If I did not know differently, I would have suspected this was designed for the Chevalier- MacDonald duo under Lubitsch.
The current trio of Novello-Carroll and Litvak shines as gloriously on its own as the former. A brilliant comedy, superbly acted by all concerned, cleverly directed by Litvak, with surprising cinematography and editing delights and a theme song that keeps cropping up delightfully with ironic and satiric effect throughout the production.
Gaston is a conductor on the Orient Express, with a girl in every station, and meets his match with a woman, who must win French citizenship by marrying with a deadline. Some very clever moments and sequences worthy of Lubitsch. It's screwball comedy before its time. One of Novello's best performances, but he is matched at every step by a supportive script, fellow players of the same calibre of performance, and brilliant direction.
A shame this is not available commercially. I viewed a superb DVD rendition from a private collector, timing in at 75 minutes, not the 82 commercially recorded.
If you love 30s comedy, seek this one out. It's a gem!
The current trio of Novello-Carroll and Litvak shines as gloriously on its own as the former. A brilliant comedy, superbly acted by all concerned, cleverly directed by Litvak, with surprising cinematography and editing delights and a theme song that keeps cropping up delightfully with ironic and satiric effect throughout the production.
Gaston is a conductor on the Orient Express, with a girl in every station, and meets his match with a woman, who must win French citizenship by marrying with a deadline. Some very clever moments and sequences worthy of Lubitsch. It's screwball comedy before its time. One of Novello's best performances, but he is matched at every step by a supportive script, fellow players of the same calibre of performance, and brilliant direction.
A shame this is not available commercially. I viewed a superb DVD rendition from a private collector, timing in at 75 minutes, not the 82 commercially recorded.
If you love 30s comedy, seek this one out. It's a gem!