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Trouble in Paradise is the supreme example of "the Lubitsch touch," that mastery of comic timing, diamond-cutter precision, and Continental sophistication that made Ernst Lubitsch a household name and the real star of every movie he directed. A pair of prodigiously talented, utterly charming scoundrels (Herbert Marshall, Miriam Hopkins) become personal assistants to an aristocratic Parisian widow (Kay Francis). Their target is her fortune, but she's such an elegant lady, and so agreeably smitten with her new right-hand man, that he's tempted to pursue a secondary objective. Marshall, Hopkins, and Francis aren't remembered as major stars, but in this enchanted moment they are sublime. Likewise the peerlessly pixilated Edward Everett Horton and Charlie Ruggles as the widow's stuffed-shirt suitors. Trouble in Paradise is one of the best comedies ever made. There's not a line, word, or pause that doesn't belong exactly where it is, when it is, as it is. --Richard T. Jameson ... Read more

Reviews (20)

Paradise, Indeed
Splendid to see such a wonderful DVD transfer of TROUBLE IN PARADISE, Lubitsch's first talkie masterpiece. The wavishing Kay Fwancis and Herbert Marshall make the most skillful of romantic leads, and even Miriam Hopkins (a strong contender for most irritating actress in pictures until Madonna hit the screen) is a delight. Wonderful supporting work from the stalwart Charles Ruggles and Edward Everett Horton, and a nice turn from that Gallic favorite, C. Aubrey Smith. Great extras (bright, informative commentary from the leading Lubitsch scholar, and the German silent included is a real treat). The only downside to a viewing of TROUBLE IN PARADISE is you'll be extremely unhappy when you open today's movie ads and realize popular entertainment has fallen from these heights to the likes of JACKASS, THE REAL CANCUN, and Jim Carrey running amok. Thanks, Criterion, for helping to preserve such a glorious film heritage! Can we hope for TO BE OR NOT TO BE in the future?

A little-known movie with a real big wallop
An absolutely delicious, saucy romantic comedy by famed director Ernst Lubitsch -- a pre-Code gem that fell by the wayside after the dullardly Hayes Code swept through Hollywood. Miriam Hopkins, Herbert Marshall and Kay Francis are caught in an unusual triangle, as Hopkins and Marshall, a pair of high-stakes con artists, latch onto the wealthy, sexy -- and resolutely single -- Parisian socialite, Mariette Colet (Francis) and plan to rob her blind. Of course, trouble ensues as the suavely amoral Herbert teeters at the brink of honesty, after he starts to fall for the considerable charms of their intended victim. Kay Francis steals the show with her smoulderingly sensual performance -- and things *really* start to heat up towards the end, when she finally has her way with the dashing young thief -- if you're looking for a "strong" female character in the old, Depression-era cinema, Francis's Colet is a real doozy. Fine supporting roles by Everett Edward Norton, C. Aubrey Smith and Charles Ruggles as well. It may take you a little while to settle into this film's cheerfully salacious wavelength, but once you get into it, it pays off handsomely. A nice, fun movie.

charming and sublime
As many others have stated, this is a perfect movie. Storytelling, movement of the plot, dialogue, cinematography feel seamless; the way in which ideas are left to the imagination through implication and innuendo is simply delightful. I was amazed by the ensemble performances. I would differ somewhat from other reviewers in that I enjoyed the silent short (though the music felt odd, ie, why wasn't I hearing Die Fleidermaus?). I also found Mr Eyman's commentary enjoyable. Mr Bogdanavich's comments are interesting, but I would not watch this feature (if this movie is new to you) until after you have watched the movie (too much is given away, and this is one movie in which the delight comes in not knowing what is coming next). The radio program with Jack Benny, Lubitsch, Basil Rathbone, and Claudette Colbert is fun. The written comments are probably useful to a film student, but I found the Eyman commentary over the film more informative. If I had the dough (times being what they are, as Gaston/La Valle asserts), I would pick this up "like that."

Continental Craziness
Lubitsch's films are often described as "sophisticated," or the height of Continental elegance, but in many ways they're nothing of the sort. Remember that Lubitsch, though European, was no highbrow; he started as a slapstick comedian in German silents, and as a director, he kept a slapstick comic's ability to mock the pretentions of supposedly "sophisticated" people. Part of the appeal of a Lubitsch film is the way it combines well-mannered Continental characters with a comic sensibility that is not at all well-mannered. The actor deliver their lines with a stylized flair, but the lines themselves have the ring of the best of Broadway comedy (Lubitsch's writer, Samson Raphaelson, was imported from Broadway, and was most famous for writing play on which THE JAZZ SINGER was based). The characters try to act elegant and civilized, but Lubitsch undercuts their pretensions: The first shot of "exotic" Venice is of a singing garbageman; the "Baron" and "Countess" of the opening scenes turn out to be impostors; the world of the wealthy Mme. Colet is one of thieves and fools. The underlying sensibility is very American, and oddly close to that of a Marx Brothers movie -- the "lowbrow" crooks unmask the affectations of high society and prove to have more of a moral code than most of the "sophisticated" rich people they prey upon. The only sympathetic rich character is Mme. Colet (Kay Francis), who is sympathetic precisely because she has few pretentions. And like so many of Lubitsch's heroine, she secretly dunks donuts.

Samson Raphaelson's dialogue is some of the best ever written for the screen: He can get more laughs with the single word "tonsils" than most screenwriters can get in a whole comedy script. The film is also notable for Lubitsch's use of sound and music: Lubitsch was one of the first filmmakers to show how effectively sound could be used to suggest things that were happening offscreen, and the music score actually follows the actors' movements, like a silent film score (people doing scores for silent movies should study this film to get an understanding of what great silent filmmakers like Lubitsch expected music to do in otherwise silent scenes). This has always been one of my favorite movies, and it deserves its reputation as a masterpiece of comedy.

The print used for this DVD is not perfect -- a bit too dark in the opening scenes -- but it'll do, and it comes with the usual excellent Criterion bonuses, including a German silent film by Lubitsch (with a score that is serviceable but not really appropriate -- since the film is based on Johann Strauss's DIE FLEDERMAUS, shouldn't the score use music from Strauss's operetta?). Be sure to get the other Lubitsch/Raphaelson film available in the DVD format, THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER, and hope for a release of their last masterpiece, HEAVEN CAN WAIT.

