and Charles Brackett have written wonderful comic dialog that continues to charm and amuse today's viewers. And it is without doubt Mitchell Leisen's masterpiece.

This is THE romantic comedy to see with someone you love.