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Love Before Breakfast More at IMDbPro »

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19 out of 23 people found the following review useful:
Has potential but no magic., 1 May 2005

Author: (elginbrod2000@hotmail.com) from Florida

My main disappointment with this film is the choice of leading man. Indeed Preston Foster was primarily a straight actor and unaccustomed to romantic comedy. I simply do not see why Carole Lombard's character, Kay Colby would have the slightest temptation to fall in love with Foster's character, Scott Miller, a pushy, egotistical, wiseacre. Perhaps the moral of the tale is that if a man, no matter how obnoxious, pursues a woman long enough, she will give in. The film seems to start out in the middle of the story. No background is given to explain Kay Colby's relationship with either men. And then before you know it one of them is exiled to Japan and disappears from the middle third of the picture.

Now the film does pick up as it goes along and entertains sufficiently with snappy dialog and boisterous incidents. The "storm at sea" scene is particularly satisfying. Perhaps due to the fact that Carole did all her own stunts, taking all the punishment herself and sparing her stand-in. However, the ending is much too abrupt. All the conflict is resolved in the last few seconds of the movie. The characters are not allowed to play out their feelings for us on screen. Perhaps it has all gone on inside their heads, but alas we have missed it. Overall this film is worth seeing once for Lombard fans, but it does not endear and fades quickly from memory.

The popularity of "Love Before Breakfast" was helped at the time from the success of Carole's previous film which was still in theaters, "Hands Across the Table". This film would signal her rise to fame and was a precursor to five straight hits in a row over the next two years.

4 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Anything with Carole, 16 September 2007

Author: rc_brazil from Belgium

I like Carole Lombard. I think she's one of the most talented, funny actresses ever - and, although this one could not be considered one of her classic movies, it still is fun to watch. A lot of people complain about Preston Foster's role in this movie. It's true that the chemistry they're supposed to have doesn't always work, but I don't think it's the actor's fault - the script is just not that good. It seems to me like we land into the middle of a film. Carole's fiancé is going away to Japan because Preston wants her to himself - and, because he wants her to himself, he keeps finding selfish, annoying ways to get closer. To some up, no one gets why Carole is supposed to be in love with a self-centered, egotistic man. And yet I still like this movie. I pop it up whenever I can't find anything better to do. It's easy-going, if not perfect, and it's amusing. The scene where they're taken in and we discover that Preston's punched Carole is a treat. In conclusion, Carole has made a lot of better films and some of them can be easily found now a days thanks to that great invention that is the DVD (what would we old-movie lovers do if it wasn't for that?), but this one is still worth checking out. I guess anything with her is.

2 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
LOVE BEFORE BREAKFAST (Walter Lang, 1936) **1/2, 5 December 2007

Author: MARIO GAUCI (marrod@melita.com) from Naxxar, Malta

Having now watched Universal’s CAROLE LOMBARD: THE GLAMOUR COLLECTION in its entirety, I can say that of the 6 films included two are classics – HANDS ACROSS THE TABLE (1935) and TRUE CONFESSION (1937) – two more are lesser efforts but still delightful – WE’RE NOT DRESSING (1934) and THE PRINCESS COMES ACROSS (1936) – while the remaining two titles are essentially routine and wouldn’t have stood a chance had they been released on their own (the set being devoid of any substantial extras, they could then be considered as such).

That is not to say that this particular vehicle (which I wasn’t familiar with) isn’t a pleasant diversion per se – at 70 minutes, it’s certainly innocuous enough; still, comparing it to the comic gems on offer in this set, it definitely comes up lacking! To begin with, there’s nothing remotely original about either plot (Lombard is torn between two men – one is wealthy and conceited but genuinely in love, the other is ambitious and something of a playboy) or setting (high society); true, this type of romantic comedy was typical for Depression-era America – but it’s among the most trivial examples of escapist fare that I’ve watched!

Besides, Lombard is let down by her leading men – after all, Preston Foster and Cesar Romero are hardly Fred MacMurray and Ralph Bellamy (who played similar, but more rounded, characters in HANDS ACROSS THE TABLE)...and the same thing can be said of director Walter Lang (here demonstrating little of the style conveyed by Mitchell Leisen throughout HANDS, or even the inspired craziness of TRUE CONFESSION). Actually, the whole enterprise feels invincibly second-rate: however, one shouldn’t blame this on the change in studio from Paramount (which made all the other titles in this set) to Universal because, truth be told, Lombard’s next outing – MY MAN GODFREY (1936; also released by the latter) – proved to be one of her best films!

