{"id":33127,"date":"2014-03-31T10:07:20","date_gmt":"2014-03-31T17:07:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=33127"},"modified":"2020-12-19T21:39:00","modified_gmt":"2020-12-20T04:39:00","slug":"history-is-made-at-night-1937","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=33127","title":{"rendered":"History is Made At Night (1937)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;I didn&#8217;t know then &#8212; he hates everybody, mostly himself.&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<table>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/History-is-Made-at-Night-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/History-is-Made-at-Night-Poster-198x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"198\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-33129\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/History-is-Made-at-Night-Poster-198x300.jpg 198w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/History-is-Made-at-Night-Poster-84x128.jpg 84w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/History-is-Made-at-Night-Poster.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 198px) 100vw, 198px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nA sociopathically controlling millionaire (Colin Clive) refuses to allow his wife (Jean Arthur) a divorce, attempting to blackmail her by putting her in a compromising situation with her chauffeur (Ivan Lebedeff). Ironically, this set-up leads her to meet the love of her life &#8212; a chivalrous French headwaiter (Charles Boyer) who intervenes and whisks her away to his restaurant, where he wines and dines her with assistance from his loyal chef-buddy, Cesare (Leo Carrillo). However, Clive&#8217;s jealous clutches remain so strong that Arthur is unable to get away, and she and Boyer are temporarily separated &#8212; though Boyer will do whatever he can to find her again.\n<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>\n<p>\n<strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Charles Boyer Films<\/li>\n<li>Colin Clive Films<\/li>\n<li>Frank Borzage Films<\/li>\n<li>Jealousy<\/li>\n<li>Jean Arthur Films<\/li>\n<li>Star-Crossed Lovers<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Review: <\/strong><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Frank_Borzage\">Frank Borzage<\/a> directed this unabashedly romantic tale of star-crossed lovers determined to reunite. Arthur has never been lovelier (her performance is typically stellar), and Boyer taps into his most appealing romantic-lead strengths as her ardent pursuer. Less impressive &#8212; though arguably well-cast &#8212; is Colin Clive (in his final role before dying from tuberculosis at just 37 years old) as Arthur&#8217;s husband-from-hell. Clive&#8217;s &#8220;Bruce Vail&#8221; is a stereotypically vile baddie; while we certainly believe he&#8217;s vindictive enough to stop at nothing to prevent his wife from leaving him, a bit more nuance would have strengthened his characterization. Also distracting is the comic-relief role played by Leo Carrillo as Boyer&#8217;s conveniently loyal buddy &#8212; an Italian with a Chico Marx accent (working in a top French restaurant!?) who literally drops everything time and again to help out his friend; a running joke about his famous lobster dish and salad feels stale from the get-go. With that said, this remains classic Hollywood soaper material, served up with visual panache by director Frank Borzage (channeling Ernst Lubitsch) and cinematographer David Abel. It possesses a <a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0029002\/board\/thread\/182668787\">small but solid fan base<\/a>, who value Boyer and Arthur&#8217;s romantic chemistry and Clive&#8217;s unrepentant villainy. Despite its flaws, this one&#8217;s worth a one-time look if you can catch it.    <\/p>\n<p><strong>Note:<\/strong> Reading a bit more about <a href=\"http:\/\/www.allmovie.com\/artist\/frank-borzage-p82529\">Borzage&#8217;s background<\/a>, I found myself wondering if Carrillo&#8217;s accent was an homage of some kind to Borzage&#8217;s Italian-speaking stonemason dad? I was also glad to finally be informed that his name is pronounced &#8220;bor-ZAY-gee&#8221; rather than rhyming with &#8220;corsage&#8221;.    <\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities and Moments: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Jean Arthur as Irene Vail<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Arthur2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Arthur2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-33135\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Arthur2.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Arthur2-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Arthur2-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Charles Boyer as Paul Dumond<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Boyer.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Boyer.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-33130\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Boyer.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Boyer-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Boyer-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Fine cinematography and direction<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Cinematography.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Cinematography.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-33131\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Cinematography.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Cinematography-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Cinematography-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Cinematography2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Cinematography2.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"720\" height=\"540\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-33132\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Cinematography2.png 720w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Cinematography2-128x96.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/More-the-Merrier-Cinematography2-300x225.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 720px) 100vw, 720px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nNo, though it&#8217;s certainly recommended. <\/p>\n<p><strong>Links: <\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.imdb.com\/title\/tt0029002\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.allmovie.com\/movie\/history-is-made-at-night-v22566\">All Movie Guide Review (major spoiler alert!)<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.timeout.com\/london\/film\/history-is-made-at-night-1937\">Time Out Capsule Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;I didn&#8217;t know then &#8212; he hates everybody, mostly himself.&#8221; Synopsis: A sociopathically controlling millionaire (Colin Clive) refuses to allow his wife (Jean Arthur) a divorce, attempting to blackmail her by putting her in a compromising situation with her chauffeur (Ivan Lebedeff). Ironically, this set-up leads her to meet the love of her life &#8212; a chivalrous French headwaiter (Charles Boyer) who intervenes and whisks her away to his restaurant, where he wines and dines her with assistance from his&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=33127\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-33127","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-reviews"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33127","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=33127"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33127\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":58555,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/33127\/revisions\/58555"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=33127"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=33127"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=33127"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}