This is a sweet charming film that has managed
to stay under the radar for over 80 years. I expect at the time it felt too
similar to other Depression comedies and in particular to My Man Godfrey.
But on its own and many years later it is a fine example of that genre from
that period. No outlandish humor or big laughs, but it is calmly amusing
with a fine understated performance from the Thin Man, William Powell. This
is the sort of role that Powell could put down like a martini. By 1938 he
was a star with two Thin Man films behind him and the aforementioned classic
My Man Godfrey. His co-star in this is the nearly forgotten Annabella. She
had been a big star in France and had come to Hollywood in 1937 where she
never had a lot of success but did marry Tyrone Power. She is very appealing
in this but she has an accent that at times bewildered me as she spoke as
fast as a rotating fan. Slow down.
Though a Depression film in which we observe the rich at play, this one is
moved to Hungary. The Sandor family have long been nobility living a life
of luxury on their gigantic estate with enough servants to take care of all
them. It is headed by the current Count (Henry Stephenson) who is also the
Prime Minister in a democracy. The Conservative Party. He is a fine fellow
though - no attempt to make him into a villain - just his political beliefs.
He has a gabby wife and a married daughter (Annabella). And the perfect butler
in the form of William Powell. He tends to every need of the Count before
the Count he even knows he needs it - just as his father and his grandfather
did before him.
Behind his respectful demeanor, the Butler is a strong progressive who secretly
runs for Parliament and wins. And continues to be the Count's butler. The
daughter is furious, accuses him of being a traitor to her family - and you
can guess where this is going. That the daughter is already married seems
a little daring for its time. Director Walter Lang - who went on to direct
many good musicals - keeps it light and moving along, leaving it up to the
two leads to bring some chemistry to the screen in a slight but enjoyable
bauble. At only 80 minutes it seems clear that they were not going for fireworks.