Paramount's Paradise
"Trouble in Paradise"... I had read sooooo much about this classic Lubitsch comedy, that I was afraid I would be disappointed upon watching, at last, this long awaited film, as it has happened to me many times before,..... well, I wasn't , it lived up to my expectations, A-B-S-O-L-U-T-E-L-Y.

We, ordinary people from this era, are not used to such delightful, delicate, sophisticated, witty and subtle screenplays & motion pictures. This film's pacing is perfect, the acting deft, the fun and enjoyment non-stop, Travis Banton's costumes are fabulous, the art-déco settings and the décors are top of the tops, and finally, the cast, an A++.

Herbert Marshall has never been so "bewildered" on the screen (so different from those dull characters he played, for example, in such films as those two landamark Bette Davis' melodramas of the early forties, "The Letter" and "The Little Foxes") as suave and elegant thief Gaston Monescu. Kay Francis (Mariette Colet) has never been so attractive, elegant, as a woman daringly, shamelessly, passionately and madly in love with debonair Marshall, and last but not least, Miriam Hopkins (Lily) was never so charming and beguilingly captivating, as Marshall's partner in crime and love. I will say no more -no spoilers here-, that's all you need to know before watching it.

Edward Everett Horton, Charlie Ruggles (as Francis' two feuding suitors) and C. Aubrey Smith (as the chairman to the board of directors of Francis' company), add expert supporting playing.

Beautifully photographed in black & white, one can easily understand why this motion picture is included in the top ten list of the best american films of all time, as the grandest example of the famed Lubitsch touch. By the way, I must say that the ending really caught me by surprise, a treat! ... Read more

Reviews (58)

The best romantic comedy ever!
This is my all-time favorite romantic comedy (and I am a veteran film fan). YOU'VE GOT MAIL is OK, but the modern film makers had to upgrade Hanks' character to make him rich and threw in unnecessary sexual complications for both characters, thereby detracting from the main plot. IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME, the Judy Garland musical version of the same plot, has the acrimony between the two main characters so strong that it is completely unbelievable when they suddenly fall in love. Only this movie has the perfect touch throughout. The makers of the stage musical, SHE LOVES ME, wisely stuck with the SHOP AROUND THE CORNER plot and produced a most delightful show.Stewart and Sullavan make a superb team, with just the right balance in their developing relationship to make the ending not only possible, but even inevitable. The supporting cast is nearly perfect, especially the always excellent Frank Morgan. Felix Bressart, as Pirovich, and Joseph Schildkraut, as the arrogant but slippery villain, are a delight to watch.Don't just rent this movie--buy it! You will want to watch it again and again. And each time will seem as fresh as the first, because there isn't a false note in the whole film.

James Stewart at his best
I'm a big fan of you've got mail, but i'm an even bigger fan of the SHop around the Corner.

The story: Stewart works as a head clerk in a store in eastern Europe. A new woman comes to work at the store and spoils Jimmy stewart days. At the same time, they are both involved in writing anonymous letters to each other and slowly fall in love with each other.

The movie is full of ironic situation and the entire cast that support Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan do a great job. Unlike you've got mail that tends to drag, this movie is full of energy and you can't see time go by.

When the two main characters finally discover their love for each other, it is the most poignant romantic scene i've ever seen. Any girl would want to be in Jimmy Stewart's arms at this point. He had a gift for really making you feel what the characters were going through, and in this case, you really feel the passion he feels for this woman.

I'm not into romantic comedies too much but if there's one to watch, this is the one, regardless of how old it is, the romance in it is timeless.

Honest & Heartfelt
Here's a movie with charm in spades, and a beguiling premise. A man and a woman begin a correspondence, and through this correspondence they fall in love, while in real life despising each other. And what two better to do this sort of thing than Jimmy Stewart (Alfred Kralik) and Margaret Sullavan (Klara Novak). The setting is an odd goods shop in Budapest, staffed by a superb supporting cast, each tossing into the storyline their own minor dramas. Mr Matuschek with his bothersome home life, Mr Pirovitch who serves as Alfred's confidante, Mr Vadas who holds a clandestine affair, Miss Novodny and her gentleman friend ~ who is he? ~ that presents her with lavish gifts, Pepi with his heart of gold, and my favorite, the mousish Flora who devotes her life to her mother, and whom you just know is dreaming of a romance of her own. It is said that Stewart and Sullavan held a deep personal respect for each other off screen, and this makes for a genuine on-screen chemistry between them. This chemistry is of the intellectual variety, and ~ to this viewer at least ~ their sparring conversations and confrontations are greatly more interesting and engaging than any purely physical romance could ever be. Sullavan is terrific, wavering between what she reads in books and thinks she ought to believe, and what her heart is prompting her to feel. Stewart is marvellously put out by all of this, sniffy and sulky, yet finds himself drawn to the prickly Klara despite himself. Everyone is impeccable in their roles, the wit and the banter sparkles. Here's a film that shall grow on you, that shall take you in completely, and will demand repeat viewings ~ and possibly the use of a tissue or two. Intelligent and heartwarming, and infused with a kind of a quiet magic, 'The Shop Around the Corner' ought melt any heart, save the most unmeltable. A romantic masterpiece. Directed by Ernst Lubitsch, who also did 'Eternal Love', 'Ninotchka', and the original 'Heaven Can Wait'.

