Lady with a Past

Okay, the plot is sort of silly -- you have to accept that gorgeous society girl Constance Bennett, in a succession of clinging gowns, has difficulty attracting men. So much so that on a whirlwind trip to Paris, she hires penniless American Ben Lyon as a gigolo, if only to prove that she isn't a complete dud.

Bennett exudes her trademark seductive charm. But it's Lyon, as her romantic mentor, who bring the "Lady with a Past" to life. He gives a brash, breezy, effortless performance reminiscent of Melvyn Douglas at his best in the days of "Ninotchka" and "Theodora Goes Wild." Not many of Lyon's films, with the exception of "Hells Angels," have been seen in recent years. And I always had the idea that he was a stick-figure straight man.

It was entertaining to be proved wrong.