Angel *** (1937, Marlene Dietrich, Herbert Marshall, Melvyn Douglas) – Classic Movie Review 3356

Producer- director Ernst Lubitsch’s 1937 sincere and over-earnest love triangle comedy drama stars Marlene Dietrich as Lady Maria ‘Angel’ Barker, a woman who is neglected by her English diplomat husband Sir Frederick (Herbert Marshall) and contemplates a divorce when she has an affair with his charming acquaintance Anthony Halton (Melvyn Douglas). Frederick learns f the affair and cancels his business plans to take her on holiday…

Director Lubitsch seems on slightly subdued form and can’t quite find his famous touch to spark Samson Raphaelson and Frederick Lonsdale’s not always too amusing screenplay, based on Melchior Lengyel’s comedy of manners play Angyal, adapted by Guy Bolton and Russell Medcraft.

Though you do expect a little bit more and better from these special people, the gently twinkling performances from the vintage cast and the sophisticated old-style material still make it a fairly tasty soufflé. Comedy greats Edward Everett Horton, Ernest Cossart and James Finlayson upstage everybody as the valet, butler and footman.

Overall, Angel is not at all bad, though, and it has worn better than its reputation suggests.

Also in the cast are Laura Hope Crews, Herbert Mundin, Ivan Lebedeff, Dennie Moore, Lionel Pape, Phyllis Coghlan, Leonard Carey, Eric Wilton, Michael S Visaroff, Olaf Hytten, Gwendolen Logan and George Davis.

The score is by Frederick Hollander, Werner R Heymann and John Leipold with additional music by Gioacchino Rossini from The Barber of Seville. The cinematography is by Charles Lang, with costume design by Travis Banton.

Paramount paid a generous $8,500 for Melchior Lengyel’s play and were disappointed at the ensuing film’s reception and box office results. The film was cut from 11 reels to nine reels after pre-release showings in New York City and six California cities, so it runs only 91 minutes. After making this movie, Dietrich left Paramount ending her triumphant seven-year reign.

© Derek Winnert 2016 Classic Movie Review 3356

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