Wonderful
I loved this DVD I really sudgest it to any classic Romantic

The Shop Around the Corner
1940's THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER has been remade twice; in 1949 with Judy Garland and Van Johnson in the musical adaptation IN THE GOOD OLD SUMMERTIME, and again in the late '90s in the internet-based YOU'VE GOT MAIL with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. They can remake it another dozen times. It's hard to believe any will ever better this gem from director Ernst Lubitsch.
Jimmy Stewart stars as Alfred Kralik, chief clerk at Matuschek's, a gift shop in Budapest. Margaret Sullavan is Klara Novak, a feisty new hire. Klara and Kralik seem to have only one thing in common - a vocal dislike for each other. Of course they share one other thing - they are anonymous pen pals who have fallen in love with each other through the mail.
THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER is based on the play 'Parfumerie' by Hungarian playwright Miklos Laszlo, and its pedigree as a product for the stage shows. Almost all action takes place within the shop. It is visually static enough to assume that this probably would have made a successful radio production. That said, Lubitsch comes across with one beautiful shot that would have been impossible to duplicate on radio or in a theater. Shot from the inner side of the post office boxes we see #38 being opened and a gloved hand feeling around the empty interior. The hand is removed and Margaret Sullavan's disappointed face appears, framed by the open box.
Lubitsch also has fun with the wonderful character actor Felix Bressart, who plays the wise and timid clerk Pirovitch. The thunderous and intimidating owner of the shop, Hugo Matuschek (Frank Morgan - the wizard in THE WIZARD OF OZ), turns to Kralik a few times in the first half of the movie and begs his honest opinion on this or that. Terrified that his opinion may be asked next, Pirovitch makes like a mouse caught out of the cabinet and Lubitsch catches him scurrying off-screen time and again. This business sets us up for a later scene when Pirovitch confronts Matuschek and gives an unsolicited opinion in defense of his out-of-favor friend Kralik. It's an ennobling moment, one of many in this fine movie.
Stewart and Sullavan are convincing as a couple unknowingly throwing barbs at the object of their tenderest affections. They are average enough looking to make the whole thing plausible - a couple of glamour pusses, say Cary Grant and Rita Hayworth, would have thrown the whole thing off. The story needs a boy and a girl-next-door type.
The dvd's extras include cast and crew biographies, a trailer, "A Great Story is Worth Retelling" (background story of the making of THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER in written text) and the short subject "A New Romance of Celluloid: The Miracle of Sound," which doesn't have much to do with the movie it's bundled with but is delightful nonetheless. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Carole Lombardo's final movie and Jack Benny's best
"To Be or Not to Be" has the distinction of being the last movie starring Carole Lombard before her tragic death in an airplane crash in 1942 and is also remembered as having Jack Benny's finest film performance. But beyond the qualities of the stars Ernst Lubitsch's film deserves to be singled out for its anti-Nazis position, a distinction shared with Charlie Chaplin's "The Great Dictator" and few other films. Keep in mind that the film was released on February 15, 1942, not only a month after Lombard's death but only two months after Pearl Harbor, which means it was in the works before the United States entered World War II.

Lubitsch and Melchior Lengyel came up with the story, which was turned into a screenplay by Edwin Justus Mayer. The story of "To Be or Not to Be" is of a Polish theatrical company that is in Warsaw preparing to perform an anti-Nazi melodrama on the eve of World War II. In the leading roles are the husband and wife team of Maria (Lombard) and Joseph Tura (Benny), who are trained in Shakespeare. However, the production is canceled by the Polish government because they are afraid Germany will attack the country is a play critical of the Nazis goes on (you know how touchy Hitler can be). So the Turas put on "Hamlet" instead and while Joseph does Hamlet's "To be or not to be" soliloquy, Maria is visited backstage by Lieutenant Stanislav Sobinski (Robert Stack), a young pilot in the Polish Air Force. Then the war breaks out, Sobinski makes it to London to fight with the RAF, and the Turas remain in occupied Warsaw.

While in London Sobinski meets with Professor Siletsky (Stanley Ridges), a Nazi agent posing as a Polish patriot, who gets the names of friends and relatives from the pilots. Sobinski becomes suspicious and is sent to Warsaw to recover the list from Siletsky before he gives it to the Nazis. In Warsaw Maria helps Sobinski, but then she is arrested by the Gestapo as Siletsky tries to get her to join the Third Reich. To rescue his wife Joseph and the other actors masquerade as Nazi soldiers and end up with one of them (Tom Duggan) dressing up as Hitler to help in the great escape.

This is a comedy, but it is not a broad comedy in which the whole thing descends into slapstick, otherwise the overt attempts at anti-Nazi propaganda would not work. There is a similarity between "To Be or Not to Be" and the television situation comedy "Hogan's Heroes," in terms of presenting the Nazis as incompetent buffoons, personified by Sig Ruman as Colonel Ehrhardt. The difference is that Lubitsch still manages to work in the idea that the Nazis are also killer clowns. However, the biggest joke is that these actors, less than inspiring on the stage in Shakespeare, are so convincing playing Nazis. Meanwhile, Joseph cannot quite bring himself to belief that Maria is actually cheating on him.

Keep in mind that when this film was made "concentration camps" did not mean what they mean today; the terms was used by the United States to describe the camps in which Japanese-Americans were interred during the war. But then when you see Jack Benny walk in as a Nazi you know this is a different time and place. The humor is pretty coarse for a film from the early Forties (e.g., Ehrhardt recalls Joseph's performance of "Hamlet" and declares, "What he did to Shakespeare we are doing to Poland"), but then keep in mind who is being made fun of here and you have to admire the bite that they put into some of these bits. Benny is pretty much perfect for this part and Lombard sparkles throughout. As is usually the case, the original is much better than the 1983 remake with the husband and wife team of Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft.

World famous in my eyes!
Too bad this movie isn't better known than the weak Mel Brooks remake of the same name. Jack Benny as that great, great stage actor, Josef Tura (world famous throughout Poland!), and Carole Lombard are hilarious. Aside from the first couple of minutes, the whole movie is a laugh riot. Amazing how well the script and performances have stood the test of time. Truly one of the greatest comedies of the 40s! Best lines: "So they call me Concentration Camp Airhart, eh?" and "What he did to Shakespeare, we are now doing to Poland." and "To be or not to be ..." Rent it, borrow it, buy it -- whatever you do, watch it. You'll love it.

Time to produce a DVD version with commentary track.

Extremely funny.
I was on a tour in Europe, when this movie was put in. Instead of a much needed rest, I got a great laugh fo an hour or so. Its a classic. Worth the purchase price and a lot more!

Let It Be
There were plenty of his contemporaries, George Burns and Johnny Carson among them, who thought Jack Benny was the best American comedian of the 20th century. This film does nothing to detract from his reputaion; it just confirms it. Benny is utterly superb here in a wonderful and difficult project by the German-Jewish director Ernst Lubitsch. He effortlessly dominates a great cast in every scene and his timing, for which he was already famous on stage and in radio, is equally flawless. The film about the invasion of Poland was produced before the full extent of the anti-Semitic atrocities committed in Europe were known, and the great Lubitsch took a somewhat more diplomatic approach than more heavy-handed directors like Mel Brooks would today, but this artistic detachment certainly made a better movie. There are some flat-out riotous lines. When a Gestapo agent leeringly tells Carole Lombard he would like to launch a romantic blitzkrieg her way, she responds: "I'd prefer a slow encirclement." Movie comedy doesn't get much more sophisticated.