LOVE BEFORE BREAKFAST, then, features all the typical ingredients: love/hate relationship, misunderstanding, embarrassment, romantic threat, etc. Richard Carle appears as an elderly gentleman who, in spite of being a bachelor, offers Foster advice on his amorous situation; climaxing with an unconvincing storm at sea, this sequence is nonetheless capped by an amusing – and most unconventional – wedding ceremony presided over by familiar character actor E. E. Clive!

1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Simply Terrific, 11 May 2012

Author: kevn57 from Akihabara@DEEP

Last Night I watched A Good Old Fashioned Orgy (2011)a movie that supposedly represents a modern day romantic comedy, I didn't get one laugh and the bevy of actresses in that movie all combined couldn't compare to Carole Lombard.

I love Lombard's movies she's always entertaining as well as strikingly beautiful, this movie came out the same year as "My Man Godfrey" and while this movie can't compare to Godfrey I think Carole with her starring role in this film is more of a showcase for her. The plot is nothing special, spoiled rich girl and powerful businessman go head to head, but it's the performances especially the chemistry between Lombard and Preston that make this movie worth seeing.

1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Lush Cinematography, Lombard's Beauty Spark Minor White Telephone Movie, 7 February 2012

Author: oldblackandwhite from North Texas sticks (see all my reviews)

Love Before Breakfast features an amusing love triangle between three shallow, selfish characters, played to perfection by Carole Lombard, Preston Foster, and Cesar Romero. Foster, a filthy rich oil baron, "pushes buttons" to have employee Romero, Carole's fiancé, sent to Japan, so he can move in on Carole. Carole is devastated the man she loves is leaving her for two years, but the unworthy object of said love has a hard time hiding his glee at the promotion the overseas job means. Even as his ship sails with poor Carole tearfully waving goodbye, true love Ceasar can be seen at the railing obviously enjoying the attentions of a sexy countess, played with carnivorous exuberance by buxom Betty Lawford. Foster's character is such an egomaniac he smugly brags to Carole about his fiancé-to-Japan manipulation. Thus begins the battle of wills between Carole and Foster that lasts for the rest of this entertaining, witty, little "white telephone movie". They take turns alternately courting and resisting each other with lots of dirty tricks along he way. Both principles have wicked senses of humor. Preston thinks it's hilarious when Carole gets her eye blacked in a night club brawl she engineered. Her get-even prank is to set him up at the local riding club with an evil tempered horse that is sure to throw him. The entire episode at the stable is the funniest in this very amusing picture, except perhaps for the riotous closing scene.

One of the charms of this little comedy is very strong but subtle characterization, thanks to light comedy specialist Walter Lang's expert direction and a script which was surprisingly clever, considering that it seems to have been virtually committee written. Herbert Fields gets credit for the screenplay, but with input from no less than six other writers, including Preston Sturges! Of the Carole Lombard pictures yours truly has seen, this one gives her the best character. In some of her other movies she is just too much of a dizzy dame to be appealing. Especially in My Man Godfrey (1936), in which she's so foolish and childish, she seems almost retarded. In Love Before Breakfast Carole comes off more sophisticated, clever, and witty. Never mind she is spoiled, self-centered, wishy-washy, and lazy -- she lives in a swank apartment with her well-off mother (likeable Janet Beecher) and seems to have never even considered getting a job. And of course Carole is beautiful. Her beauty is well accented by Ted Tetzlaff's gloriously luminous black and white photography, a standout job here even in an era when terrific cinematography is practically taken for granted. The left side of Carole Lombard's gorgeous face was tragically scarred in a late 1920's automobile accident. Even the best of Hollywood makeup couldn't quite cover it, so that special care had to be taken with lighting and camera angles. Tetzlaff washes Carole's closeups in tenebristic shadowing which illuminates only the right side. A generous use of soft focus for her closeups seems to have set the tone for the overall look of the picture, and a very pleasing look it is.

