A Gentleman of Paris

This is the keynote role for Adolphe Menjou: he underplays the sophisticated clotheshorse, elegant, disdainful and a bit decadent, a role he played -- when he wasn't playing Runyonesque losers -- from 1917 through 1957's PATHS OF GLORY. In fact, Mr. Menjou was proudest of the fact that he usually made the best-dressed lists and it was as much his witch-hunting testimony before HUAC that caused a disintegrating film industry to decide they could find someone else to play his roles at better rates.

In this movie, Menjou is about to be married, and is advised by his prospective father-in-law to give up his euphemistic morning exercises and boxing kangaroos. He is prepared to do so, but when he and his valet discover that among his conquests is the valet's wife, all societal hell breaks amusingly loose.