The Cinemat

Before the likes of Cary Grant or Carole Lombard, there was this early talkie about society, thievery and duplicity. You'd be surprised how sexually frank movies could get back then, despite there being nothing explicit in the actions of Herbert Marshall's conman, Miriam Hopkins' conwoman, or Kay Francis' society dame looking to be "conned." (No wonder they implemented the Hays Code soon after this.)

Ernst Lubitsch was the first great director of films with sound; this is his first that isn't a musical. The film seems a little sluggish by today's standards, but give it a chance and it will reward you with a sophisticated charm.

(Did you know that Marshall had lost a leg in the war? That's why you never see him walking more than a couple of steps in any scene. DVD commentaries are really interesting. Check out Peter Bogdanovich's very useful introductory comments.)

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