"This Is the Night" is one of very few Cary Grant films in which he doesn't have the lead male role. At this early stage in his career, Grant played second fiddle to Roland Young. And that was more than just in the credits. Grant's Stephen Matthewson is about to lose his wife to the older and much less attractive Young, who plays Gerald Gray. The only possible explanation for this is that Gray is very wealthy – and unmarried. Stephen seems to have some sort of wealth himself, because he can go gallivanting around to track meets where he's a javelin thrower.
In this film, Gray and Steve's wife, Claire (played by Thelma Todd) are about to leave Paris for Venice, Italy. That's while Steve is off to the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. But, Steve missed his wife and turned around at London to return home. He walks in on Bunny West (played by Charles Ruggles) who's a friend of Gray, as he is delivering two train tickets to Venice. West says he mistakenly delivered the two tickets to this address, when they were for Mr. Gray and his wife. Steve tells him to get one more ticket with that of his wife, because he will go to Venice with the rest.
Gray then challenges West to find him someone to play his wife for the two weeks. Lili Damita enters the scene as Germaine. Much of the very light comedy occurs after this in Venice. West starts to fall for Germaine, while Gray and Claire get little chance to be alone. Before long, jealousies ensue, and Claire and Steve fall for each other all over again; and Gray and Germaine decide to marry.
There isn't much more to this film. The plot had great possibilities for comedy, but the screenplay was just too lame. A bright, crispy, witty script could turn this into a roaring comedy. As is, it just passes as somewhat interesting and enjoyable. Grant has very little comedy here. Most of it comes from Ruggles and Young.
In this film, Gray and Steve's wife, Claire (played by Thelma Todd) are about to leave Paris for Venice, Italy. That's while Steve is off to the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles. But, Steve missed his wife and turned around at London to return home. He walks in on Bunny West (played by Charles Ruggles) who's a friend of Gray, as he is delivering two train tickets to Venice. West says he mistakenly delivered the two tickets to this address, when they were for Mr. Gray and his wife. Steve tells him to get one more ticket with that of his wife, because he will go to Venice with the rest.
Gray then challenges West to find him someone to play his wife for the two weeks. Lili Damita enters the scene as Germaine. Much of the very light comedy occurs after this in Venice. West starts to fall for Germaine, while Gray and Claire get little chance to be alone. Before long, jealousies ensue, and Claire and Steve fall for each other all over again; and Gray and Germaine decide to marry.
There isn't much more to this film. The plot had great possibilities for comedy, but the screenplay was just too lame. A bright, crispy, witty script could turn this into a roaring comedy. As is, it just passes as somewhat interesting and enjoyable. Grant has very little comedy here. Most of it comes from Ruggles and Young.