Claudette Colbert Movie Recommendation #1

The Gilded Lily (1935) - 1 hr 20 mins

In the first of their seven onscreen pairings, Claudette Colbert and Fred MacMurray star as secretary Marilyn David and reporter Peter Dawes. Every Thursday, the two meet on a bench after work and eat popcorn together. Peter loves Marilyn, but Marilyn only sees him as a friend. However, Peter still has hope, that is at least, until at their next meeting she tells him that she’s met “the guy.” She soon finds out, though, that “the guy” is a British aristocrat (Ray Milland) who is already engaged. Marilyn is heartbroken. Peter decides to help Marilyn by publishing several articles portraying Lord Granton as the coldhearted, proud aristocrat that Marilyn, “The ‘No’ Girl,” refused to marry. Marilyn quickly gains fame and fortune. When she makes it to England, she finds that she must make a decision. Does her heart belong to Pete or does it belong to Lord Granton?

This film is certainly not as grand or as magnificent as Colbert’s earlier film Cleopatra (1934), but I think it is important to introduce one of Colbert’s comedies from the ‘30s to better understand and appreciate her body of work. Of course, there is the incomparable It Happened One Night (1934) which I have shared previously, but Colbert’s famous screen-pairing with MacMurray is too easily forgotten. It’s in this film that they first exhibit the chemistry that would lead them to make six more films together. And, it’s in this sweet film where MacMurray’s portrayal as a jealous, ambitious reporter brings out a lovable and comedic performance by Colbert as an average girl looking for “the real thing.”

Availability: Youtube, Amazon video, Googleplay, and DVD.