Directed by legendary filmmaker Ernst Lubitsch, Trouble in Paradise (1932) is a quintessential pre-Code romantic comedy starring Herbert Marshall, Kay Francis, and Miriam Hopkins. Set against a lavish European backdrop, the film opens in Venice, where debonair master thief Gaston Monescu (Marshall) meets a charming fellow pickpocket, Lily (Hopkins). Realizing they are kindred spirits in crime and sophistication, the two fall head-over-heels in love and join forces as partners in high-society theft.
Seeking their next big payday, the duo moves to Paris and
targets Madame Mariette Colet (Francis), the glamorous, immensely wealthy head
of a famous perfume house. Gaston manages to return a diamond-encrusted handbag
he previously stole from Mariette, earning her immense gratitude, a hefty cash
reward, and a position as her personal secretary. Lily joins the household as
his typist, positioning the pair to orchestrate a massive embezzlement scheme
from within Madame Colet’s opulent estate.
Complications arise as Gaston spends more time with his
employer. Mariette’s effortless charm and undeniable elegance begin to
captivate Gaston, leading to a passionate mutual attraction that threatens to
derail the heist. With jealous suitors snooping around, Lily suspecting her
lover’s shifting loyalties, and a high-stakes robbery hanging in the balance,
Gaston finds himself caught in a delicate, witty game of love and deception.
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| Kay Francis, Herbert Marshall, and Miriam Hopkins |
Ernst Lubitsch (1892 – 1947) was an influential
German-born director, producer, and actor who became one of Hollywood’s most
revered filmmakers. Beginning his career in Germany's silent film industry, he
moved to Hollywood in the 1920s and developed a celebrated directorial style
known as “the Lubitsch Touch”—characterized by visual wit, urbanity, and subtle
double entendres. His acclaimed works include Trouble in Paradise (1932), Ninotchka (1939), The
Shop Around the Corner (1940), and To Be or Not to Be (1942).
Miriam Hopkins (1902 – 1972) was an American
actress who became one of early sound cinema’s leading stars, known for her
sharp intelligence, screen intensity, and comic timing. She frequently
collaborated with director Ernst Lubitsch, delivering memorable performances
in The Smiling Lieutenant (1931), Trouble in Paradise (1932),
and Design for Living (1933). She was also nominated for an
Academy Award for her title role in Becky Sharp (1935), the
first feature-length Technicolor film.
Kay Francis (1905–1968), born Katharine Edwina Gibbs
in Oklahoma City, rose to prominence on Broadway before
transitioning to Hollywood in the late 1920s, quickly becoming Warner Bros.’
highest-paid actress during the mid-1930s. Renowned for her striking dark hair,
sophisticated glamour, and distinct minor lisp (often substituting ‘r’ sounds
with ‘w’), she excelled in high-fashion melodramas and romantic comedies,
including Trouble in Paradise and One Way Passage (1932). After
serving extensively with the USO during World War II, Francis retired from
acting in the late 1940s and lived a quiet, private life until her death from
breast cancer at age 63.
English actor Herbert Marshall (1890–1966) was born
in London and began a promising stage career before serving in World War I,
where he suffered a severe leg injury that resulted in a prosthetic limb—a
condition he masked so gracefully on screen that few audiences ever noticed.
With his velvet-smooth baritone voice, impeccable dignity, and suave charm,
Marshall became a major Hollywood leading man in the 1930s and 1940s, starring
in masterpieces like Trouble in Paradise, The Letter (1940), and The
Razor’s Edge (1946). He remained a sought-after character actor in film,
radio, and television until his death from heart failure at age 75.
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Trouble in Paradise trivia
Banned by the Production Code: Because the film
portrays crime as romantic and financially rewarding without moral punishment,
it was withdrawn from circulation in 1935 after the Hays Code began strict
enforcement, remaining unshown for decades.
Director’s Favorite: Director Ernst Lubitsch
frequently cited Trouble in Paradise as his personal favorite among all
his films, praising its visual fluidity and tone.
On-Set Rivalry: Co-stars Miriam Hopkins and Kay
Francis reportedly had a tense relationship off-camera, competing over billing,
wardrobe, and screen time throughout production.
Prosthetic Triumph: Despite Herbert Marshall having a
wooden leg from his wartime injury, Lubitsch directed him to walk long
distances and climb stairs seamlessly, keeping the actor's physical limitation
invisible to audiences.
Discussion questions
How does Trouble in Paradise embody the unique
freedom of pre-Code Hollywood cinema compared to films made just a few years
later?
In what ways does Ernst Lubitsch use visual touches—such as
doors, shadows, and subtle props—to convey romantic and sexual subtext without
explicit dialogue?
Between Lily and Mariette, how do the female leads represent
different ideals of femininity, independence, and social class in 1930s cinema?
Does the film present a sympathetic view of Gaston’s
criminality, or does it serve as a subtle commentary on wealth inequality
during the Great Depression?
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