The Princess Comes Across (1936)

Masterful Cinema

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

Blistering performances.

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

This second pairing of Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray packs a lot into 76 minutes. It's the least funny of their three comedies, but that's because the humor has to share time with crime and a murder mystery. "The Princess Comes Across" is a mixed genre of comedy, a con caper, murder mystery, and romance, with a good dose of music as well. It's a bit too much to pack into 76 minutes and expect a film to be outstanding or exceptional. Still, it's entertaining and fun to watch. Lombard assumes a Greta Garbo role with a Swedish-English accent, playing a fake Princess Olga. And, MacMurray, as King Mantell, uses some of his musical talent singing with a concertina and his band. Much of the humor comes from their sidekicks. Alison Skipworth plays Lady Gertrude, companion of the princess, and William Frawley is Mantell's cohort, Benton. But, there's crime aboard their ship in this film. And the stars share screen time with a band of international detectives. Those sleuths and other lesser roles are played very well by some of the leading supporting actors of the era. Sig Ruman, Porter Hall and Mischa Auer are especially good in their roles. This film just doesn't have as much snappy dialog, witty script and clever zingers that other films have. But the plot is good and the mystery adds a twist to the usual script of comedy-romance and music for such films of the 1930s. Both stars are exceptionally adept at truly great comedy, and they show some of the range of their acting talents here.Here are some favorite lines from the film. For more dialog, see the Quotes section under this IMDb Web page of the movie. Chief Purser (Edward Keane), "There are five important police officials aboard, sir." Captain, "Police?" Chief Purser, "They're sailing for an international convention of detectives in New York. Would you like to have them at your table, sir?" Captain, "I don't even want them on my ship. They're troublemakers. Jinxes. I'd rather be followed by a seagull flying upside down. I've seen it happen again and again. Trouble's their business. They love it so much, it follows them around."Lady Gertrude, "Now I know he's no good. My dear, I am an old woman. I have traveled at home and abroad. And never, never have I known any good to come out of a concertina."Princess Olga, "You enjoyed the cocktails, didn't you?" Lady Gertrude, "Oh, the first five or six. After that I was bored."Benton, "King. I just saw Darcy go into the royal suite." King Mantell, "Yeah? Are you sure it was Darcy?" Benton, "Sure. Rats like that don't come in pairs."Benton, "Take Terry McGovern. There was a fellow with a left hook. All he had to do was hit you in the chin and break every bone in your ankle."King Mantell, "If you're ever in any kind of trouble, you can count on me." Princess Olga, "Oh, why do you think I should be in any trouble?" King Mantell, "Oh, I dunno. This is a strange ship, and there are some very odd people aboard." Princess Olga, "Ja, and the oddest of them all is you."Lady Gertrude, "Thank heaven this day is over. Such a crowd, my dear. I don't mind people stepping on my feet, but I do object to their loitering there."Lady Gertrude "Oh, my stars and garters."Benton, "I'm saving this page for your obituary notice. I can see it now. 'King Mantell Gets Himself Bumped Off for a Dame.'"Princess Olga, "Well, if you really know who the murderer is, why don't you tell them now?" King Mantell, "I would if I knew. The point is I don't." Princess Olga, "Then why did you say you did?" King Mantell, "Because to catch a rat you have to have cheese." Princess Olga, "I don't get it." King Mantell, "I'm the cheese. When the rat comes to nibble, bang goes the trap." Princess Olga, "With the cheese in it." King Mantell, "Not if it's a smart piece of cheese."Benton, "I'll stick around, all right, but I ain't no Charlie Chan. When I'm picking that guy's sewing kit out of your back, don't say I didn't tell you, that's all."Benton, "I don't know why you want to trade your concertina for a harp."

