Charles Laughton is in fine comic mode, though in the beginning, he reminds me of a ventriloquists's dummy, or a teddy bear. Roland Young also good in very diffident manner (love the way some of his sentences collapse into yes mm).
"I'm reluctant to leave that behind [his cocktail] but I'm sure we'll bump into another."
With Charles Ruggles (appropriately enough), Zasu Pitts (once you've seen Greed, you never forget that face), Mary Boland (wife), Leila Hyams (the singer - Freaks, Island of Lost Souls), Maude Eburn ('Ma').
Liked the egalitarianism of it, underlined by the Gettysburg address (which, incidentally is played out almost totally in reaction shots to Laughton) - in that the butler becomes an independent restaurateur and the singer marries a Lord.
It's funny. Made for Paramount, with Alfred Gilks on camera. There's always one song at least in a McCarey - this one contains a comic one in which Young attempts to accompany Leila on the drums.
No comments:
Post a Comment