History Is Made at Night (1937)

What a freaking movie. So many twists and turns. Absolutely intense from start to finish.

There are better movies of two hours length. I loved the actress'performance.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

This is one of Frank Borzage's greatest films, in its amazing mixture of comedy and drama, tragedy and passion and, like in all his films, the redemption by destiny.Charles Boyer is, as always, the perfect lover and both supreme and totally convincing as such, while Jean Arthur with her husky voice, trying to get away from the jealous clutches of her cruel husband, is the right girl to fall in his arms, and it happens in such a way (by destiny), that she can but laugh out her husband, who by his intrigues planned the opposite and accidentally opened her real love life.There are many aspects to this film, and the art of cooking plays an important part with Leo Carrillo more important as the chef than the multimillionaire Colin Clive, the mortally jealous husband, who will stop at nothing to get his wife back and thereby only causes derailments.At the same time it's a great catastrophe film, both Hindenburg and Titanic are reminded of, but you'll never guess what really happens.Charles Boyer was definitely one of the greatest lovers in film history, if not the greatest, more convincing as such than even Rudolf Valentino, and you can always rely on his acting. He made some of the greatest of all love films, like "Love Affair" with Irene Dunne (remade many times) and "All This and Heaven Too" with Bette Davis, and this one of Frank Borzage's should not be overlooked in the context, Jean Arthur once more being the right girl in the right place. Their scene at Victor's is one of the great moments of truth in the annals of romantic films.

Jean Arthur, Charles Boyer, Colin Clive, and Leo Carrillo star in the big-budget "History is Made at Night," directed by Frank Borzage and released in 1937.Arthur plays Irene Vail, who has divorced her wealthy husband Bruce (Colin Clive), but he won't accept it. He hires his driver to fake an adultery situation with Irene while she is in Paris, which voids the divorce.Before that can happen, a headwaiter, Paul Dumond (Boyer) rescues her by pretending to be a thief and stealing her jewelry. Bruce has arrived to "catch" Irene, but he winds up in the closet, while the chauffeur is knocked out. Paul rushes out with her and returns her jewelry while they drive around Paris.Paul takes her to a restaurant, Château Bleu, where he works with his good friend Cesar (Carrillo). Paul and Irene fall in love. Unbeknownst to them, Bruce has murdered the chauffeur. He blames Paul and forces Irene to return to New York with him.Paul travels to New York to try to find her. He and Cesar obtain work in a fancy restaurant. He reserves a table for Irene, knowing she will eventually come there.This lovely film, beautifully acted by Boyer and Arthur, takes a surprising turn -- well, it was a surprise to me -- that makes for an exciting finale. Of interest, Irene and her husband are set to travel on the Hindenburg, which actually caught on fire and fell from the sky a few months later.This was Colin Clive's last film, sadly, as he was stricken with pneumonia and died at the age of 37 a few months later. The wonderful Boyer, so suave and with his to-die-for accent, actually didn't seem to have much vanity. He wore a toupee for movies, but all other times, including those when he was out in pubic, he did not. He and Arthur make a sweet couple. Arthur could do drama and comedy equally well.Romantic and atmospheric - it's so hard to believe that some of these films were made on sets.

Frank Borzage couldn't decide what he wanted to make: a light comedy,a thriller,a romance,even an epic!It's an entertaining work ,but it is not in the same league as his masterpieces:"mortal storm" "three comrades" "strange cargo" "little man what now?" "moonrise" " a farewell to arms" "the river" "no greater glory" etc .Borzage's interest in Europa -which made him one of the first directors to feel the rise of Nazism- shows in the first part which takes place in France.One should notice that his France (French's honor!) is not devoid of the usual clichés: Boyer portrays a Latin lover type, part time waiter ,part time gentleman Cambrioleur ,in the Arsene Lupin tradition,and he treats Irene (Arthur) to a delicious gourmet meal (everyone is a gourmet in France) complete with vintage Champagne,Salade Chiffonnade (sic) and Lobster Cesare ....Boyer's ventriloquist act is quite successful,although that talent of his is of no use in the rest of the film.Bruce's character verges on madness ,his jealousy knows no bounds .When he appears the light comedy turns into thriller.But it's the last part of the film which perplexes the viewer.It's so unexpected it seems we are in another movie.When the luxury liner crashes into an iceberg (you read well) ,Borzage makes "History...." a "Titanic" in miniature complete with "women and children first!" "nearer to thee my God" and harrowing separations.And I will not mention the happy end which comes at the most awkward moment."History..." lacks unity,cohesion;by no means boring ,it cannot hold a candle to Frank Borzage 's great works which I mention above.

This mixture of suspense, comedy, and romance might seem unlikely to work, but it does, due to director Borzage's vision of a love that magically transcends even the most dire of obstacles. This movie is in love with love and the improbable, and in some ways is a Cinderella story almost in reverse (including the removal of a lady's slippers on two occasions). Arthur and Boyer are lovely together. Some of their scenes, luminously lit and heightened by Alfred Newman's lyrical score, are heartbreaking: their beautiful voices are almost like cellos. (Newman wrote a number of such tender and yearning scores in the thirties, including those for "Stella Dallas" and "These Three.") There's also an interesting paralleling of the love/passion that Arthur's husband has for her and that Boyer's friend has for him, although one is destructive and the other nurturing. Years ago there was a local radio station in San Francisco that played short clips from films and invited listeners to identify the film and the actors and thereby win a prize. At that time I had never seen "History," but knew of it and its two stars, and was therefore able, on hearing the distinctive voices of Arthur and Boyer, to identify the film and be awarded a free fancy haircut.