Miriam Hopkins as Anna (above).
She tells her father, the King of Flausenthurm, she is smitten with Maurice Chevalier, who plays the title role of Niki, in Ernst Lubitsch’s wondrous The Smiling Lieutenant made during the beloved the pre-code period in 1931.
“Papa, I’m desperate. I’m no longer responsible. I’m capable of anything. If you don’t let me have my lieutenant you know what I’m going to do? I’m going to marry an American!”
Surely only the great Samson Raphaelson could come up with that one.
The situation is finally resolved when Claudette Colbert, as the far more desirable of Niki’s two love interests gives up her claim and decides to give Anna some tips on erotic behaviour. “Let me see your underwear” …which leads to Jazz up your lingerie
Somebody has decided to assist those who cant afford the Criterion Eclipse box set of Lubitsch musicals by loading the whole film onto YouTube and you can watch it and marvel if you click here.
The next film Lubitsch made with Miriam Hopkins was another masterpiece Trouble In Paradise about which more anon.
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