Trouble in Paradise
1932 Directed by Ernst Lubitsch
Synopsis
Trouble in Paradise is one of the most important films of Actor, Producer, and Director Ernst Lubitisch, and his personal favorite of all the films he’s made. A story of two thieves who fall in love and begin doing jobs together under the employment of a beautiful woman who stirs up the relationship.
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Trouble in Paradise (1932) is a romantic comedy film, directed by Ernst Lubitsch. It introduces Gaston Monescu (Herbert Marshall) as our protagonist, who is a notorious jewel thief who poses as baron Monsieur Lavalle to conceal his identity. He falls in love with fellow pickpocket Lila (Miriam Hopkins), and the two form plans to steal the riches from a lovely perfume company executive, Mdm. Mariette Colet (Kay Francis). Inevitably, problems ensue; Gaston falls in love with Mdm. Colet, which deeply complicates the plan - and leads to some humorous, and even touching results.
Any fan of Lubitsch - or really, anyone who is familiar with his style - knows what to expect with Trouble in Paradise. This film succeeds at…
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Lubitsch comedy is the cream of the crop in the golden age of Hollywood filmmaking. He is just unafraid to poke fun at certain political and social topics especially with sex which after the Hayes code was highly censored. 'Trouble in Paradise' being pre-code gets the free ride on the Lubitsch wagon where he can let it all loose. It is extremely unconventional, against the norm and everything that Lubitsch wanted when developing the script. He always wanted to be unpredictable in every manner.
Another dimension of the pre-code times were that films did not "have" to have a self-righteous hero/heroine as their main protagonist and essentially the good guys did not "have" to win in the end. Here our…
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So this is what the legendary "Lubitsch Touch" looks like, to say I am impressed would be a gross understatement. Ernst Lubitsch is so playful with his style, he experiments with storytelling and uses stages the more dramatic moments masterfully. Following Gaston Monescu and Lily, two love-stricken thieves who devise a scheme to rob Madame Mariette Colet, a widowed perfume company owner. Powered by a trio of great performances by Herbert Marshall as Gaston, Kay Francis as Madame Colet, and Miriam Hopkins as Lily. Together they play off each other's respected personalities and with the help of a smart script and Lubitsch's glamorous visual style resonantly examine gender roles and provide smart social commentary. A daring and provocative film.
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Part of December to Remember.
This has been a very interesting month for me when it comes to watching films. I've spent the last two weeks watching old movies that I've wanted to see for a long time, based on different reasons. Whether it be for the actor, the actress or in this case with "Trouble in Paradise" the director. This sex fueled crime comedy is my first dive into the world of Ernest Lubitsch. Lubitsch's movies have been described as "sophisticated Comedies" in that, the humor, is used in a high brow, high class manner.
Lubitsch's characters are all born into riches, or his characters are trying to get rich. It's an interesting juxtaposition between characters and makes for…
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Film #52 of The December Project.
Damn. Does anyone do love triangles better than Lubitsch?
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I've often found reviewing films from this period to be slightly difficult, as there were so many great comedy classics that tend to blend together. Still Ernst Lubitsch manages another sublime and noteworthy film that goes beyond a mere screwball comedy.
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Are we sure this wasn't made yesterday?
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Just about as close to perfect as a film can be. Everything works seemingly effortlessly- script, direction and acting, I am particularly taken with Miriam Hopkins(also wonderful in Design for Living) who really should have had more of a career than she did. The supporting cast are fantastic too; Horton and Ruggles raise a lot of laughs as Kay Francis' suitors.
It's a film that is easy to recommend and I can't imagine it playing poorly with any audience, even those not predisposed to 'older films'.
I'm something of a Lubitsch neophyte but; this, Ninotchka, Design for Living and To Be Or Not To Be (the 4 i've seen) have left me extremely excited to see some of his earlier… -
Trouble in Paradise (1932) is a romantic comedy film, directed by Ernst Lubitsch. It introduces Gaston Monescu (Herbert Marshall) as our protagonist, who is a notorious jewel thief who poses as baron Monsieur Lavalle to conceal his identity. He falls in love with fellow pickpocket Lila (Miriam Hopkins), and the two form plans to steal the riches from a lovely perfume company executive, Mdm. Mariette Colet (Kay Francis). Inevitably, problems ensue; Gaston falls in love with Mdm. Colet, which deeply complicates the plan - and leads to some humorous, and even touching results.
Any fan of Lubitsch - or really, anyone who is familiar with his style - knows what to expect with Trouble in Paradise. This film succeeds at…
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I saw this again with my wife. For some reason I did not enjoy it as much as the first time I saw it (then it was manna from heaven to me!) Still a wonderful film from Lubitsch. Deliciously immoral and wicked. It's so wonderful how the two leads express love through stealing. Only a pre code film could get away with something like this. And no one is blamed for bad behaviour. It is all just the business of the day. :)
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Why It’s Essential — The first classic in a career that introduced audiences to “the Lubitsch touch.”
Why You’ll Want to Skip It — The director’s later films may be more satisfying on the whole.
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Lubitsch comedy is the cream of the crop in the golden age of Hollywood filmmaking. He is just unafraid to poke fun at certain political and social topics especially with sex which after the Hayes code was highly censored. 'Trouble in Paradise' being pre-code gets the free ride on the Lubitsch wagon where he can let it all loose. It is extremely unconventional, against the norm and everything that Lubitsch wanted when developing the script. He always wanted to be unpredictable in every manner.
Another dimension of the pre-code times were that films did not "have" to have a self-righteous hero/heroine as their main protagonist and essentially the good guys did not "have" to win in the end. Here our…
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I missed Miriam Hopkins in Act 2.
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A romantic comedy made in the pre-Code era, TROUBLE IN PARADISE tickles the audience with innuendo and eroticism that is ironically more effective than what is typically offered in today's entries of the genre -- as well as being a Hell of a lot more clever and subtle. The film is carried by an oozingly charismatic performance by Herbert Marshall as a master-class thief torn between the two women involved in his latest heist, and the results of trying to pull it off are priceless, the highlight being the interactions with the heist victim's two suitors (Edward Everett Horton and Charles Ruggles). By the end you'll be giddy with joy over how Lubitsch could make such a sophisticated picture, but then you'll be mildly depressed knowing that films like this rarely ever get made anymore.
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Sparkling Comedy of sex and manners with both female leads captivating. Far more grown up and real than most post-code sex comedies but at the same time set in never was european fantasyland that lubitsch made his own.