Folies Bergère de Paris (1935) User Reviews

Masquerade

[bkoganbing · 8/10 · 5 October 2009]

Fans of the Grand Boulevardier Maurice Chevalier get a double treat in this film with Maurice starring in a dual role, as a millionaire titled financier and as a song and dance man who looks like the aforementioned baron and has a happy knack for impersonating him. In fact his impersonation is the hit of the review that the song and dance man is starring in at the Folies Bergere.

Which gives some of the baron's confederates the idea to have the song and dance man replace the baron at a reception while the baron makes a secret trip to London where if he doesn't pull off a financial coup, his fortune is history.

The people most confused in this comedy of mistaken identity are Merle Oberon as the wife of the baron and Ann Sothern as the song and dance man's girl friend and partner. Nobody bothers to clue them in and most of the comedy revolves around them. Especially Sothern who has a nasty temper when she thinks she's being trifled with. And both Maurices are big in the trifling department.

Folies Bergere was the last American production that Maurice Chevalier would appear in for over 20 years until Billy Wilder's Love In The Afternoon. If you wanted to see Chevalier you had to live in a big city and hope one of his French films would be playing at an art house. Maurice did leave America in a spectacular way, the film has more glitz in it than anything else he was in since Paramount On Parade.

In fact Folies Bergere with its glamorous production numbers resembles a Warner Brothers product with Busby Berkeley choreography more than any of Chevalier's previous films. But with the title of Folies Bergere, 20th Century Films wanted to make it look as colorful as the real Folies Bergere was.

The score is serviceable and Darryl Zanuck had the good sense to include Chevalier standard Valentina in it. Chevalier first introduced this and recorded it in 1925. It was his first big hit and came from a Parisian revue and it launched his career as a star.

Eric Blore stands out in this cast as the baron's valet who is also not let in on the masquerade. His reactions and general demeanor are very funny indeed.

Fans of the eternal Maurice should not miss this one.

Masquerade in Paris

[lugonian · 7/10 · 15 April 2005]

FOLIES BERGERE De Paris (20th Century Pictures, 1935), directed by Roy Del Ruth, is the kind of movie musical that typifies the 1930s: mistaken identity, comical character actors, lavish sets, and production numbers in the Busby Berkeley manner. Starring Maurice Chevalier, it offers the legendary French entertainer the opportunity to play two separate characters that bear a close resemblance to one another, one being a music hall headliner with a clean-cut image whose trademark is his straw hat (like Chevalier), while the other sports a mustache, monacle and a touch of gray hair along his temple. Chevalier even gets to perform opposite two leading ladies, one his theatrical partner, the other, his wife. FOLIES BERGERE goes on record as Chevalier's last Hollywood musical for two decades, closing the chapter to this era in his career. Quite popular since his Hollywood debut at the Paramount studio in 1929, Chevalier returned to Europe where he occasionally appeared in movies abroad before beginning a new chapter in his career in 1957 when he returned to Hollywood once again where he would remain for another decade. As for Merle Oberon, she makes her Hollywood debut, appearing more exotic with her Javanese slant eyes and heavy make-up, compared to her more fresh and appealing features shortly after working under producer Samuel Goldwyn guidance where she performed in some of her best screen work, notably WUTHERING HEIGHTS (1939). Ann Sothern, a bright young blonde comedienne who found popularity in later years at MGM and on television, provides good opportunity in being both amusing and annoying as Chevalier's temperamental and jealous girlfriend, Mimi.     

The fun gets underway when Eugene Carlier (Maurice Chevalier), an entertainer at the Folies Bergere, doing a famed impersonation of the Baron Fernand Cassini (Chevalier), a banker, who, by chance, happens to be sitting in the audience with his stately wife, Genevieve (Merle Oberon). Because of a financial crisis that has put his fortune in jeopardy, the Baron decides he must acquire 20 million francs by leaving town to raise the needed cash. During his absence, Eugene is hired to impersonate the Baron at a social function in the home of the Baron. After being instructed in how to act and what to say, Eugene goes on with his masquerade. Because the deception is unknown to Genevieve, confusion arises, and when she learns of the plan, decides to have her fun with the entertainer, unaware that her husband has actually returned home earlier than expected, at the very moment Eugene had made his hasty departure to attend a performance. Believing the Baron to be Eugene, Genevieve finds herself flirting with her own husband. More confusion occurs when Mimi (Ann Sothern), Eugene's musical partner, mistakes him for the Baron, adding more enjoyment to the story long before it is over.      

