'Cluny Brown' had a good deal going for it. The big draw is the cast, it is hard to resist a cast that includes Charles Boyer, Jennifer Jones, Helen Walker, Reginald Owen, Una O'Connor and Richard Haydn. Am also a fan of Ernst Lubitsch, responsible for many great films ('Trouble in Paradise' and 'The Shop Around the Corner' being favourites) and with a very distinctive style.
Mostly 'Cluny Brown', interesting for being Lubitsch's last completed film, works. It is not one of Lubitsch's best by any stretch, with uneven stretches, but even when Lubitsch was not at his best he fared much better than many directors at their worst and there are directors who could only dream of being on his level at his very finest. 'Cluny Brown' is good fun and charming, as well as hardly being a waste of the fine talent in front of and behind the camera.
Admittedly the story is disposable, there really isn't much of one and it can get silly and muddled in the more eventful parts. Peter Lawford did seem somewhat bland compared to the rest of the cast.
While most of the humour is fine, that referencing Nazism felt heavy-handed and not particularly tasteful. Compared to the light-hearted tone of the film in general, it did jar.
However, 'Cluny Brown' is beautifully filmed and designed. Lubitsch brings enough of his distinctive directing style and "Lubitsch" touch expertly. The music is like the film itself, lively and elegant. A few stumbles aside, 'Cluny Brown' sparkles in the comedy, with the satire having bite and punch with enough subtlety in the mix. The romantic element is sweet and charming and the whole film goes at a sprightly pace.
A large part of 'Cluny Brown's' appeal is the cast. Charles Boyer is delightful while Jennifer Jones radiates on screen and has a lot of spirit. The support is excellent, especially from Reginald Owen and a particularly hilarious Richard Haydn.
Overall, uneven but a very pleasant and fun film. 7/10 Bethany Cox
Mostly 'Cluny Brown', interesting for being Lubitsch's last completed film, works. It is not one of Lubitsch's best by any stretch, with uneven stretches, but even when Lubitsch was not at his best he fared much better than many directors at their worst and there are directors who could only dream of being on his level at his very finest. 'Cluny Brown' is good fun and charming, as well as hardly being a waste of the fine talent in front of and behind the camera.
Admittedly the story is disposable, there really isn't much of one and it can get silly and muddled in the more eventful parts. Peter Lawford did seem somewhat bland compared to the rest of the cast.
While most of the humour is fine, that referencing Nazism felt heavy-handed and not particularly tasteful. Compared to the light-hearted tone of the film in general, it did jar.
However, 'Cluny Brown' is beautifully filmed and designed. Lubitsch brings enough of his distinctive directing style and "Lubitsch" touch expertly. The music is like the film itself, lively and elegant. A few stumbles aside, 'Cluny Brown' sparkles in the comedy, with the satire having bite and punch with enough subtlety in the mix. The romantic element is sweet and charming and the whole film goes at a sprightly pace.
A large part of 'Cluny Brown's' appeal is the cast. Charles Boyer is delightful while Jennifer Jones radiates on screen and has a lot of spirit. The support is excellent, especially from Reginald Owen and a particularly hilarious Richard Haydn.
Overall, uneven but a very pleasant and fun film. 7/10 Bethany Cox