Desire (1936)

Very Cool!!!

Pretty Good

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

It's funny, it's tense, it features two great performances from two actors and the director expertly creates a web of odd tension where you actually don't know what is happening for the majority of the run time.

In general style, this film much reminds me of the classic Gable/ Colbert romantic comedy "It Happened One Night", released 2 years earlier. It's not quite as good, but how many non-musicals in those days were? For one thing, Marlene Dietrich simply wasn't near as cute nor talented in comedy as was Claudette. I don't know how Madeleine(Marlene) previously got her money to buy fancy clothes and cars. Presumably by exploiting wealthy men, or by lesser heists than the 2,200,000 franc pearl necklace she just maneuvered from jeweler Duvalle, and slipped into the coat pocket of American Tom Bradley(Gary Cooper) when going through immigration at the French/Spanish border. Before and after the border, they have some adventures interacting with their respective autos. Eventually, Marlene steals Cooper's car, then wrecks it, without recovering the necklace. Somehow, she escaped from the wrecked car unscathed, and somehow got on a train to San Sebastian, where her partner Carlos is waiting. But, she's still no closer to getting the necklace back from Cooper, whom she hasn't told about the caper.Cooper tells the police about his stolen wrecked car. They lead him to Marlene, based on his description(unlikely). He's mad about his borrowed car, of course, but he's even madder over Marlene. So, he chooses to forget about the car. Carlos thinks up a clever way to get the necklace from Cooper. Later, Cooper thinks up a clever way to get the necklace back, so that Marlene can return it to the jeweler, and hopefully receive a minimal sentence. On the whole, the first half was more fun, including a nutty dialogue exchange between the necklace salesman: Duvalle, and the psychiatrist Pauquet, as relates to paying for the necklace(which never happens).As far as the prospect of Cooper's character marrying Marlene, as she said at one point, they came from two different worlds, with a high wall between. If I were Cooper, I'd run from this shady lady: a high maintenance gal, for sure.Available in B&W at YouTube. Some filming took place on location, in Spain and France.

it is one of films who reminds old flavors. in the most inspired manner. and this does it a time trip. for the cultural references. for the meet between Dietrich and Cooper and the seductive chemistry between them. for cultural references. and for mixture of romance and thriller who represents a real delight. a film with references to the war and a fascinating Paris. about Spain and about the choices who are always bizarre. about passion, innocence and the secrets who defines reality. with interesting characters. and an end who is perfect gift for romantics. its humor and elegance, its naivety are good points for discover a world who seems lost, not real or exotic. short, a seductive Lubitch work.

Tom (Gary Cooper) encounters Madeleine (Marlene Dietrich) on his way to holiday in Spain. Unknown to him is the fact that she has just stolen $2 worth of pearls and is trying to smuggle them into Spain. She slips the pearls into his jacket pocket without him noticing so she can avoid the customs search. However, he takes off his jacket and packs it into his suitcase forcing her to stick with him until a moment arises where she can get the pearls back. Things don't work out as planned for her as when they part company, Tom still has possession of the pearls. Her partner in crime Carlos (John Halliday) is not happy with her when Tom suddenly shows up again. However, Madeleine is romantically won over by Tom, who is still unaware that he is carrying the valuable pearls, and this changes her plans.....The film has a good cast with a special mention for Zeffie Tilbury as "Aunt Olga" who turns up late in the film - an old, frail lady on the outside but a cold, emotionless criminal at heart. She advises Madeleine to forget about love - it is much better to have the memory. There are many good scenes, eg, the end scene at dinner when Tom gradually reveals to Carlos what he knows about the theft, the beginning scene when Madeleine is carrying out her scam, the scene at customs on the border of Spain where we are unsure of who is going to get busted and how, etc. The story gets going from the outset and is played with humour. Cooper is funny as the salesman, eg, when he discusses which is the better word - "delighted" or "glad" - to his boss before he goes on holiday. The good cast keep the story going but unfortunately, the ending lets things down a bit. It's far too goody-goody.

A chemistry lesson by two masters at their craft. Dietrich and Cooper. What a delight! She looks stronger than him, not physically, but emotionally. A man eater. She could have done whatever she wanted with him but she can't go as far as she might have because she falls in love. What a delight! Cooper's simpleton is a perfect target for a swindler and yet nothing truly harmful comes to him because he's protected by his own decency. What a delight! Lubitch producing this time, manages to infuse his glorious magic in this remarkable equation. I enjoyed it so much that I had to see it again immediately. What a delight!