"A Gentleman of Paris" (1927) stars Adolphe Menjou in a rôle that somewhat defines the type of characters he would play in the following decades, a rather licentious, two-timing, incredibly suave and well-dressed, fastidious cad who the viewer tends to like anyway - - - up to a point - - - or more properly, puts up with. Here the Parisian dapper is engaged to a general's (Lawrence Grant) daughter (Shirley O'Hara), but is having several affairs, including one unwittingly with his valet's (Nicholas Soussanin) wife (Ivy Harris), whom Menjou didn't realize was married to his valet! Meanwhile, M. Henri Dufour (William B. Davidson) has come to a trysting place to have it out with Menjou over his (Dufour's) wife (Arlette Marchal), but during the confrontation is hoodwinked (and flummoxed) by Menjou's showing him that his (Dufour's) wife is not there (even though she IS, of course). A very funny scene. But...Menjou has to be caught sometime, oui? Well, maybe not. Yet something is in the cards...
I really enjoyed this until the end(ing)... I'm sorry for myself, but while I would have given this at least an 8/10, or even higher - had it ended with some common sense - OR SOME WIT!!! - it didn't. It was the Lubitsch touch that was missing. It ended, not quite like a Warner Brothers gangster picture, but like a Tiffany Production comedy might. I'll not tell the ending, but you won't like it. Just watch for all the reels before the ending. Menjou is marvelous in a 20s sophisticated European way put on by Americans. And, brother, could the man dress. His valet, Nicholas Soussanin, is quite the valet, too. But the man who finally gets a decent part - William B. Davidson - outdoes himself in this one. Too bad he isn't allowed to be at an ending where wit or some realistic judgement was the denouement, rather than an ending that looks like the money ran out and FINIS looked better than a wise-ass laugh.