On the musical program, songs include: "Valentine" (sung by Maurice Chevalier) by Andre Christian, Albert Willmetz, with English lyrics by Herbert Reynolds; "Rhythm in the Rain" (sung by Chevalier and Ann Sothern) by Jack Meskill and Jack Stern; "Au Revoir L'Amour,"  "You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth" by Harold Adamson and Burton Lane); "I Was Lucky" and the grand finale of "Singing a Happy Song" (sung and performed by Chevalier and Ann Sothern). "Rhythm in the Rain" is an entertaining production number inspired by "Singin' in the Rain," obviously, but is surpassed by "Happy Song," better known as "The Straw Hat Number," paying homage to Chevalier's prop and image, winning an Academy Award as Best Dance Direction, as choreographed by Dave Gould, beating out Busby Berkeley's more imaginable and longer production number of "The Lullaby of Broadway" from GOLD DIGGERS OF 1935 (Warner Brothers).

Unlike earlier night club musicals of the period, namely WONDER BAR (Warner Brothers, 1934) starring Al Jolson, FOLIES BERGERE does not take place entirely at the famous nightclub, but centers upon the entertainers who work there. The storyline comes between the opening and closing song numbers, where most of the plot is set at the estate of the Baron. At times, FOLIES BERGERE has that Warner Brothers musical feel, and no wonder? It's producer is Darryl F. Zanuck, the one responsible for the legendary 42nd STREET (WB, 1933), released a year before Zanuck formed his own production studio of 20th Century Pictures. At other times, it comes across like a Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musical because of its European background along with Astaire's frequent comic support of Eric Blore playing Francois. Others in the cast include Walter Byron as Marquis Rene; Lumsden Hare as Gustave; Robert Greig as Henri; Halliwell Hobbes, Ferdinand Gottschalk, Ferdinand Munier, Olin Howland, among many others.

More entertaining in the musical sense than with the story, FOLIES BERGERE was remade twice by 20th Century-Fox: THAT NIGHT IN RIO (1941) with Don Ameche and Alice Faye; and ON THE RIVERA (1951) with Danny Kaye and Gene Tierney, both produced in lavish Technicolor. Of the three versions, ON THE RIVERA happens to be the best known and televised while THAT NIGHT IN RIO comes a close second, leaving FOLIES BERGERE to be a seldom seen item. Almost forgotten today due to lack of revivals, and an oversight when the topic of musicals is concerned, FOLIES BERGERE is available for viewing, thanks to occasional broadcasts from cable television's Fox Movie Channel. With a bright score, interesting story, grand scale production numbers and Chevalier's masquerade as the Baron with a definite comedic flair, with occasional slow spots at times, Roy Del Ruth's direction makes much of this 81 minute musical-comedy quite palatable. (***)

Oberon Looks Ravishing

[Handlinghandel · 6/10 · 8 October 2005]

A risqué farce. Maurice Chevalier in a dual role is two more Chevaliers than I might want. But here he is amusing -- both as the performer and the Baron the performer impersonates.

There are two cute dance routines that seem patterned after Busby Berkeley.

Ann Sothern is, as always, a delight. She plays Chevalier's on-stage partner. Merle Oberon looks very exotic. The fist shots of her are breathtaking. Today, when ethnicity is less a matter of concern for stars, she might have retained that look. It could have made her an even greater draw. Truly, I have never seen her looking more beautiful.

D-e-l-i-g-h-t-f-u-l

[fsilva · 4 February 2006]

Simply marvelous music-comedy starring one of my favorites, Maurice Chevalier. Chevalier is at his usual debonair, charming, mischievous in this little gem of a film, impersonating entertainer Eugene Charlier and aristocratic Baron Fernand Cassini, with a very amusing plot based upon mistaken identity antics.

