What it’s about
Countess Helene Mara (MacDonald) leaves her foppish fiancé (Allister) at the altar and escapes to Monte Carlo in only her lingerie, with her maid (Pitts) in tow. She poses as a wealthy aristocrat even after losing what is left of her money at the roulette tables. Count Rudolph (Buchanan) is smitten with her beauty from afar and pretends to be a hairdresser to get close to her. “Rudy” becomes her trusted servant…and perhaps more…but when her jilted groom shows up, Helene must choose between money and true love.
Why we love it
German born Lubitsch’s follow-up to “The Love Parade” has him working again with chanteuse MacDonald, this time pairing her with Scottish music hall star Buchanan. In just one year, technology had evolved, lending this film a more fluid style, as illustrated in the train sequences which stunned audiences with their rhythmic musicality. MacDonald registers strongly in her risqué nightgowns and even manages to generate some sexual chemistry with the less-than-macho Buchanan. Fans of sophisticated comedy should visit “Monte Carlo.”