A gem, Lombard at her most lovely and Benny at his funniest
I'm so surprised that this classic is not revived more often or is not better known. It really is one of the most superb films turned out during the war years and is significant for a number of diverse reasons. One is that Carole Lombard, the stunning comedienne par excellence of the 30's and wife of Clark Gable was killed in a plane crash on a war bond selling tour soon after completing her role in it and secondly that Jack Benny, normally regarded as a radio personality, has the film role of a lifetime in this classic and has never been better.

The film has so many wonderful moments and features that it is hard to know where to begin. Carole Lombard, one of my favourite actresses of the 1930's has never been better than in this role and it is a melancoly experience watching her so radiant, so beautiful and full of life in this her last film prior to her death. The role of Maria Tura is at once street smart, sexy and totally up to taking on the Nazi's in the script. This performance stands up there with all her classic performances in "Twentieth Century" "My Man Godfrey" "Hands Across The Tabe" "In Name Only" and "Vigil In The Night".

Jack Benny, famous for his radio performances and later television work shines in the role of her husband Joseph Tura your typical egocentric actor who is known for putting the "ham" in Hamlet once and for all !!! The supporting cast is first rate with Robert Stack shining in one of his earliest roles as Lieut. Stanislav Sobinski, Maria's lover who always exits the front row of the theatre as Joseph Tura the hammest actor in all of Warsaw launches into his "To be or not to be........ speech and has his big moment ruined night after night!! The fact that Stack and the rest of the cast neither look or sound Polish in no way detracts from the magic of this film as we are sent on a rollicking satire about the Nazi takeover of Warsaw which of course was very topical at this time. Indeed the subject matter was considered very daring at this time and "To Be Or Not To Be" was one of the first films along with "The Mortal Storm" to attack Nazism at a time when the outcome of the war was still very uncertain.

The film has the rare distinction of successfully combining humour with a strong depiction of the terror inflicted on countless people by the Nazis. It maintains its own personal dignity throughout and the credit for that must be laid at the feet of Ernst Lubitsch who here combines his own rich European experience with the crack - crack volleys of a fast moving Americam satire. The superb end result (which was not a big success upon release, but has been redeemed with the passing of time) has much to do with his confident and sure handling of potentially very risky material for that time.

The wonderful humour of this piece comes from the great characterisations by all the cast and the storyline which has them as a Polish theatrical troupe which is pulled into working as resistance workers to aid a Polish Lieutenant find safety from the Nazis. What ensures is a hilarious series of events that is both clever and witty while succeeding in jogging our thoughts about man's inhumanity to man.

If you are an admirer of the sure Lubitsch touch in film or are just a fan of sharp, fast moving satires with plenty of dark humour thrown in for good measure "To Be Or Not To Be" is not to be missed. For me I enjoy it as a fitting farewell performance for the beautiful Carole Lombard. It makes you wonder about all the great roles she would have undoubtedly played in the 1940's had she lived. Alas that's something we are doomed never to find out about. Enjoy this classic over a number of screenings as you will need that many to fully appreciate all the charm and wit of this great classic. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

I'm "Certain" You'll Like This DVD!
If you have never seen That Uncertain Feeling, an unusual little gem by master director Ernst Lubitsch, you are in for a real treat - especially if you buy this wonderful DVD edition of the film made available by the Roan Group.

Merle Oberon portrays Jill Baker, a beautiful socialite who is bored to distraction by her dull, insurance-peddling husband(Melvyn Douglas) and develops a case of nervous hiccups. Her psychiatrist (Alan Mowbray) tries to get at the root of Jill's problem by exploring every avenue - "especially Park Avenue." During one of Jill's visits she encounters an eccentric pianist (played to wonderful excess by Burgess Meredith) and that's when the fun begins. The film is not without the famed "Lubitsch Touches" including one delightful scene in which pianist Sebastian seduces Jill by tickling the ivories on her piano.

That Uncertain Feeling is often run on television, but the copies I have seen had such awful image and sound quality they were virtually unviewable! At last, thanks to the Roan Group's excellent restoration and transfer of the film to DVD, we can see the film as it should be seen. We can finally appreciate George Barnes' rich black and white photography with its dramatic interplays of light and shadow, creating a mood reminiscent of the film noir style of the period.

And the image quality of this DVD is so stunning you can almost feel the textures of the silk and lace in Merle Oberon's magnificent gowns by designer Irene. This DVD is also nicely packaged with original advertising art, and comes with extras including background information on the film and its stars, and chapter stops that allow you to jump to specific scenes.

WELL WORTH THE MONEY
The studio that puts this out is a little confusing. This double feature is from Triton/E-Realbiz.com. Also Slingshot is mentioned on the cover. I've been gobbling up these releases where I find them. For some reason Amazon is not stocking this.
Most of the reviews are a little old, but I'm still confused about their issues of quality. For the money it's pretty good. On "That Uncertain Feeling," I'd give the image a B- and the sound a B-. On Beat the Devil I'd give the image a B+ and the sound a B. Overall you get two intriuging, rewatchable and entertaining movies for a budget price.

A lesser Lubitsch comedy -- still quite nice!!
A blithe screwball comedy from director Ernst Lubitsch about an "ideal" modern couple (known to their friends as "the Happy Bakers") whose marriage is on the rocks... Merle Oberon has a six-year itch; her husband (Melvyn Douglas) is a bit of a boob, an all right guy, but a bit obsessed with his work and at times inattentive. When Merle bumps into a free-thinking, artsy malcontent (a young Burgess Meredith, in a choice, juicy role), she falls in his arms and throws her marriage away. The story was originally filmed by Lubitsch in the silent era, but whether it's 1925 or 1941, the plot is still startlingly frank and modern: Douglas takes the affair and divorce in his stride, and even does a bit of fooling around on his own in a bid to get his wife back... The film features brisk, witty dialogue and a zippy start, and though it kind of loses a little steam midway through, it's still pretty fun. Several great character actors are in the cast, including Eve Arden and Sig Rumann... Maybe not the greatest Lubitsch film ever, but it's still a gas. Recommended!