His two leading ladies are both gorgeous: lovely, beautiful,elegant, sophisticated, regal, Merle Oberon as the Baroness and gorgeous, down-to-earth, fiery, ravishing Ann Sothern as Mimi, Charlier's partner.

A couple of huge production numbers featuring Chevalier and Ann Sothern add for more fun.

Above all, those were the days when Hollywood had such gifted and priceless talented character actors as Eric Blore, Halliwell Hobbes, Robert Greig et al, who were fantastic playing a variety of butlers, sidekicks, serious politicians etc., supporting perfectly the stars.

Completely enjoyable classic film from start to finish. Try to catch it on the FOX Channel.

Maurice Chevalier in a fabulous Jessie Matthews type movie

[1930s_Time_Machine · 7/10 · 15 March 2023]

I had no idea this would be as good as it was. I had thought that the only musicals worthy of watching were Busby Berkley's famous four: 42nd STREET to DAMES, Fred and Ginger's at RKO and Jessie Matthews' at Gaumont-British since everything else was just a cheap, unimaginative copy. Now I know better - this is a great - what a revelation!

It doesn't start off too promising, the first ten minutes is just Maurice Chevalier doing his thing but then it steps into action so don't be put off by the beginning. This picture has everything and more you'd expect from an absolute top notch 1930s musical-comedy: a proper story, jaunty songs, romance, a genuinely funny script, likeable characters you're interested in, spectacularly choreographed dance numbers, a silly but not stupid plot and an overall uplifting, happy feel.

Because Daryl Zanuck, when at Warners oversaw the original Busby Berkeley musicals, you might have thought that when he started up Twentieth Century Pictures he'd simply try to copy his earlier success by making something similar. He was cleverer than that. Whilst Warner Brothers continued tiredly to churn out the same old story with the same old cast over and over again, each time getting worse and worse and worse, Zanuck gave us something different. We've still got a few Busby Berkley type routines but this is not really comparable say to the gritty glory of GOLD DIGGERS OF 1933, this is more of a traditional light comedy (if you were to compare it wouldn't be as good, but ten or twenty times better than '..of 35' or '..of 37') Even with directorial skill of Roy del Ruth, poached from Warners, the style of this is cleaner, more stylish, closer in feel to the Jessie Matthews musicals Gaumont-British were producing such as EVERGREEN - not just because they often feature her in a silly story of mistaken identity as well. In some ways Maurice Chevalier himself is a little like her inasmuch that what makes this film so enjoyable is the personality of its star. Like with Jessie Matthews, his personable and engaging personality simply gushes through the screen at you and you can't help feeling that he is smiling directly at you - he actually sings better than she does but he would certainly not look as good in one of her sexy dresses!

Very pleasant but not one of Chevalier's best

[planktonrules · 6/10 · 24 February 2008]

In the early to mid 1930s, Maurice Chevalier made some exceptional American films such as LOVE ME TONIGHT and THE MERRY WIDOW. While I usually am not a fan of Jeanette MacDonald films, his presence elevated them to great heights thanks to his on screen personality and lovely singing voice. While this film is fun and is well worth seeing, it is clearly several steps below these other films in quality--mostly because the script is a tad silly. The main idea is a giant cliché. The audience is supposed to believe that there are two men who are unrelated who look and talk exactly alike. While such an idea worked pretty well in THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER and THE PRISONER OF ZENDA, here the writing wasn't good enough to enable many audience members to accept this idea--especially because the two are so exact that even a wife cannot tell the difference! If you can ignore the central idea as well as the film going on a bit too long and having too many Busby Berkeley-style dance numbers, you are left with a film that is still worth your time and is a little better than your standard time-passer.

a smashing musical about mistaken identity

[didi-5 · 8/10 · 22 February 2009]

A double role for Maurice Chevalier here, as a performer at the Folies Bergeres plus a rich Baron he impersonates as part of his act. When misfortune hits the Baron, the performer finds an off-stage assignment which can only lead to fun for him and the audience.