"The Princess Comes Across" (1936) is one of Carole Lombard's best films. Lombard gives a brilliant impersonation of Greta Garbo. (Princess Olga's character is based on Swedish actress Greta Garbo, who obtained a Hollywood contract and sailed to America.) Lombard looks like Garbo with her sleek hairstyle, curved eyebrows, eyeliner, and mysterious expression. She also emulates Garbo's languid movements, expressive hand gestures, and deep voice with the Swedish accent. Her fashions are in Garbo's style, with fur coats, capes, and a slouch hat.Lombard plays Wanda Nash, a Brooklyn showgirl trying to break into movies by pretending to be the Swedish Princess Olga. This comedy is based on movie casting trends at that time. With the great successes of European movie stars such as Garbo and Dietrich, Hollywood movie studios were seeking sophisticated European actors and actresses for films. A book claimed British actress Elissa Landi was the granddaughter of an Empress, and she appeared in her first Hollywood film in 1931. (See my posting on the message board for more about Elissa Landi.) It is delightful to see Lombard smoothly transition between her formal Garbo persona, and her lively American personality.Fred MacMurray is handsome and cocky as the American bandleader and concertina musician "King" Mantell who falls for the faux princess. MacMurray and Lombard have great chemistry.The movie combines zany romantic comedy with a murder mystery. There is an international team of detectives who are seeking a notorious murderer hiding on the ship.The sets and costumes are lavish. The suites and ballroom in the ship are Art Deco style, with murals. Lombard's costumes are gorgeous. The cinematography is excellent. The crime part of the film has noirish shadows on the walls, slatted window shades, and foggy night scenes.This is a great film, with zany romantic comedy, murder mystery, witty dialog, and lavish sets and costumes. The best part is Lombard's superb impersonation of Garbo. Highly recommended.

Carole Lombard and Alison Skipworth are masquerading as a Swedish princess and her lady in waiting who are sailing to Hollywood to make a film. This is a bit of self ballyhoo that chorus girl Lombard from Brooklyn is giving for her film debut. Still band leader Fred MacMurray is intrigued by her.Of course slimy blackmailer Porter Hall tries a little touch on both MacMurray and Lombard, MacMurray having done a stretch in jail as a juvenile. Later when Hall winds up murdered in Lombard's cabin, MacMurray moves the body and searches for the real killer. His only clue is that Hall had told him he had a third blackmail prospect on board the ship.Easier said than done because also sailing on the ship are five police detectives from different countries on the way to a convention in California. When Hall's body does turn up, they all want to have a little competition as to who can crack the case first.Sounds like a serious plot, but in fact it's a pretty breezy comedy with MacMurray and Lombard at their sophisticated best. One thing that was fascinating in the plot was that Mischa Auer and Sig Ruman being from the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany are playing detectives from the NKVD and the Gestapo respectively though that's hardly mentioned. Both are without their usual methods of investigation on the American cruise ship as is Tetsuro Komei for the Japanese. British Scotland Yard man Lumsden Hare and Surete detective Douglass Dumbrille round out our quintet of sleuths.Best in the supporting cast is Hall as the blackmailer though. Also good is George Barbier as the ship's captain and William Frawley who a quarter of a century later would co-star with Fred MacMurray in My Three Sons is MacMurray's agent.This was the second of four films MacMurray and Lombard did for Paramount in the Thirties. They were a good team together and don't get as much recognition as they should. Despite the Thirties fashions and music, the film holds up very well today. It's Carole Lombard at her best.

Combining the elements of a great screwball comedy with a murder mystery,Paramount again cast the great team of Carole Lombard and Fred MacMurray.Carole a down-on-her-luck publicity hungry actress enlists the aid of wise-cracking hefty Alison Skipworth and together they sail aboard a luxury liner en route to America.Lombard pretending to a Swedish princess befriends Fred MacMurray and pal William Frawley and all four form an uneasy alliance.Matters become complicated when Carole is suspected of murdering a blackmailer who knew her in Brooklyn.A pack of zany international detectives attempt to solve the crime in their bumbling fashion while MacMurray tries to find the murderer before he strikes again. This fine little comedy is ably directed William K. Howard with a wonderful supporting cast led by George Barbier(ship captain) suspects Porter Hall,Douglas Dumbrille,and egocentric detectives Sig Rumann,Mischa Auer,and Tetsu Komai.Surefire fun.