Dinner at the Ritz

Entertaining mystery for 30s film fans with decent dialogue and a plot that moves along smartly. Although predictable, the plot elements seem logical. David Niven is his usual charming self, and handles his confused love interest with a believable flair. One `groaner' moment near the end when the bad guy doesn't do you-know-what.

For French movie star Annabella, Darryl F. Zanuck was like God - he gaveth and he taketh away.

While he was in a giving mood, he starred her in 1937's "Dinner at the Ritz," also starring David Niven, Paul Lucas, and Francis L. Sullivan.

The scene is Paris. A banker, Racine, is giving a party at his estate, when he is shot dead. Racine had been troubled by problems at his bank - a conspiracy, in fact, that could be its downfall.

He had sent a letter naming six men who are most likely the guilty ones. However, the letter doesn't arrive. The police rule the death a suicide.

His daughter (Annabella) is sure it was murder. She sets out to learn the truth and perhaps recoup money for her father's customers.

This quest takes her to Monte Carlo and London, and she at different times disguises herself as Spanish royalty and Indian royalty.

This is a sophisticated film, replete with beautiful gowns, real European locations, and some light comedy. A problem, however, was that at that point, Annabella's accent was not easy to understand. In spite of this, she is very good.

Then one day Annabella walked onto the set of Suez and met her costar, Tyrone Power. They fell in love. Contrary to popular belief, studio heads did not want their romantic leading men married.

When Zanuck saw the wedding bells on the wall, he offered Annabella three films that were to be made in Europe. Hmm.... Movies.... Tyrone Power...Guess what she chose. And Zanuck stopped her star build-up.

Annabella and Tyrone did radio and stage work together, and after their divorce, she returned to France. After an unhappy second marriage, Power visited her and asked to reconcile. However, it was too late.

That all happened later - see Annabella and David Niven, who in fact were to be involved in a tragedy in 1946 when Niven's wife died in the Power home, in happier times.

Dinner at the Ritz was done while David Niven was making his first visit back to the old country. Sam Goldwyn who made as much money with Niven by selling his services to major studios as using Niven himself, lent him out to 20th Century Fox for this European production.

The chief recommendation for Dinner at the Ritz is the location shooting in Paris, Monte Carlo, and London. It was good for American audiences to see the real deal as opposed to studio set recreations. It wasn't bad for our audiences to see the beautiful Annabella who would be marrying Niven pal Tyrone Power shortly.

Annabella is the daughter of a banker who allegedly commits suicide after telling her he was going to confront one of a group of six men who pulled off a swindle on his bank. Of course Annabella doesn't believe it, neither does detective David Niven who's after these guys for other crimes.

Since we already know who the murderer is, there's no real suspense in Dinner at the Ritz. It's whether she can catch them and prove it and will she realize Niven ain't one of the gang.

I will say this, the gimmick used to get her father's money back is pulled off with quite a bit of style.

Look for some good performances by Francis L. Sullivan and Paul Lukas as two of the gang of six. But the film really could have used some Hitchcock touches.

Stewart Rome's bank has gone bust, and Rome has been trying to track down the swindlers who conned him. Then he seems to have committed suicide, leaving his daughter, Annabella, to penniless as the auction of his effects and belongings will go to his depositors. Meanwhile, Romney Brent is trying to get the name of the six men who did the swindle. It's in a letter from Rome, but the bad guys, led by Paul Lucas and Francis L. Sullivan are trying to get their hands on it before the authorities, in the person of David Niven do. When Annabella is in Monte Carlo, deliberately losing at baccarat to enable a jeweler to get top dollar for his wares, they all meet.

It's a preposterous series of events, carried on the charms of Annabella, and she does a very good job of it, both in her native guise, and imitating a Spanish noblewoman. Brent worked with Roland Pertwee on the screenplay, and director Harold Schuster seems to have been trying for a screwball comedy. The result is erratic, but always watchable. With Frederick Leister, Bill Shine, Nora Swinburne, and an uncredited role for Patricia Medina in her first screen appearance.

The plot reveals itself early, there isn't any suspense to speak of and most of the jokes are weak. However! There are some bright spots:

If you remain interested after the first 45 minutes, you will find more jokes to be entertained by, although some of these moments are merely incidental. Shooting on-location in Europe provides a welcome change of pace. The dialog, which is smoothly and stylishly delivered by a "classic" cast of capable actors, adds to the film's overall camp value. The cast provides some worthwhile moments, but you must be patient. I also enjoyed the costumes but if I am going to watch a movie from this era solely for costumes and dialog, this wouldn't be my first pick. If you like film from this era (I do) and already are familiar with the cast (I am), then I might recommend it. If you are not familiar with the period and the actors, I recommend finding something else to watch. The film isn't immensely popular so if you've come this far then you probably know what you're getting into.