Great musical numbers (especially Rhythm of the Rain and the finale with straw hats), strong casting (Ann Southern, Merle Oberon, and the hilarious Eric Blore), and a mixed identity plot which moves along with class and verve, 'Folies Bergere' is an extremely enjoyable example of Hollywood's 1930s flirtation with Europe.

Chevalier's last US role for more than a decade is perfect for him, and the dual roles showcase his acting skills as well as providing lots of chances for that old Gallic charm.

It's fun seeing all three

[mojo2004 · 5/10 · 3 December 2005]

The Fox Movie Channel showed all three versions of this story today starting with "That Night In Rio" then "On The Riviera" and ending with "Folies Bergere" I live Danny Kaye and Don Ameche so I won't pick a favorite I just like the idea of seeing different versions of the same film all at once.I also love old movies so this one was enjoyable too. Great musical numbers.No one misses the old movie houses more than me it's just not the same watching the films from the 30's,40's and 50's etc on VHS or DVD.My wish would be to have a bunch of same titled movies run on the same day in an old theatre and then turn up the lights and talk about them.This one is a great start.

Thank Heavens for Dual Roles!

[mark.waltz · 8/10 · 16 February 2013]

The first of three versions of this story, "Folies Bergere" is a lavish musical set in two worlds of French high society-nightclubs and the aristocracy with Maurice Chevalier outstanding in a dual role of a wealthy Baron and his look-alike nightclub performer who often parodies the baron in his act. Chevalier gets two leading ladies here, both lovely yet completely different. Merle Oberon is the sophisticated baroness often neglected by the Baron for business, while the simpler Ann Sothern is the performer's girlfriend and partner. There are two versions of the 1935 film, this American version and another in French, where Chevalier had two other leading ladies replacing his American co-stars here. It is amazing that since both films were made simultaneously, it doesn't show in Chevalier's performance, which is fresh, filled with energy and pizazz.

This can easily be compared to "The Prisoner of Zenda" and "The Prince and the Pauper", also stories involving a look-alike taking over a member of the nobility. Chevalier has several memorable production numbers: "Rhythm of the Raindrops" is a storm set production number where a ramp lights up like lightening as the dancers parade with umbrellas, and "Singing a Happy Song" features a slew of straw hats that range from regular size to enormous (the chorus girls even dance on them in kaleidoscopic fashion), Chevalier's best known trademark. This helped the movie win the dance direction Academy Award over Busby Berkley's classic "Lullaby of Broadway" (from "Gold Diggers of 1935").

Merle Oberon's unpretentious lady of nobility has a smile with a sly yet quiet sense of humor, while Sothern is perky, yet sweet and not common. They manage to instill likability into their performances, being much more than window dressing for the obviously focused Chevalier. This isn't as well known as it should be, but not as obscure as some other worthy musicals with lavish production numbers (1933's "Sitting Pretty" and "Moonlight and Pretzels" come to mind as titles worthy of more popularity than they have) yet why this one has never been released commerically on home video is a mystery in itself.

Maurice Chevalier Triumphs in a Double Role

[Kalaman · 20 December 2003]

Slight Spoiler.

I finally had a chance to watch "Folies Bergère de Paris", a delightful Fox musical comedy, directed by Roy Del Ruth and starring Maurice Chevalier, Ann Southern, and Merle Oberon. I was only familiar with the 1940 remake "That Night in Rio" (also excellent) starring Alice Faye and Don Ameche. I heard good things about this original version which is brisker and more tightly wound than the later version, and I wanted to see it very much.

In 1935 Fox filmed English and French versions of the story on the same set. The French version, simply titled "Folies-Bergère", was released in 1936. I saw the English version recently and it was fantastic.