On eof the best films!
This is a very entertaining film. A rich an married socialite, with a devoted, but buisness minded husband, works selling insurance. The wife, Jill is neglected and wants some excitement and attention, as well as more romance. She turns to a self-centered man who plays the piano, and is said to be great in art. He says "Phooey," about practically everything. Husband and wife reconcile and all is forgiven. It's a really must see movie and is one of the best in my opinion.

Merle Oberon Melyvn Douglas are brilliant in it. They make a romantic, and comical couple at times. It deserves many many stars.

Routine, adventure and humor
This love story is original by the level of humor it contains. A wife can get bored in her married life by the lack of unforeseen events, by the routine of her husband's money-earning lifestyle. She might get attracted by some marginal artist or personality that seems to shine and glow with an unforeseeable life. But this attraction is only superficial and it gets boring in its turn by the total unpredictability of the new man and the film implies woman wants some stability and regularity. So the love affair comes to an end because of this conflict of psychological interests in the woman. Well done and very funny in many ways, though rather anti-artistic and anti-modern art.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU ... Read more

Description

Ernst Lubitsch's first American comedy masterpiece, the film that kept him in the States. Reeling from the difficulties encountered on his first American film, "Rosita," Lubitsch was ready to return to his native Germany until Warner Brothers, looking for an identity other than Rin Tin Tin, offered the director a chance to make his own unique films. In "The Marriage Circle," Lubitsch's influential silent comedy effortlessly follows the love and lust, flirtations and phoniness among several upper-crust citizens of Vienna. In Lubitsch's deft hands, "The Marriage Circle" continues the tradition of manners comedy and shows the "touch" the director was famous for. Lubitsch knew that in an atmosphere of hushed whispers and discretion, a kiss can carry quite an erotic charge. To see "The Marriage Circle" in this glistening print derived from the original negative, with an appropriately lilting score by the Mont Alto Orchestra, is to fall in love with the movies--and Ernst Lubitsch--all over again. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Another Kind of Silent Comedy
The most famous examples of silent comedy are the brilliant films of Chaplin and Keaton, but this type of comedy was not the only type of comedy there was. The Marriage Circle shows another way of being funny, the sophisticated, witty, comedy of manners. It may not be as dazzling and inventive as the work of Chaplin or full of the daredevil stunts of Keaton, but Lubitsch's style, in its own way, is equally amusing. Moreover it is this style of comedy which was developed into the sound era. The Marriage Circle can be seen as a sort of prototype for films like The Philadelphia Story.

The story concerns two couples, Adolphe Menjou and Marie Prevost who loathe each other and Monte Blue and Florence Vidor who are living a life of married bliss. Prevost sets out to find love with Blue, who tries desperately to resist her, while Menjou sets out to obtain evidence of infidelity which he can use to obtain a divorce. This all leads to numerous complications and misunderstandings. The plot is relatively conventional, but it does not descend into farce. These are characters grounded in real life, albeit the life of high-society Vienna. The many laugh-out-loud moments are derived from the situations the characters find themselves in. The humour comes from the skill of the actors in portraying their characters. There is some really wonderful acting in this film. These actors can convey their thoughts with a subtle change of expression or posture.

The quality of the print used for this Image DVD is superb. It is sepia tinted throughout and shows hardly any signs of damage. There are some occasional scratches and a few frames are missing here and there, but thankfully The Marriage Circle has survived in an almost pristine condition. The film is accompanied by a fine score which follows the action very closely and adds greatly to the enjoyment of the film.

A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF COMEDY FILM MAKING
The classic that made Ernst Lubitsch one of the most imortant director in Hollywood history is finaly back for to the general public. THE MARRIAGE CIRCLE actually created the genre of sophisticated romantic comedy. Lubitsch's inteligence in his mise-en-scene as well as in his editing makes this a hiralious film, so funny it actually becomes a true work of great art.

Two couples, one facing divorce and the other still loving each other. The wife of the first couple is attracted to the husband of the second couple (who also happens to be her best friend's husband). Though the husband of the second couple is rather annoyed by her interest in him, the other husband doesn't miss the chance to get the divorce in his terms. On the other hand, the wife of the second couple gets suspicous about her husband. So... the basic idea is rather simple, even conventional. It is how Lubitsch twists the plot around these themes and create situations that are unconfortable for the characters but hilarious for us, and how he develops these situations as cinema which is so great about this film. The result is, simply one of the funniest movie you've ever seen. As a silent film, it doesn't have dialogues. But when you see it, you'd understand that the film does not need dialogues (incidentally, Lubitsch himself remade this film as a musical: ONE HOUR WITH YOU which is also quite enjoyable, but not as good as the original).

The story is set in Vienna, and the sophisticated costumes and sets are also a joy to watch. The women are beautiful; Florence Vidor is so innocently charming while Marie Prevost is gorgeously provocative. And You will also enjoy the delicious performance from the actor Adolph Menjou.

The new transfer is created and restored from an original print. I had the chance to see it on a VHS test copy and it looks quite stunning. Certain scenes are tintted with gorgeous color, as originally intended by the filmmakers. So, it's actuallu not correct to list this film as Black and White. ... Read more

Description

Lost for decades, cinema genius Ernst Lubitsch's historical drama "Eternal Love" is a wonderful rediscovery. Starring the great John Barrymore and the gorgeous Camilla Horn, the film features the legendary actor in a sexual tour-de-force. Barrymore's powerful love scenes with Horn are among both actors' best performances on film. UCLA Film and Television Archives have combined the original sound and picture quality for this film restoration. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

An Enduring Romance
Eternal love ~ what a premise! And in this terrific film it comes delivered to you via two star-crossed lovers Ciglia (Camilla Horn) and Marcus (Barrymore). Marcus prefers the wild mountainsides outside of his Swiss village only somewhat less than the pure and beautiful preacher's daughter Ciglia, whom he desires very much to marry. Uncle Tass (Hobart Bosworth) has other ideas, wishing for Ciglia the more staid and proper Lorenz (Victor Varconi), while wild mountain girl Pia (Mona Rico) has her own designs on Marcus, desiring him very much for herself. Pia seduces Marcus through some truly dishonourable conniving, dooming Marcus to marry her. Ciglia settles with Lorenz in an effort to heal her crushed heart, but of course this does nothing of the sort ~ Marcus and Ciglia hold blazing torches that no twists of fate can quell. Thus, the movie moves toward its devastating finale.

