One Rainy Afternoon (1936) User Reviews

This could only happen in France

[bkoganbing · 6/10 · 27 April 2018]

When you see a cast that contains such folks as Roland Young, Hugh Herbert, Mischa Auer, Donald Meek, Erik Rhodes, Eily Malyon, and Richard Carle in the cast it's almost an obligation to watch the film. All these are in the cast filling out roles you would expect of them supporting leads Francis Lederer and Ida Lupino.

This could only happen in France where they are a bit more permissive. And it could only work for a charming guy like Francis Lederer. Don't try this here unless you're Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise. One afternoon Lederer who is opening in a revue shortly decides to spend an afternoon at the cinema with a woman he's dating and do the things couples do at the movies. Only Lederer gets the wrong row and when he reaches over and plants a big wet on Ida Lupino she's started and screams. when she's startled.

When the lights go on and everybody in the theater jumps into their business Lupino is willing to just let it all drop. But Eily Malyon best remembered as the parish housekeeper in Going My Way is there and happens to be the head of the Purity League. She insists on bringing a complaint against Lederer and the gendarmes haul him off to the pokey.

The court scene is pretty funny too as Judge Donald Meek looking for a few jollies has Lederer, Lupino, and Malyon who wants Lederer boiled in oil give their accounts of this incident.. Theater manager Roland Young fires Lederer from his revue, but his popularity among the French public skyrockets.

As was said by another reviewer this is a film that Maurice Chevalier should have done. But as Chevalier went back to France and was unavailable, Lederer is a good substitute.

Does all this lead to romance? Watch this charming comedy and find out.

One drippy afternoon is more like it

[jjnxn-1 · 6/10 · 1 August 2013]

Middle thirties studio fodder that would be completely forgotten if it didn't have Ida Lupino in one of the star parts. She's very young although starting to move away from the English Jean Harlow mold the studio tried forcing her into when she first arrived. Her voice is still high and light not having yet acquired the smoky whiskey tinge that was to come within a few years. Some fun is provided by two members of the supporting cast, the always reliable Roland Young and the buffoonish Hugh Herbert plus Ida and the forgotten Francis Lederer make an attractive couple but this is a minor romantic comedy nothing more.

Charming romantic comedy well worth watching

[gimhoff · 2 January 2005]

When a European setting was considered necessary for a "sophisticated" romantic comedy and a "prestige" production, "One Rainy Night" delivered not only the setting, but also the European screenwriters and even the European lead -- Francis Lederer doing a passable Maurice Chevalier-like singing turn. The main plot is a trifle, as is appropriate for romantic comedy. Lederer plays a stage actor who accidentally kisses a stranger (Ida Lupino) in a darkened movie theater, when he thought he was kissing his married lover (billed as Countess Liev de Maigret). Lederer is prosecuted as a masher at the insistence of a public morality committee. At trial, he can't tell the true reason he kissed Lupino, so he says he was overcome by her beauty; the trial makes him a popular celebrity and his stage play a hit, and it starts a romance between Lederer and Lupino.

Lederer is a charming romantic lead and Lupino is radiant in an uncharacteristic early role as a sweet, innocent girl. Unfortunately, they have little chemistry between them, which is the weak point of the movie. But the supporting cast, including the always reliable Roland Young, Hugh Herbert, Donald Meek, Eric Rhodes, and Mischa Auer playing their usual characters, are all given either extended scenes or bits of business that keep the movie light, sparkling, and enjoyable. And Rowland Lee's direction is up to his usual high standard.

Kissing to Be Clever

[wes-connors · 4/10 · 22 April 2011]

In Paris, "Incorrigible Philippe Martin, a rakish actor, has arrived at a darkened movie theater for a tryst with his married girlfriend Yvonne. Everything changes when he accidentally sits in the wrong seat and kisses a beautiful publisher's daughter named Monique. To protect Yvonne in the ensuing scandal, he claims that Monique's beauty was irresistible. Now Monique is intrigued, but her fiancé is anything but happy," according to the fine folks at Mill Creek Entertainment.

This is a mostly unsuccessful romantic comedy from the intriguing production team of Mary Pickford and Jesse L. Lasky. She was, of course, THE film sweetheart last appearing in "Secrets" (1933) and he was the likewise legendary former Paramount Studios boss. "One Rainy Afternoon" was the first of two films from Pickford and Lasky, both starring Ida Lupino. The second was better, but they stopped there. Interestingly, you can see traces of Ms. Pickford in Ms. Lupino's character - these parts look like they might have appealed to Pickford herself. Leading man Francis Lederer receives star-billing, but is lesser remembered today; he was a versatile and convincing actor. Everyone delivers competent, albeit uninspired, work.

Interesting, too, is that two of filmdom's very first popular players appear as uncredited extras. They are Florence Turner and Florence Lawrence, two of the movies' first genuine "STAR" actresses. Popular for several years, they were still big enough to appear in the first annual "Motion Picture Story Magazine" players poll, for 1912; Ms. Lawrence was #8, Ms. Turner was #11, and an up-and-coming Pickford appeared at #12. Pickford passed them in the next year's poll.

**** One Rainy Afternoon (5/13/36) Rowland V. Lee ~ Francis Lederer, Ida Lupino, Hugh Herbert, Roland Young

Not great....

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 24 March 2013]

"One Rainy Afternoon" is an American remake of the French film "Monsieur Sans-Gêne". I have no idea if the French film is any good or not, all I know is that "One Rainy Afternoon" became VERY tiresome almost as soon as it started! This is due to a terrible miscasting of Francis Lederer in a comedy--and his abilities with comedy were nonexistent. A fine actor, yes, but a comedian, no way! In addition, there is a lot of Hugh Herbert in the film and my theory about his films is that the more of him in a movie, the less I'll enjoy it. High laugh just pierces my brain and makes me want to scream.

