The Baroness and the Butler (1938)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Walter Lang

Writers:

Leslie Bush-Fekete (play)
Sam Hellman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

18 February 1938 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

Plot:

A Butler (Powell) gets elected to the Hungarian parliament where he opposes his master's government. |

Plot Keywords:

Butler | Parliament | Family Relationships | Dog | Political

Cast

William Powell	...	Johann Porok
Annabella	...	Baroness Katrina Marissey
Helen Westley	...	Countess Sandor
Henry Stephenson	...	Count Albert Sandor
Joseph Schildkraut	...	Baron Georg Marissey
J. Edward Bromberg	...	Zorda
Nigel Bruce	...	Major Andros
Lynn Bari	...	Klari - Maid
Maurice Cass	...	Radio Announcer
Ivan F. Simpson	...	Count Dormo (as Ivan Simpson)
Alphonse Ethier	...	President
Claire Du Brey	...	Martha - Kartina's Secretary
Wilfred Lucas	...	Member of Parliament
Sidney Bracey	...	Member of Parliament (as Sidney Bracy)
Frank Baker	...	Member of Parliament

Runtime:

80 min (copyright length) | 79 min (FMC Library Print)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA High Fidelity Recording)

Certification:

USA:Approved (PCA #3992) | USA:TV-G (TV rating) | Finland:K-16

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company:

Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

Trivia:

The original play, "Jean," opened in Vienna, Austria, on 23 December 1936. An English adaptation called "The Lady Has a Heart" by Edward Roberts, opened on Broadway in New York City, New York, USA on 26 September 1937 and closed in December 1937 after 91 performances. The opening cast included Elissa Landi as Countess Katrina, Vincent Price as Jean (name changed to Johann in the movie), and Lumsden Hare as Count Albert.

Soundtrack:

Tales From the Vienna Woods, Op.325

Strictly From Hungary

William Powell was always suave and charming. He starred in numerous fine and well-known movies. I have a fondness for "I Love You Again" and surely everyone is fond of the Thing Man series.

Here he is challenged by a very peculiar mix in his costars. Annabella's French accent is a little hard to penetrate and strangely not very appealing (to me.) She's pretty, though those board shoulders and muscular arms should not have been showcased in sleeveless gowns. And why is this woman with a French accent Hungarian? And if she is Hungarian, why are her parents an American (Helen Westley) and a Brit? (Her father is played with great charm by Henry Stephenson.) The plot is intriguing -- potentially. Powell is the family butler. Yet he runs for office in opposition to his (slightly improbably approving) master. I didn't notice the opening credits and thought it must be based on a Molnar play. It's not.

The movie is easy to watch. It's far from the worst of its romantic comedy ilk in the 1930s. But it's far from good, as well.