During a blizzard, Marcus becomes lost on the mountains. Pia, desperate to find him, implores Lorenz and Ciglia for help. Distraught at this news, Ciglia slips her facade for an instant arousing the suspicions of her husband. When Marcus arrives safely home, the jealous Lorenz bribes Marcus to take his leave from the village and from Ciglia once and for all. Marcus refuses, and Lorenz seeks a final, deadly revenge, during which he is mortally wounded. Marcus is now a marked man, and Ciglia's pleas of his innocence only serves to inflame the villagers to seek their own revenge on what they perceive as an adulterous couple.

What happens next adds a satisfying 'drama' to this melodrama, and contains a twist equal to the larger-than-life affections of Marcus and Ciglia, whose only real crime was loving each other despite, and in spite, of any and all circumstances.

This film should appeal to anyone with even a speck of the romantic, an appreciative eye for splendid scenery (filmed on location in the Canadian Rockies), and the taste for a rousing good story. Barrymore is a smouldering hero, his magnetism unabashedly evident in the love scenes. Camilla Horn is a gorgeous heroine that one cannot help aching with and for. The conniving Pia, on the other hand, is an absolute terror, and plays the bad girl to the hilt.

This DVD includes the original score to the film, and the picture quality is astonishing. Directed by Ernst Lubitsch, 'Eternal Love' was his last silent film.

Restored and pleasing
I'll admit, I have been a silents fan for many years, but am still a novice, but I did enjoy this movie, and was surprised by the UCLA 'disclaimer' that this restoration was not up to their usual standards (or some such note). If that is the case, I would like to see their best standards! After years of suffering through bad copies of silents, with equally hideous "soundtracks" (of which there are a few exceptions), I was glad to see this movie restored to a good speed and brilliant contrasts of light and dark. Barrymore is elegant and graceful, mixing both outrageous humor (the scenes of his drunken revelry at the town party are funny, and a bit disheartening, much like Dinner At Eight), and brilliant drama (the lone scene of his finding the 'evil woman' had entered his room is incredibly portrayed with a few surprised, heavy heaves of the chest and narrowing eyes, more sexy to me than any obvious modern bedroom scene!)
Overall, there are much better stories, but to see Barrymore at his hearty best and Lubitsch's modern use of camera movement and beautiful mountain scenery, make this a worthwhile viewing.

European Film-making via Hollywood
The very late silent film era in Hollywood, 1927-28, saw a number of artistic films made by European directors that could have been right out of Ufa's studio in Germany. SUNRISE is perhaps the most obvious example, but ETERNAL LOVE is definitely in that category. Not really a "lost" film, ETERNAL LOVE was safely secured among Mary Pickford's own films that she refused to circulate. Bootleg prints of this film have been in circulation for years but I was disappointed that the quality of this print wasn't more impressive. Good yes, impressive No. The introduction alerts the viewer that the print is "substandard" - too bad they didn't place that notice on the box. I would have bought it anyway. The film is intelligently written, directed and acted but it seems a little too doom-laden for its own good. John Barrymore railed for years against the happy endings that always got tacked on to his films so at least in his last silent he got the tragedy he wanted. A Barrymore-Lubitsch collaboration should have given us a sparkling romantic comedy - and that loss is a real tragedy!

Long Lost Lubitsch Loses Little
Ernst Lubitsch is remembered today as "the man with the golden touch". His droll and witty comedies of the sexes from the 30's and 40's such as TROUBLE IN PARADISE and TO BE OR NOT TO BE certainly deserve their place in movie history. So do his silent films which thanks to present day technology are being made available to new generations of film lovers. MGM released one of his best known silent films THE STUDENT PRINCE IN OLD HEIDELBERG (1927) back in 1991. Image Entertainment released THE MARRIAGE CIRCLE (1924) last year. Now Milestone Film and Video, one of the top providers of silent films, have released ETERNAL LOVE on both VHS and DVD. Made at the end of the silent era (1929) with music and sound effects discs, the film has been beautifully restored with original materials by the UCLA Film and Television Archive. Having just seen the film on VHS, I was astonished not only at its beauty (Lubitsch has always known how to use a camera) but also by the power of its simple story. Ill-fated love stories have been around forever but here as played out by John Barrymore and Camilla Horn, I found it unexpectedly moving. I was simply unable to look away. The setting is a village in Switzerland (it was filmed in the Canadian Rockies) and deals with love, individuality, honor, and small town morality. The ending, while quite expected, was still very effective. John Barrymore in a more subdued role than he usually played in films, gives a power and a dignity to his character that few others could have. Camilla Horn who was Gretchen in F.W. Murnau's FAUST, makes a beautiful and believable heroine. The supporting roles were equally well acted which led to the overall strength of the film. The only real drawback for me was the overdone makeup that Barrymore used in the first part of the film. How that made it past the dailies is beyond me. A small quibble though when put up against the rest of the film. While ETERNAL LOVE is no masterpiece, it is extremely well made by a master craftsman at the height of his powers.

Eternal Soap
Ernst Lubitsch was a famous Hollywood director{"Ninotchka" and "The Merry Widow" in the 1930's). John Barrymore stunned the world in 1922 with his Broadway "Hamlet". What a coo to combine these two entertainment giants in 1929, with "Eternal Love". I don't think so...Barrymore had starred in the first sound film, "Don Juan" in 1926. Audiences clamored for SOUND, not another silent. This would be the last for both. "Eternal Love" is the slow-moving tale of Marcus, a gruff mountain man who drinks too much. His lover is played by the German Camilla Horn(the producer Joe Schenk's mistress). The exquisite mountain photography of Baanf and the Canadian rockies cannot off-set the eternal soap-opera and Barrymore's ashen make-up. A critical and financial flop, United Artists shuttled it in and out of theatres quickly. Lubitsch's innuendo and deft touch are here, but it's not enough. To really enjoy the Shakespearean-trained Barrymore, see(and hear) his "Svengali", filmed at Warners in 1931. Or pick up "Grand Hotel(1932), the MGM classic where he woos Greta Garbo. Both are on DVD. UCLA did a magnificent restoration on "Eternal Love". But UCLA can't restore what was never there... ... Read more

Reviews (10)

I'm "Certain" You'll Like This DVD!
If you have never seen That Uncertain Feeling, an unusual little gem by master director Ernst Lubitsch, you are in for a real treat - especially if you buy this wonderful DVD edition of the film made available by the Roan Group.

