Mimi ** (1935, Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Gertrude Lawrence, Diana Napier) – Classic Movie Review 12,733

The well-heeled 1935 British romantic film Mimi is based on Henri Murger’s 1851 novel La Vie de Bohème, and stars Douglas Fairbanks Jr and Gertrude Lawrence.

Director Paul L Stein’s 1935 British black and white romantic film Mimi is based on Henri Murger’s 1851 novel La Vie de Bohème, and stars Douglas Fairbanks Jr, Gertrude Lawrence and Diana Napier.

After two plays together in Britain, Lawrence and her friend Fairbanks tried to make a movie together, but their straight version of the opera La Bohème wasn’t a success. The screenplay goes back to the original novel, and adapts it freely. However, happily, the score includes arrangements of Giacomo Puccini’s music from La Bohème, arranged by George H Clutsam.

Lawrence plays Mimi, the lover of actor Lamotte (Austin Trevor), but then she falls for penniless playwright/ composer Rodolphe (Douglas Fairbanks Jr) in a Paris attic in the 1850s.

The famous romantic story is all a bit trite here, but the movie looks good and occasionally some of the scenes catch fire and the performances catch the eye too. It’s worth a look for the star trio, anyway, though Gertrude Lawrence’s huge stage appeal did not translate well to film, and she is not obvious casting as Mimi. It looks good because of the black and white cinematography by Jack E Cox, the sets designed by the art director Cedric Dawe, and the costumes by Scottish designer Doris Zinkeisen, in a lovingly made production at Elstree Studios.

The cast are Douglas Fairbanks Jr as Rodolphe, Gertrude Lawrence as Mimi, Diana Napier as Madame Sidonie, Harold Warrender as Marcel, Carol Goodner as Musette, Richard Bird as Colline, Martin Walker as Schaunard, Austin Trevor as Lamotte, Laurence Hanray as Barbemouche, Paul Graetz as Durand, Jack Raine as Duke, Richard Bird, and Patric Curwen.

Mimi is directed by Paul L Stein, runs 98 minutes is made by British International Pictures, is released by Wardour Films and United Artists, is written by Clifford Grey, Paul Merzbach, Jack Davis Jr and Denis Waldock, is shot in black and white by Jack E Cox, is produced by Walter C Mycroft, and is scored by G H Clutsam, with art direction by Cedric Dawe, and costumes by Doris Zinkeisen.

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,733

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