As for the plot, it's VERY contrived and not enough to support an entire full-length film. Lederer is going to meet a married woman at the theater but instead of sitting there and kissing her in the dark, he accidentally kisses a stranger (Ida Lupino). What makes this so unendurable is everyone's reaction to this--like the world is about to end or something! To base an entire film on such a faux pas--what a mistake and the film comes off as very forced and unfunny.

UPDATE: I saw this film again recently and think the original review a bit too severe. I now admit that the film, while seemingly endorsing sexual harassment, has some charm nevertheless.

picnic basket of huge comedians

[ksf-2 · 8/10 · 21 April 2020]

Picture quality is pretty rough at the beginning, but this thing is already 85 years old, so i guess we should just appreciate still having it around. Produced by Mary Pickford, it stars Francis Lederer as Philippe, who is planning on meeting his (married) girlfriend in a Paris Theater. He mistakenly kisses the wrong girl, Monique, played by Ida Lupino. this starts a huge uproar in Paris, as the President of the Purity League was also in the theater. and no comedy would be complete without Donald Meek. and Erik Rhodes and Hugh Herbert. Roland Young (Topper!) this one is just loaded up with the best comedians. and we sit through the whole court case as they demand to know why Philippe kissed a girl. kind of like Much Ado about Nothing! a kissing caper. fun. moves right along. ice skating. Directed by Rowland Lee, who had directed some biggies, Count of Monte Cristo and Three Musketeers. Pickford played such a HUGE role in all aspects of films over her career, although it seems to have stopped when she divorced Fairbanks in 1936. THIS film was one of the last ones she produced. looks like she mostly retired from the biz when she married Buddy Rogers. Definitely catch One Rainy Afternoon if you can find it... Roland Young does a really FUN version of "Rainy Afternoon"!

Don't need this on a rainy afternoon

[AAdaSC · 4/10 · 28 September 2010]

Philippe Martin (Francis Lederer) is a struggling actor who accidentally kisses Monique (Ida Lupino) in a darkened cinema thinking that she is someone else. This incident causes a scandal which goes to court. In the meantime, Philippe's stage career takes off and we end with a theatre performance where the story depicts the recent events and we even have a song about it.

This film isn't very good despite having 2 good main actors in the lead roles. I expected more from Lederer and Lupino but there just wasn't anything in the script to deliver. The film is about an incident which is not capable of carrying a whole film. It also contains a very annoying Hugh Herbert as "Toto" who is given comedy music when he appears, which is all the way through the film. His character helps ruin the film. But it is a film with a nothing story to begin with. Shame the two main actors wasted their time with this.

The Silly vs. The Amusing

[dougdoepke · 22 December 2019]

It's a darkened theatre where Phillipe leans over to kiss his philandering girlfriend Yvonne. But it's not her he mistakenly kisses; instead, it's an uptight young Monique who's instantly insulted and causes a commotion. From there events spiral away in Hollywood fashion, such that Phillipe may lose his acting job, go to jail, and get a "monster" reputation. Talk about a mountain out of a molehill: it's that in spades. Good thing for Phillipe that Monique eventually takes a shine to the handsome actor.

It's a hard movie to rate, since it mixes so much cuteness with so much silliness. Too bad comic actor Herbert does his silliness bit in about every scene. It's like pouring sugary gravy on more flavorful soup. Still, lead actor Lederer as Phillipe manages an upbeat charm; at the same time, a youthful Lupino gets a dewy-eyed ingenue role as Monique, a long way from a hardened Road House (1948). And get a load of Eidy Malyon, President of the Purity League, who may make you rethink the notion of kindly old ladies that amounts to the movie's masterstroke. Also, Roland Young gets an amusing role as a theatre owner driven to frazzle. And I especially like that courtroom sequence where the Judge, Donald Meek, slowly comes unglued

Anyway, the comedy's a difficult mix of the silly and the cute. Nonetheless, you may find the 81-minutes a worthwhile gamble.

Overdone but still delightful!

[JohnHowardReid · 8/10 · 20 November 2015]

Super-attractive Countess Live de Maigret, a big wheel in Hollywood society, made only two movie appearances, of which this is the second. First up was China Seas (1935). Her role in this one is short but important. However, the main intent of the movie is obviously to showcase Francis Lederer and to surround him with an equally talented cast headed by Ida Lupino, Hugh Herbert, Roland Young, Donald Meek, Erik Rhodes and Joseph Cawthorne. Personally, I feel we see a little too much of Mr. Herbert and that he way outdoes his trademark "comic" routines, but I guess you could make the same comment about the other character players as well. Although she has the main female role, I found it slightly annoying that director Roland V. Lee allowed her to be continually upstaged by the character players. This said, however, One Rainy Afternoon is a very agreeable movie with first-rate production values and above all, a sense of fun. Available on a very good Alpha DVD. Don't be put off by the lousy credit titles which seem to have been duped from a dupe of a dupe. The movie itself is very good condition.

Charming & Delightful Romance

[morgan-51-540422 · 8/10 · 4 September 2019]

This was wonderfully enjoyable! Men probably disagree since it is most definitely Woman's Movie!! The leading man is almost too handsome and then he smiles!! Wow! Plus, Ida Lupino is so young & gorgeous! I doubt the film maker was hoping for an Oscar but an offering of romance and comedy!! Why not!! It's perfect in that category!!

Fun Romantic Comedy

[winstonchurchill-93755 · 8/10 · 27 May 2018]

This is a fun romantic comedy which relies upon Ida Lupina's face expressions to do much communication. This is an under rated enjoyable movie w lots of laughs. Ida is terrific.