Merle Oberon portrays Jill Baker, a beautiful socialite who is bored to distraction by her dull, insurance-peddling husband(Melvyn Douglas) and develops a case of nervous hiccups. Her psychiatrist (Alan Mowbray) tries to get at the root of Jill's problem by exploring every avenue - "especially Park Avenue." During one of Jill's visits she encounters an eccentric pianist (played to wonderful excess by Burgess Meredith) and that's when the fun begins. The film is not without the famed "Lubitsch Touches" including one delightful scene in which pianist Sebastian seduces Jill by tickling the ivories on her piano.

That Uncertain Feeling is often run on television, but the copies I have seen had such awful image and sound quality they were virtually unviewable! At last, thanks to the Roan Group's excellent restoration and transfer of the film to DVD, we can see the film as it should be seen. We can finally appreciate George Barnes' rich black and white photography with its dramatic interplays of light and shadow, creating a mood reminiscent of the film noir style of the period.

And the image quality of this DVD is so stunning you can almost feel the textures of the silk and lace in Merle Oberon's magnificent gowns by designer Irene. This DVD is also nicely packaged with original advertising art, and comes with extras including background information on the film and its stars, and chapter stops that allow you to jump to specific scenes.

WELL WORTH THE MONEY
The studio that puts this out is a little confusing. This double feature is from Triton/E-Realbiz.com. Also Slingshot is mentioned on the cover. I've been gobbling up these releases where I find them. For some reason Amazon is not stocking this.
Most of the reviews are a little old, but I'm still confused about their issues of quality. For the money it's pretty good. On "That Uncertain Feeling," I'd give the image a B- and the sound a B-. On Beat the Devil I'd give the image a B+ and the sound a B. Overall you get two intriuging, rewatchable and entertaining movies for a budget price.

A lesser Lubitsch comedy -- still quite nice!!
A blithe screwball comedy from director Ernst Lubitsch about an "ideal" modern couple (known to their friends as "the Happy Bakers") whose marriage is on the rocks... Merle Oberon has a six-year itch; her husband (Melvyn Douglas) is a bit of a boob, an all right guy, but a bit obsessed with his work and at times inattentive. When Merle bumps into a free-thinking, artsy malcontent (a young Burgess Meredith, in a choice, juicy role), she falls in his arms and throws her marriage away. The story was originally filmed by Lubitsch in the silent era, but whether it's 1925 or 1941, the plot is still startlingly frank and modern: Douglas takes the affair and divorce in his stride, and even does a bit of fooling around on his own in a bid to get his wife back... The film features brisk, witty dialogue and a zippy start, and though it kind of loses a little steam midway through, it's still pretty fun. Several great character actors are in the cast, including Eve Arden and Sig Rumann... Maybe not the greatest Lubitsch film ever, but it's still a gas. Recommended!

On eof the best films!
This is a very entertaining film. A rich an married socialite, with a devoted, but buisness minded husband, works selling insurance. The wife, Jill is neglected and wants some excitement and attention, as well as more romance. She turns to a self-centered man who plays the piano, and is said to be great in art. He says "Phooey," about practically everything. Husband and wife reconcile and all is forgiven. It's a really must see movie and is one of the best in my opinion.

Merle Oberon Melyvn Douglas are brilliant in it. They make a romantic, and comical couple at times. It deserves many many stars.

Routine, adventure and humor
This love story is original by the level of humor it contains. A wife can get bored in her married life by the lack of unforeseen events, by the routine of her husband's money-earning lifestyle. She might get attracted by some marginal artist or personality that seems to shine and glow with an unforeseeable life. But this attraction is only superficial and it gets boring in its turn by the total unpredictability of the new man and the film implies woman wants some stability and regularity. So the love affair comes to an end because of this conflict of psychological interests in the woman. Well done and very funny in many ways, though rather anti-artistic and anti-modern art.

Dr Jacques COULARDEAU ... Read more

Reviews (23)

Garbo Was Amazing!
Ernst Lubitsch has made many wonderful films such as "To Be Or Not To Be", and "The Shop Around The Corner", and while I perfer those two over this one, this film definitely is not without it's own charm. I seriously don't think Lubitsch was capable of making a bad movie, even if he wanted too! He was a far too talented filmmaker! And this movie showcases his talents very well. Three russian agents ( Felix Bressart, Alexander Granach, and Sig Ruman) are sent to Paris in order to sell priceless jewels once owned by the grand dutchess (Ina Claire). When word gets to her about the agents, she immediately waits to get back her jewels. This all makes for a setup to introduce Ninotchka (The Great Greta Garbo. While I'm definitely too young to remember her when she was at her peak. I've always been aware of the famous name GARBO!) Once she arrives in Paris she is amazed at the way people live, she can't stop looking at the "wild" fashions she finds women wearing. She soon meets a man, Melvyn Douglas (Count Leon d' Algout) and they fall in love. Now, I don't want to give too much away, but, all I can say is, this is a wonderful "classic" comedy to watch that I'm willing to bet will please many movie lovers with it's warm charm ,wit, and Garbo! The movie was nominated for 4 Oscar and one for Garbo's performance which was rightly deserved, too bad she didn't win.

"Not radio. Let's have music that's just for ourselves."
Ninotchka is a funny, well-written film with a good dash of romance showcasing Greta Garbo's beautiful, expressive eyes.
Her unlikely relationship with Melvyn Douglas is a hit; one that you hope will succeed.

The only flaw in the film is its characterization of Soviet Russians as buffoons (contrast the simpleton emissaries with the multi-faceted duchess) and its constant smug references to the superiority of the U.S. political system. Initially these references are just another facet of the good comedy: "I've been fascinated by your five year plan for the past 15 years" but after awhile they wear thin: [the man walking through another's apartment to get to his own or the line about the bird leaving a crumb of black bread].