In his Paramount musicals, most notably those of Lubitsch, Maurice Chevalier, with his lighthearted French accent and aggressive suavity, was the epitome of continental charm. Here in "Folies Bergere", he does an impressive job of personifying two distinct roles: playing the rowdy stage entertainer Eugene Charlier and an aristocratic banker named Baron Cassini, creating some very funny moments and entertaining plot twists. Chevalier is lively without overplaying the parts, though the roles lack the sexual aggressiveness he displayed for his Lubitsch work. Ann Southern does a fine job playing Chevalier's whining and annoying girl Mimi, later reprised by Carmen Miranda in "That Night in Rio". Merle Oberon in her first major starring role looks marvelous as the Baroness Genevieve Cassini, later played by Alice Faye.

"Folies Bergere" opens and ends with grand and rousing musical numbers. The first number is a very jovial one, a piece called "Rhythm of the Rain" featuring Chevalier effortlessly dancing and singing in the rain against the fake backdrop of the Folies Bergere. He is accompanied by Mimi and hordes of chorus girls carrying umbrellas. The final number - a Busby Berkeley-like extravaganza involving Chevalier and his fellow performers creating a gigantic hat worn by Chevalier himself - is an eye-popping piece of inspired choreography. This number is so merry and exuberant that you somehow forget the rest of the movie.

Del Ruth's direction is as always modestly graceful, and captures the atmospheric gusto and vivacity of the Parisian cabaret setting. This is my sixth of Del Ruth's movies and it is one of his best.

If you get a chance to see "Folies Bergere de Paris", make sure you do. You won't be disappointed. Even if you don't like this sort of stuff, it deserves to be seen, at least for Mr. Chevalier. This was one of his last distinguishable performances in the 1930s before returned to France and not to return to Hollywood until 1957 with Billy Wilder's "Love in the Afternoon".

Ann Sothern Dazzles!!!

[kidboots · 8/10 · 15 March 2019]

As 1934 blended into 1935 changes to the insouciant charm of the pre-code musical were clearly in place. Stolid and beige Nelson Eddy had usurped Maurice Chevalier's place beside Jeanette MacDonald who instead of saucy and provocative was now coy and kittenish. Chevalier had one last hurrah at boulevardier domination in a dual role in 20th Century's "Folies Bergere de Paris" with it's eye catching Busby Berkeley style dancers and formations. Then he was gone, presumably because of an inflated ego and salary demands but the public's taste in more generic style films may also have played a part.

Starts with a blast of boulevadier Maurice with a singing to the audience song "Valentine" and followed immediately by "Rhythm of the Rain" featuring glorious Ann Sothern which really had me wondering why she didn't go straight to the top!! In this she is sassy, peppy and so cute to look at. The song is pretty spectacularly done - very reminiscent of an earlier Chevalier song "Sweeping the Clouds Away". It had Busby Berkeley overhead camera movements including a bevy of chorus girls and umberellas with a finale featuring girls descending the clouds on glistening stairways. Oddly enough the song singled out for praise and awards was the kitschy "Singing a Happy Song" - there were girls emerging from giant hats, doing the cake walk atop straw boaters. The only thing missing and what was needed was a specialised dancer - Chevalier was terrific but his style leant itself toward intimacy not big scale production.

He plays Charlier, idol of the music halls who specialises in a satiric lampoon of the well known Baron Cassini, known for his wandering eye. When the Baron goes missing, trying to rustle up funds to pay back investors, his advisors find a replacement in Charlier. The fun comes about with mistaken identity - Mimi (Sothern) has been romanced by the Baron and decides to accept his invitation on the night of a ball where Charlier is there in his impersonation and where it is to be hoped that his charm will alleviate the disgruntled creditors. He also finds time to flirt with the icy Baroness Genevieve. Merle Oberon is initially glacial but very soon thaws and shows what a delightful personality she has. Everything soon sorts itself out - Eric Blore, Halliwell Hobbes and Robert Greig doing a bit of scene stealing and Walter Byron as the "other man", a part he had made his own through the proceeding years.

20th Century Pictures had been formed by Darryl F. Zanuck who was the producer behind "42nd Street" but afterwards parted company with Warners. So while the musical numbers may be viewed now as a homage to Berkeley, back then they were seen as a deliberate steal. This was Merle Oberon's first American feature and even though she wore some spectacular Omar Kiam creations, she didn't make much of an impression with the critics wondering why she thought the part would be worth while!!

