Betsy Sharkey’s film pick of the week: ‘Trouble in Paradise’
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It doesn’t get much better than the lightning-fast, perfectly timed tete a tete of two charming cons in director Ernst Lubitsch’s 1932 delight, “Trouble in Paradise.” It’s a favorite of mine. And it’s one of the best examples of the great comic mind -- an excellent choice to kick off LACMA’s July tribute to Lubitsch at the museum’s Bing Theatre, 7:30 Friday night as the first in a double dose of laughter. “Desire” will follow around 9 p.m.
With Lubitsch’s masterful pacing and sense of timing, “Trouble in Paradise” becomes breathless fun as Miriam Hopkins’ Lily and Herbert Marshall’s Gaston flirt their way toward disaster, relieving the unsuspecting of pocket watches, jewelry and cash with the slightest sleights of hand. In one of the film’s best moments, they discover each others’ “talents,” match wits, trade bon mots and pilfer each others “assets” at dizzying speed.
Trouble comes in the form of the rich lovely Madam Mariette Colet (Kay Francis), whose fleecing could set them up for life -- if Gaston doesn’t fall in love first, that is. Setting the stage for the romantic whirlwind of “Trouble” will be Lubitsch’s daughter Nicola, what fun.
And if you miss “Paradise,” which you should try not to, don’t miss Lubitsch. He understood the power of the big screen and this is your chance to experience it just as he wanted us to. Still to come are more Lubitsch classics before the series wraps with another film I’m fond of, “Heaven Can Wait” on July 31. Who knew there was such a tough gatekeeper for the fiery furnace below all those fluffy clouds and angel wings.
-- Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times film critic
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