Nevertheless, the action and the script, taken as a whole, is very smart and very funny. It includes some great romantic lines such as when a wooing Douglas (referring Garbo to a clock) says, "Look, one hand has met the other hand...they've kissed."

Garbo is the star. I didn't have any pre-conceived expectations of what she wouldn't do but the laugh scene in the cafe is certainly one of the highlights and key moments of the film--one that will likely have you laughing too.

Garbo's great comedic role
Yet another yummy Ernst Lubitsch comedy, this time starring the often-dour Greta Garbo as a humorless Soviet agent who is seduced by Western materialism (and a dashing, jovial Melvyn Douglas) while on a mission in Paris. Some may find the film's political aspects to be dated -- but hey, that's totally the point! Lubitsch manages to lampoon both Stalin-era communism and the American stereotypes of the French (as libertine sensualists) all at one time... And while the Soviet state is roundly mocked, the plight of its people is not, so that Garbo's character is given her dignity and honor... as well as some swell close-ups and nice clothes! The best part of this film is her transformation from a robotic, literal-minded Party functionary into a fully-rounded human being... The scene in which Douglas tries to crack Ninotchka's icy facade, telling jokes and acting up in order to provoke a laugh or a smile, while she rebuffs his every overture in a clipped, chilly monotone, is one of Garbo's best performances, and a brilliant comedic stroke for Lubitsch. In effect, the manic, wisecracking Douglas is turned into a straight man for Garbo, whose minimalistic delivery controls the scene, in an almost Steven Wright-like manner. And, of course, the rest of the film is a delight as well. A fascinating, frivolous look at prewar European politics, and a real humdinger of a screwball comedy, with a clever, snappy script co-written by Billy Wilder. What's not to enjoy, comrade?

Definitely one of Lubitsch's ten best films -- A classic!
Ernst Lubitsch is my favorite director, and this movie shows him at his best. He is sometimes incorrectly identified as a screwball director, but in fact he never really directed a screwball comedy in the sense of Howard Hawks or Leo McCarey. For the most part, Lubitsch specialized in sex comedies in the European tradition, even if after 1934 the Code administered by the Hays Office forced him to minimize the sex.

NINOTCHKA is a very great film. It features a marvelous leading performance by the always spectacular Melvyn Douglas, and an unexpectedly successful comedic debut by Greta Garbo. Rounding out the cast is a spectacular collection of great character actors, many of them Lubitsch regulars like Felix Bressart (though Bela Lugosi is shockingly underused in the film, certainly not enough to justify his high billing). The script was primarily the work of the great Billy Wilder, arguably the greatest comedic writer in the history of Hollywood (he paired with an American who could clean up his frequently ungrammatical English, early in his career with Charles Brackett and later with I. A. L. Diamond) and still three years from being allowed to work as a director. But primarily, this is yet another great work by one of the greatest directors in the history of cinema, Ernst Lubitsch.

One thing that truly amazes me about Lubitsch is how little he seems to have been affected by the Hays office and the imposition of the Code in 1934. There is no question that his pre-1934 films are a lot more fun and a heck of a lot more mischievous, and that is a huge loss because Lubitsch was always better when he could be a tiny bit naughty. I think of the hysterical moment in DESIGN FOR LIVING where Miriam Hopkins, Gary Cooper, and Fredric March take an apartment together in Paris, and although she is deeply attracted to both men, they make a "gentleman's agreement" not to engage in any non-Platonic activity. Everything is fine until playwright March goes to London for a production of his play. Left alone, Hopkins and Cooper pace nervously around the apartment without their chaperone, until they bump into one another, Hopkins gazes up at Cooper, and then flings herself lasciviously on a couch, proclaiming, "We had a gentleman's agreement. But I'm not gentleman!" A great moment, but DESIGN FOR LIVING was released in 1933, and a year later the line would have been stripped out of the movie (indeed, many of Lubitsch's pre-1934 films wouldn't be certified by the Hays Office for re-release because they considered them too naughty, like THE MERRY WIDOW, TROUBLE IN PARADISE, and ONE HOUR WITH YOU). But despite the Code, Lubitsch was ever the imp, and manages a delightful degree of anarchy in NINOTCHKA. Very little is stated, but a great deal is implied.

As fine as this film is, it is far from my favorite Lubitsch film. Despite being regarded as one of the greatest directors in the history of film, and arguably the finest comedic director ever, Lubitsch is still stunningly underrepresented in DVD. Although the film I believe is his finest, TROUBLE IN PARADISE, was recently released as a Criterion disc, and THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER is available, none of his other best films are out on DVD. At least some of his finer films like TO BE OR NOT TO BE or HEAVEN CAN WAIT (not to be confused with remakes of HERE COMES MR. JORDAN) were available on video. I'm not sure that ONE HOUR WITH YOU was ever even released on video. The good news for those who love NINOTCHKA and THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER is that Lubitsch made several other films just as good as these, and a few that were even better. We can only pray that these will be made available shortly.

Madame , this is a restaurant not a medow!
So says the Parisian waiter to the stern Ninotchka (Greta Garbo) as she orders a plate of---well I guess it could pass for nouvelle cuisine in California today.

Meanwhile Count Leon (Melvyn Douglas) smitten hopelessly with 'my beautiful, barbaric Ninotchka' attempts to convince her that he dines at this 'worker's proleteriat' restaurant every day, and worse, tries to make her lsugh by telling her a lame joke about two Scotsmen. Am I getting to complicated? No matter, this scene, like every other scene in this film, is funny, witty, urbane and has a wonderfull pay-off at the end.
NINOTCHKA is THE archetype of the romantic screwball comedies.

The best.--and Garbo's only comedy.

Lubitsch's masterpiece (I'd give 'To Be or not To Be' a close second place) is delicious fun all the way through.

Greta Garbo spoofs communism, French sophisticates, the eternal war of the sexes, but most of all, she spoofs the screen personna of Greta Garbo.

One can tell that she had a blast playing counter to type--no melodramatic semitragic heroines here, it's pure wit and laughs. A fast and crazy ride, as the idealistic Ninotchka falls in love.

Among the writing credits you might notice a recent emigre to America: Billy Wilder.

See it with someone you love. And if you start to get carried away, 'Suppress it' ... Read more