Love Before Breakfast is a typical example of a type of picture called "white telephone movie" in the trade. Younger people, used to telephones of all sizes, shapes, and colors, may not remember, as sadly aged oldblackandwhite does, when nearly every one of them was an unglamorous, utilitarian, flat black. Only rich folks had the glossy white ones that you had to special order and pay extra for on your telephone bill. Hence white telephone movies are about rich guys and rich babes lounging in their ritzy apartments and palatial mansions, going out to glittering night clubs, sailing on their swell yachts, and gabbing on their white telephones. Standard cinema history wisdom portrays this type of movie as especially made for the depressed poor of the Great Depression, who wanted to escape into such fantasies, rather than watch any realistic social melodrama that would remind them of their own distressed lives. The Depression may have made white telephone movies more popular all right, but please note that the same type of picture was very popular in the 1920's, a period of previously unexampled prosperity, and continues to to be popular in various altered forms to this day.

Love Before Breakfast is a solid white telephone job. Charming cast, clever story, plush sets, sensuous cinematography, witty, amusing dialog, fast pacing, and funny gags. A lot of glossy, smooth Old Hollywood entertainment packed into and hour and ten minutes.

1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
It's Not So Bad!, 17 January 2012

Author: (sylviastel@aol.com) from United States

Carole Lombard steals any film that she's in and this film is no exception. Yes, she played Kay Colby, a wealthy bored heiress. She is expected to marry Cesar Romero's character who takes off for months to Japan on a work assignment for his boss, Scott Miller (played by Preston Foster). Scott Miller and Kay Colby have a love and hate relationship during her fiancé's absence. I don't think that Scott Miller was that bad. The best scenes take place when Kay and her fiancé are on their small boat in the waters while Miller does his best to assist his employee and his fiancé during a storm. But Kay is stubborn to admit any feelings for Scott Miller. I thought the scene at the restaurant with her fiancé where the table get circling but annoying. The film is a slapstick comedy during the old studio system and when stars like Lombard made several films a year. Not all films were gems but this one is entertaining though after all.

1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
A Bit Of A Dip, 9 March 2011

Author: bkoganbing from Buffalo, New York

In between her stunning hits with Fred MacMurray, Carole Lombard found time to get loaned out to Universal from Paramount for My Man Godfrey and Love Before Breakfast. The first of course is a comedy classic with nice social overtones. The second is an all right comedy, but not up to the standards she set with Fred MacMurray at Paramount.

It's the usual romantic triangle with Carole caught between Cesar Romero who has her and Preston Foster who wants her. Both of them are in the oil business and Foster has just bought out Cesar's company and now he works for Foster. To clear the field he sends Cesar off to Japan to their new branch office, but Carole thinks that's not playing fair. So Preston's going to have to put on a big campaign to win her.

Of course that's helped along when Carole sees a photograph of Romero in Tokyo looking like he's living it up. But the rather arrogant Foster overplays his hand a bit. It's a close race right up to the finish to see who will get Carole, but I think it's rather obvious.

Some criticism was made of Foster and while he didn't exactly do much in the way of comedy, I think he handled it well in this film. Romero was his charming best and two performances in the cast also deserve to be singled out. One is Janet Beecher as Lombard's wise mother and the other is Joyce Compton as an empty headed southern belle who Lombard almost foists on Foster.

Love Before Breakfast is a bit of a dip in the career of Carole Lombard, but not anything her fans would notice, either back in 1936 or now.

3 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
Very enjoyable but a slight re-write could have made this a lot better., 1 April 2010

Author: planktonrules from Bradenton, Florida

I enjoyed "Love Before Breakfast" very much and think with a slight re-write it could have earned a 9, as it was a nice little screwball comedy.

The film begins with a very rich industrialist (Preston Foster) buying an oil company just so he can transfer a guy overseas (Cesar Romero) in order to have a chance at the girl (Carole Lombard). Now Foster isn't a total jerk--the transfer is a promotion for Romero and he's thrilled to take it. The plan is for Romero to stay in Japan for two years and then return to marry Lombard. However, it's pretty obvious that this relationship has some problems--not the least of which is the conniving Foster. Now it could be easy to dislike Foster since he is manipulative and a bit of a stalker, however, the writers did a good job making his character likable. He's rich but a pretty swell guy. Heck, I might have married him if he'd asked! But, as for Lombard, she gives him a very hard time--after all, Foster IS responsible for the boyfriend going overseas. And, after a while, she does come to like Foster and is willing to marry him instead. However, Foster isn't happy with this--after all, if Romero was home, would she still be willing to do this? So, he brings Romero back and treats him with every kindness to allow Lombard a chance to choose. Who she chooses, how and why is something you'll just have to see for yourself.

