The Duchess of Buffalo

This delightful farce has an Isadora Duncan-like dancer performing in Russia, protecting her dashing Russian lover while fending off a lecherous Grand Duke [and his jealous Grand Duchess]. At a provincial hotel, she and her lover are mistaken for the Grand Duke and Duchess and must keep up the royal charade. The real royalty, when they arrive, are of course treated as imposters, with many comic complications. Constance Talmadge and Tullio Carminati prove to be not only expert comedians but also share pleasing romantic chemistry. The direction is sophisticated and fast-paced, and only the Grand Duke is allowed to occasionally overplay his performance. The title is ironic, as Talmadge is definitely not the Grand Duchess. Oddly, while the setting seems contemporary to 1926, the presence of royalty suggests that the Russian Revolution never took place! Once again, Hollywood treats history elastically.