US 83m Dir: Ernst Lubitsch Key Cast: Herbert Marshall, Kay Francis
No one steals like Gaston. The master thief (Herbert Marshall) disguises himself as a baron and then mingles in high society and steals from them. In Venice he meets Lily (Miriam Hopkins) who is a pickpocket disguising herself as a Countess and the pair quickly identify each other's true selves and fall in love before deciding to team up. There's great fun to be had in the pair realising they've stolen nearly everything the other person has with them even if it becomes totally implausible after a while.
After this they head to Paris where Gaston steals a diamond-encrusted purse. When it's owner Mariette Colet (Kay Francis) offers a large reward Gaston claims it and charms her into employing him as a secretary, setting up an opportunity for Lily to steal cash from the safe. Mariette though falls in love with Gaston which makes things more complicated and Lily is furious that Gaston seems to reciprocate the feelings.
It's fascinating watching these early 1930s films which seem to be becoming more and more outrageous until the Hays Code was enforced in 1934. They are still pretty tame by modern standards but even so the flirting here is really sexy and there are moments when it really feels like there's going to be a full on sex scene at any moment. In my mind this is a really good thing as it feels far more real to what people are like and without it the romantic tension between Gaston and Mariette just wouldn't be the same.
The script here is really sharp with some excellent dialogue that zips around and delivers huge amounts of wit at speed. Even the supporting cast get some excellent lines and I found myself chuckling a fair bit. Herbert Marshall is excellent as Gaston and it's the juxtaposition of his charm and true nature as a serial thief that really make the film work.
I can't really think of anything to compare this film to, it's simply a unique comedy with some truly fantastic dialogue.
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