Custom-tailored as a Hollywood debut for French film star Annabella (gorgeous, charming, hard to understand), she’s a Budapest Baroness, daughter to Henry Stephenson’s Prime Minister, shocked when perfect butler William Powell is elected to Parliament as part of the Liberal opposition! No need to worry, Powell may attack as principled politician, but will still run manse, staff & family affairs. This high concept rom-com, loaded with political potential & socially awkward comic possibilities, largely misses the target (hell, it barely takes aim!) even with seven credited writers. Maybe they needed eight. Two good ideas in the whole film: the Prime Minister’s delight watching Powell bash away at him & the Conservatives; and a Lubitschian fake-out opening that leads us to believe Powell is master of the house and not head butler. Alas, under Walter Lang’s functional direction, nothing else nearly as witty. With Joseph Schildkraut, Nigel Bruce & Helen Westley circling about but given little to do, while Annabella’s Stateside launch feels over-manicured. Very beautiful (with English that would quickly improve), but you can see how clever David O. Selznick was reacting to this next year, having his new European discovery, Ingrid Bergman, make her first appearance all but make-up free in INTERMEZZO/’39. That really was a sensation!
DOUBLE-BILL: Though usually lawyer or detective, Powell was also Hollywood’s butler of choice after MY MAN GODFREY/’36.
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