 "Trouble in Paradise - adorable" | 2009-08-28 |
| - Reviewed By User: A23XBS799OQQ9H |
| This is a darling pre-code film about two thieves who get caught in a triangle, with two women vying for the same man. Kay Frances and Miriam Hopkins play their roles superbly. Both want Herbert Marshall and everyone wants to get together with everyone else, thus "trouble" in paradise. The film is light, clever. Watch for the scenes where there is just a hint of somone's involvement in something like Marshall exiting the opera and figure out what he has with him - lovely Lubitsch touches. It is enjoyable and delightful when you see who ends up with or without Kay Frances/Miriam Hopkins, H. Marshall and the suitors of Kay Frances who are Charles Ruggles (the major) and Everett Horton. Everybody wants to go to get together with someone else's friend. It is adorable early 1930s pre code and now one of my favorites. |
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 "Miriam Hopkins is a delight!" | 2009-06-28 |
| - Reviewed By annakarenina7 |
| Ernst Lubitsch choose Miriam Hopkins for three starring roles in his films. He was fascinated by both her personality and talent. Betty Davis would later comment on her dislike of Miriam Hopkins, but would also talk of the great acting talent possessed by Miriam Hopkins. Kay Francis and Miriam Hopkins pair well together, and had done so earlier in the film 24 Hours. Kay accompanied Miriam to Reno, Nevada for her divorce from Director Anatol Litvak. They remained, unlike in this film, friends for life. This film is considered to be the best Romantic Comedy ever made. This was true at the time, and continues to be true to this day. This film is the mark by which all future films of this genre (if they are at all made) will be judged. |
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| "Funny and Action" | 2009-04-22 |
| - Reviewed By User: AFLVXJNQLBTXW |
| This movie has a mix of comedy, adventure and love. A couple of robbers and a lot of funny troubles and emotion. I liked this movie too much. |
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| "fine comedy with lots of action, drama and even some suspense" | 2009-04-03 |
| - Reviewed By ma1963 |
Trouble In Paradise is a well crafted comedy with action, some drama and a plot that will hold your attention all throughout the film. The casting was very well done and we get some amazing performances from Miriam Hopkins, Herbert Marshall and Kay Francis in particular. The choreography is superb; and the cinematography reflects good judgment. In addition, the quality of the print is rather good; there are only a few brief moments here and there when there was just a bit of cloudiness in the print.
When the action starts, we meet two lovers: Gaston Monescu (Herbert Marshall) and Lily (Miriam Hopkins). They love to play games and they even con each other; we get some funny moments when at first they refer to each other as the "Baron" and the "Countess." They have the nearly magical ability to steal things off another person without the other person ever even suspecting a theft of pearls--or a watch, for example. Moreover, Gaston is in a very good mood because he just robbed a very rich man who was staying in a huge suite in a Venetian hotel.
It's not long before Gaston and Lily set their sights on the very well known and fabulously wealthy Madame Mariette Colet (Kay Francis). Gaston and eventually Lily worm their way into Mariette's life; Gaston becomes her secretary almost immediately after meeting Mariette--his phony grace and charm are THAT good. Soon Gaston sees to it that Lily is his own assistant as they make plans to rob Madame Colet of 100,000 French Francs and maybe even more--all the while using aliases to throw potentially suspicious people off their trail.
It's amazing; but after only a few short weeks Gaston actually falls in love with Mariette Colet! Mariette returns his love; and of course Lily feels terribly threatened by all this. After all, Gaston was HER man. Moreover, Mariette has two other suitors both of whom she dislikes; there is "The Major" (Charlie Ruggles) and François Filiba (Edward Everett Horton). There are more very amusing scenes in which Mariette and Gaston are deciding if she should go out one evening--they practically drive the butler crazy changing their minds every other minute as to whether or not the car for Mariette should wait for her or not.
Of course things can go in different directions. Will Gaston choose Mariette or Lily--and that's if he doesn't get caught and thrown into jail? Who if anyone will eventually discover Gaston as the thief he really is? What happens to Lily? Watch and find out!
The DVD comes with some good extras. Thank goodness for The Criterion Collection of DVD releases! There is an optional introduction by Peter Bogdanovich; an audio only track of a Screen Guild Theater radio program; a commentary by Scott Eyman and a silent film entitled Das Fidele Gefängnis from 1917 that Ernst Lubitsch worked on.
Trouble In Paradise is an excellent Ernst Lubitsch pre-code film that people can easily enjoy to this day. The story is really timeless; it could just as well take place in our times. This film is a "must-have" for fans of the great Ernst Lubitsch; and it's a fine early "talkie" comedy as well.
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| "not too much sugar, but a lot of flavor" | 2009-01-04 |
| - Reviewed By User: A3JIZMFKN84ZIB |
i like my comedies as i like my desserts: not too much sugar but with a lot of flavors. trouble in paradise delivers just that plus that unmistakable "lighter than air" quality which characterizes all lubitsch movies. the famous lubitsch touch.
this is a movie made before the enforcement of the "morality" laden production code of 1935, and it shows. the movie is laced with sexual innuendo, with racy dialogues. you do feel the sexual tension between the main characters, it is evoked, impressionistically via the deft touch of the director. if only directors knew how to make movies this way still, rather than showing us skin and explicit content.
the casting is impeccable, all actors producing stellar performances and sometimes hilarious ones from the supporting cast - think of the scene played out half in english and half in italian when one characters tries to explain how he was robbed by a fake doctor... just priceless.
i particularly enjoy the juxtaposition of the elegant style - in the costumes, the cinematography, the lighting, the dialogues -and the profound lack of morality exhibited by each and all through the pursuit of amusement, wealth and greed. amorality was never portrayed as exquisitely.
finally, and my personal favorite, lubitsch's use of doors and windows never ceases to amaze me. how someone could have elevated their use and portrayal of such props to a work of art, constantly opening, closing, going through, transitioning from one to the other without making it trite or obvious is a mystery.
gotta love lubitsch, gotta love trouble in paradise. |
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| "Enchanting comedy!" | 2008-10-09 |
| - Reviewed By User: A17X0I85YAO8Q |
| One of the most delightful movies I have seen. Sophisticated comedy of the sort that rarely appears nowadays. Vintage Ernst Lubitsch; terrific acting by Miriam Hopkins, Kay Francis, and Herbert J. Marshall in his salad days. Witty, naughty, and never vulgar -- produced just before the Hayes Code was enacted. Also, the most glorious gold evening dress, worn by Miriam Hopkins. I saw this movie on Netflix and bought it because I wanted to have a copy. |
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