One of the brightest musicals of the musical 1930's!

[JohnHowardReid · 10/10 · 20 October 2017]

Copyright 27 February 1935 by 20th Century Pictures, Inc. Presented by Joseph M. Schenck. Released through United Artists. New York opening at the Rivoli, 24 February 1935. Australian release: 5 June 1935. 9 reels. 83 minutes. U.K. release title: The MAN FROM THE FOLIES BERGERE.

SYNOPSIS: Baron hires an impersonator who falls for the Baron's wife.

NOTES: Academy Award, Dave Gould, Dance Direction (for the "Straw Hat" number in this film and the "I've Got a Feelin' You're Foolin'" number in Broadway Melody of 1936).

Re-made as That Night In Rio (1941) and On the Riviera (1951).

A dismal failure on Broadway, The Red Cat opened at the Broadhurst on 19 September 1934 and closed after only 14 performances. Reviews were uniformly scathing: "A dated comedy with an old-hat plot and threadbare situations." Bertram Harrison directed a cast that included Francis Lister (in a dual role as the entertainer who impersonates a look- alike nobleman), Ruth Weston, Tamara Geva, Rex O'Malley, Porter Hall, and Barnett Parker.

20th Century made a French version of Folies Bergére simultaneously with the English-language version. And I do mean simultaneously. I've not seen the French version, L'Homme des Folies Bergére, but an examination of the stills reveals that not only were exactly the same camera set-ups employed, but exactly the same extras occupy exactly the same positions in both movies. For this reason, the French version is officially credited to Roy Del Ruth, though the actors were actually directed by Marcel Achard, who translated (and some say improved) the dialogue, while Albert Willemetz re-penned the French song lyrics. Aside from Chevalier, most of the players were replaced. Natalie Paley was assigned the Merle Oberon role, and Sim Viva was Mimi. Others in the French version included André Berley, Jacques Louvigny, Fernand Ledoux, H. Ramsey Hill, André Cheron, Jules Raucourt, Ferdinand Munier, Marcelle Corday, Barbara Leonard, Georges Renavent, Albert Polet, Mario Dominici and Olga Borget.

COMMENT: The old The Guardsman plot — deduct five points for censorship emasculation — splendidly enacted by Chevalier and company, with Miss Oberon never looking more beautiful (soft focus photography by Barney McGill and costumes by Omar Kiam) or Miss Sothern more sexy.

Director Roy Del Ruth's marvelous sense of comedy and expert timing makes the most of the witty screenplay. The songs are delightfully tuneful and include two fabulous production numbers — Gould won the Dance Direction Academy Award for 1935 — that out-Busby Berkeley. These musical numbers rejoice in sharp photography by Peverell Marley. Richard Day's magnificent sets are also a joy to behold and the sound recording could not be bettered today. The smooth film editing reflects Hollywood craftsmanship at its best. The film is a credit to all involved. Truly outstanding entertainment.

A charming confection with lovely music

[rick_7 · 8 April 2010]

Folies Bergère de Paris (Roy Del Ruth, 1935) is a Lubitsch-like confection with numbers inspired by the kaleidoscopic choreography of Busby Berkeley. It's also among the best films I've caught this year. The story sees a vaudeville entertainer (Maurice Chevalier with his familiar persona) impersonate a baron (Chevalier again), leading to romantic complications for both. Ann Sothern is the entertainer's good time gal, with Merle Oberon the baron's flighty wife. It's witty and invigoratingly entertaining, with a fine performance by Chevalier in his dual role and a top supporting cast that includes Eric Blore, Robert Greig and Halliwell Hobbes. Despite the enjoyable plotting, the film's finest moments come through the slew of great numbers at both the beginning and the end of the film. The Singing a Happy Song finale, which won an Oscar for dance direction and features several hundred straw hats of varying sizes, is really something, but all the tunes are great: Valentine, Rhythm of the Rain, Au Revoir l'Amour and You Took the Words Right Out of My Mouth. This was Chevalier's last Hollywood musical until Gigi, 23 years later.