comedy film
The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...
produced and distributed by
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (WBEI), commonly known as Warner Bros. (WB), is an American filmed entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California and the main namesake subsidiary of Warner Bro ...
and directed by
Ernst Lubitsch
Ernst Lubitsch (; ; January 29, 1892November 30, 1947) was a German-born American film director, producer, writer, and actor. His urbane comedies of manners gave him the reputation of being Hollywood's most elegant and sophisticated director; a ...
. It is based on the 1872 stage play ''Le Reveillon'' by
Henri Meilhac
Henri Meilhac (; 23 February 1830 – 6 July 1897) was a prolific French playwright and opera librettist, known for his collaborations with Ludovic Halévy on comic operas with music by Jacques Offenbach. He also wrote occasionally for serious w ...
and
Ludovic Halévy
Ludovic Halévy (1 January 1834 – 7 May 1908) was a French people, French author and playwright, known for his collaborations with Henri Meilhac on the libretto, libretti for Georges Bizet's ''Carmen'' and comic operas by Jacques Offenbach, inc ...
. It stars
Monte Blue
Gerard Montgomery Blue (January 11, 1887 – February 18, 1963) was an American film actor who began his career as a romantic lead in the silent era; and for decades after the advent of sound, he continued to perform as a supporting player ...
and
Patsy Ruth Miller
Patsy Ruth Miller (born Patricia Ruth Miller; January 17, 1904 – July 16, 1995) was an American film actress who played Esméralda in '' The Hunchback of Notre Dame'' (1923) opposite Lon Chaney.
Early years
Miller, the daughter of Mr. and ...
. The film is preserved in many archival holdings including the
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...
Paul and Suzanne Giraud are happily married and living in a quiet neighborhood. When Suzanne notices that their new neighbors are expressive dancers in revealing outfits, she demands Paul speak to them about their lack of morality. Paul discovers that the woman is Georgette Lalle, an old flame. Paul does not respond to Georgette's displays of affection and instead introduces himself to her husband, Maurice. Back at home, Paul lies about his meeting with the Lalles, which confuses Suzanne when Maurice returns the visit moments later. Suzanne and Maurice exchange flirtations, which Paul overhears.
Paul is on his way to a secret meeting with Georgette when he is stopped by a police officer for speeding. After insulting the officer, Paul is charged, convicted and sentenced to three days in prison. As Paul dresses up for a night out at the Artists' Ball with Georgette, he convinces Suzanne that he is heading to jail to serve his three-day sentence.
While Paul and Georgette are enjoying themselves and dancing the Charleston, Maurice visits Suzanne and they grow intimate. They are interrupted by a detective, who has come to arrest Paul for failing to serve his sentence. Fearing a scandal, Suzanne convinces Maurice to pose as her husband and he unhappily complies, but he steals a number of kisses before leaving. Meanwhile, she overhears through the radio that Paul and Georgette are the winners of a Charleston contest at the Artists' Ball. Suzanne confronts her drunken husband at the Ball and tells him that, thanks to her pleading, he will not have to go to jail. They reunite.
Maurice sends Georgette a telegram telling her that he has been sent to a sanatorium for three days, which she finds comical. The next morning at breakfast, Paul and Suzanne are having a blissful breakfast when the morning paper is delivered. It features an article about Paul's (but really Maurice's) tender goodbye and Suzanne becomes nervous that Paul will realize the truth. Instead, he laughs heartily, saying, "That shows how much you can believe in the newspapers." The laugh and kiss.
Cast
Reception
The film received positive reviews and was voted by ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' as one of the ten best films of 1926. The paper's film critic,
Mordaunt Hall
Mordaunt Hall (1 November 1878 – 2 July 1973) was the first regularly assigned motion picture critic for ''The New York Times'', working from October 1924 to September 1934.ubitsch'stour de force is an extraordinarily brilliant conception of an eye full of a Charleston contest, with vibrant kaleidoscopic changes from feet and figures to the omnipotent saxophones. .The comedy in this film had, up to that time, kept the audience in constant explosions of laughter, but the startling dissolving scenic effects and varied "shots" elicited a hearty round of applause."
Box office
According to Warner Bros. records, the film earned $258,000 domestically and $52,000 foreign.