I liked this story very much, but did have a complaint about one thing. I think that Lombard's character was made a bit too volatile and annoying. It got bad enough towards the end that I could not believe that Foster would still want such a nasty...um...'lady'. As for the rest of the cast, they are quite dandy. I liked Lombard's mother and the dog (an adorable little thing), but I especially liked the small part played by Richard Carle--he wasn't in the movie a lot, but was great in the scenes where he appeared.

Overall, an enjoyable little comedy only marred, very slightly, by a female character that is, at times, just a bit too annoying and snippy. Still, give it a look--it's a nice forgotten little film.

3 out of 5 people found the following review useful:
Not a classic, but Lombard is terrific., 21 July 2007

Author: red_hyro from Montreal, Canada

The film's premise is straightforward: Lombard plays Kay Colby, a young socialite convinced she's in love with Bill Wadsworth (Cesar Romero), a fellow quickly identified as the douche who is all wrong for her. Her Mr. Right is Preston Foster's Scott Miller, who happens to own the oil company Wadsworth works for.

We quickly discover Miller is in love with Colby. He's also manipulative and sneaky, for as the film opens we find Miller is purposefully sending her rather self-centred beau away on assignment on a ship to Japan . And he manages to finagle it so that his own Ms. Wrong, a yappy countess with an entourage of similarly disposed dogs, is going on the same ship. Colby and Wadsworth bump into him (more accurately, they bump into his parked car and then him) at the dock.

So the stage is set for an epic 2nd act featuring the screwball comedy battle of wills, which will steadily escalate in madness and will only let up in the last minute.

The film is not as wicked as 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith', which has very similar sort of screwball formula (sneaky guy pursuing girl as opposed to sneaky girl pursuing guy ala 'Bringing up Baby'), but like that film, this one features Lombard doing what she does best: make you want to kiss and kill her at the same time. She's so good that it makes up for the inadequacies of the leading man, Preston Foster, who is not a good enough listener as an actor to create the sort of chemistry a William Powell or Cary Grant could form with an ugly lamp (see Powell's work in 'My Man Godfrey' opposite Lombard, whom he had not too long before filming divorced!). Foster's all right when we don't have to watch him react to Lombard, but his comic timing and general shtick is uneven. I suspect the director must have figured this out, as the camera is kind in allowing her to create the illusion of a relationship twixt the two a fair amount of the time.

Another interesting phenomenon is the visceral similarity in appearance of the two men (they look alike and both have dark hair with trimmed mustaches) vying for Lombard's Colby, which was aesthetically dissonant for me. I think at the very least one of the staches could have gone, just so douche-bag and good guy don't become perceptually associated in our minds.

The indulgence of quibbles aside, the film's moments of charm and Lombard's mastery of screwball comedy's delectable form of erotica make it well worth seeing if you're fond of the genre.

Her love for him makes her loose her lunch!, 23 January 2013

Author: mark.waltz from New York City

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

Carole Lombard learns the truth about the thin line between love and hate in this screwball comedy about two people who hate each other so much they can't bear to be without the other. The passion Lombard feels for business executive Preston Foster (who has arranged for her fiancée Cesar Romero to go to Japan on business for two years) is based upon contempt, but that is all a facade to hide a love she refuses to acknowledge simply because they are so much alike. As it is, Romero is a bit of a yutz, and the women Foster becomes involved with are basically idiots anyway. Lombard challenges him, goes head to head with him over every screwy scheme he gets her involved in, and ends up with a black eye to boot! This gives her an excuse to emulate Dietrich with a hat covering the shiner and later almost drowns because of her stubbornness in not accepting his hospitality on his larger yacht, preferring to risk being swept out to sea on Romero's tinier boat that rocks and rolls as huge waves threaten to capsize it.

Foster isn't the ideal screwball comedy lead, but is surprisingly good as the rascally businessman who gets what he wants, and that includes Lombard. He even leaves important business decisions to his board after fighting with him after learning she has arrived to see him. Romero is wasted in his "sap" role, while Janet Beecher seems out of place as Lombard's Billie Burke like mother. Dog lovers will adore the cute Pekinese pup that Foster sends Lombard (which Beecher adopts). While the film overall is unextraordinary, it is still a pleasing if improbably comedy that is rarely made anymore, filled with romance, zany dialog and a likable heroine that seldomly appears in films today.

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