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''Service de Luxe'' is a 1938 American
comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...
directed by Rowland V. Lee and starring
Constance Bennett Constance Campbell Bennett (October 22, 1904 – July 24, 1965) was an American stage, film, radio, and television actress and producer. She was a major Hollywood star during the 1920s and 1930s; during the early 1930s, she was the highest-paid ...
,
Vincent Price Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor, art historian, art collector and gourmet cook. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price has two stars on the Hollywood Wal ...
(in his film debut) and
Charles Ruggles Charles Sherman Ruggles (February 8, 1886 – December 23, 1970) was an American comic character actor. In a career spanning six decades, Ruggles appeared in close to 100 feature films, often in mild-mannered and comic roles. He was also the e ...
.Kellow p.211


Plot

Helen Murphy, alias Dorothy Madison number 1 (
Constance Bennett Constance Campbell Bennett (October 22, 1904 – July 24, 1965) was an American stage, film, radio, and television actress and producer. She was a major Hollywood star during the 1920s and 1930s; during the early 1930s, she was the highest-paid ...
), runs a very successful agency, "Dorothy Madison Services," for wealthy people who need someone to run their lives. A huge staff is up 24 hours a day to attend to all sorts of problems. Her alter ego, Pearl, alias Dorothy Madison 2 (
Helen Broderick Helen Broderick (August 11, 1891 – September 25, 1959) was an American actress known for her comic roles, especially as a wisecracking sidekick. Career Broderick began on Broadway as a chorus girl in the ''Follies of 1907'', the first ...
), is there to assist Murphy, who dreams of finding a man who is able to run his own life. Robert Wade (
Vincent Price Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor, art historian, art collector and gourmet cook. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price has two stars on the Hollywood Wal ...
), a young inventor from
Albany, New York Albany ( ) is the capital of the U.S. state of New York, also the seat and largest city of Albany County. Albany is on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River, and about north of New York C ...
, leaves behind him five old aunts who tried to run his life. He comes to town to develop his tractor model. Murphy and Wade meet on the boat. Murphy is there on orders from Wade's uncle (
Lionel Belmore Lionel Belmore (12 May 1867 – 30 January 1953) was an English character actor and director on stage for more than a quarter of a century. Life and career Onstage, Belmore appeared with Wilson Barrett, Sir Henry Irving, William Faversham, ...
), who is a client of Madison Services, but she picks the wrong man to send back home, while she meets Wade and is instantly fascinated by him, although he thinks she's not a career girl, as well as being rather helpless. When she discovers that the man she met on the boat was Wade, she has some problems how to manage this relationship. Her client Mr. Robinson (
Charles Ruggles Charles Sherman Ruggles (February 8, 1886 – December 23, 1970) was an American comic character actor. In a career spanning six decades, Ruggles appeared in close to 100 feature films, often in mild-mannered and comic roles. He was also the e ...
) is willing to finance Wade's tractor model and arranges a laboratory for him. Unfortunately, his daughter Audrey ( Joy Hodges) wants to marry Wade. While her father has adapted a kitchen in his library to be taught how to cook by Bibenko ( Mischa Auer), Audrey tries to be in the basement laboratory with Wade. When it comes out that Bibenko is a Russian prince, Audrey finds he's the better husband-to-be. Wade marries Murphy, who leaves behind her career-girl life to become a wife.


Cast

*
Constance Bennett Constance Campbell Bennett (October 22, 1904 – July 24, 1965) was an American stage, film, radio, and television actress and producer. She was a major Hollywood star during the 1920s and 1930s; during the early 1930s, she was the highest-paid ...
as Helen Murphy *
Vincent Price Vincent Leonard Price Jr. (May 27, 1911 – October 25, 1993) was an American actor, art historian, art collector and gourmet cook. He appeared on stage, television, and radio, and in more than 100 films. Price has two stars on the Hollywood Wal ...
as Robert Wade *
Charles Ruggles Charles Sherman Ruggles (February 8, 1886 – December 23, 1970) was an American comic character actor. In a career spanning six decades, Ruggles appeared in close to 100 feature films, often in mild-mannered and comic roles. He was also the e ...
as Mr. Robinson *
Helen Broderick Helen Broderick (August 11, 1891 – September 25, 1959) was an American actress known for her comic roles, especially as a wisecracking sidekick. Career Broderick began on Broadway as a chorus girl in the ''Follies of 1907'', the first ...
as Pearl * Mischa Auer as Bibenko * Joy Hodges as Audrey Robinson * Frances Robinson as Secretary *
Halliwell Hobbes Herbert Halliwell Hobbes (16 November 187720 February 1962) was an English actor. Early years The future actor was the son of William Albert Hobbes (1841-1909), a Warwickshire solicitor, and his wife, Marion Hobbes, née Dennis, (1838-1925). ...
as Butler * Raymond Parker as Bellhop * Frank Coghlan Jr. as Bellhop *
Lawrence Grant Percy Reginald Lawrence-Grant (30 October 1870 in Bournemouth, Hampshire, England – 19 February 1952 in Santa Barbara, California, USA) was an English actor known for supporting roles in films such as ''The Living Ghost'', '' I'll Tell ...
as Voroshinsky * Nina Gilbert as Mrs. Devereaux *
Crauford Kent Crauford Kent (12 October 1881 – 14 May 1953) was an English character actor based in the United States. He has also been credited as Craufurd Kent
as Mr. Devereaux *
Lionel Belmore Lionel Belmore (12 May 1867 – 30 January 1953) was an English character actor and director on stage for more than a quarter of a century. Life and career Onstage, Belmore appeared with Wilson Barrett, Sir Henry Irving, William Faversham, ...
as Robert Wade (uncle) *
Chester Clute Chester Lamont Clute (February 18, 1891 – April 2, 1956) was an American actor familiar in scores of Hollywood films from his debut in 1930. Diminutive, bald-pated with a bristling moustache, he appeared in mostly unbilled roles, consis ...
as Bridegroom * Ben Hall as Yokel


References


Bibliography

* Kellow, Brian. ''The Bennetts: An Acting Family''. University Press of Kentucky, 2004.


External links

* 1938 films American comedy films 1938 comedy films Films directed by Rowland V. Lee Universal Pictures films American black-and-white films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films {{1930s-comedy-film-stub