Expensive Husbands

1937 "Your name my be Rupert...But it ought to be Bill...BILL...BILL!"
4.9| 1h2m| en
Details

Unable to get work in her home country, Laurine Lynne (Beverly Roberts) travels to Vienna where her press agent, Joe Craig (Allyn Joslyn), convinces her to marry royalty. The lucky fellow is Prince Rupert (Patric Knowles), an impoverished nobleman now working as a waiter. Do the two of them fall in love despite this marriage of convenience?

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Reviews

WillSushyMedia This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.
Gurlyndrobb While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.
Yash Wade Close shines in drama with strong language, adult themes.
Lachlan Coulson This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.
ksf-2 Prince Rupert (Patric Knowles) is working as a waiter in a hotel, and tells actress Laurine Lynne (Beverly Roberts) exactly what he thinks of her acting abilities. She is conflicted; at first, she is insulted, but then realizes he is right. Then, through a wacky transaction, they are married -- she wants a title to further her career (?) in return for money to be given to the Prince. It's a Warner Brothers B shortie, at only 62 minutes, so don't expect a whole lot. And they both have a servant/sidekick for comedic reasons. There are some choppy edits, and what must have been some deleted scenes (why are they in jail ??) but the picture and sound quality are mostly good. A couple fun little touches, like the fast, fancy dancing and twirling at dinner in the restaurant, or the bit where the maids make up the honeymoon bed. The acting was mostly good, for lesser known names, but both the script and the editing were pretty bad. And Knowles seems to be channeling Eirk Rhodes from Gay Divorcée in a faux Italian accent. All the secrets are explained a the end, but the pacing is not smooth... very jumpy and awkward. Directed by Bobby Connolly, who had a background in dance and choreography. Connolly died quite young at 46... no cause of death listed.
David (Handlinghandel) The plot is mildly amusing, hough familiar. A movie star down on her luck thinks marrying into nobility will help. A man with a pedigree is down on his luck. We first meet him as a (supposedly) adorable waiter, doing things only a nobleman can do when trying to make a little money on the side. Guess what happens.This movie tries for screwball. It tries for light romance. It ends as a screwed up lightweight mess.The supporting cast is OK. But Beverly Roberts is highly unconvincing as a glamorous star. She is not the picture of femininity, to put it politely. She seems sort of a cross between Mercedes McCambridge (from the neck up) and Anthony Quinn as his body might appear in a frilly gown. That may give an idea of her, and the movie's, appeal.
Arthur Hausner I must confess that neither Beverly Roberts nor Patric Knowles are among my favorite stars, and this movie showed me why. Their love scenes are unconvincing. The screenplay doesn't help either, since it can't decide to be a romantic comedy or a musical At one point, a group of maids do a production number, which was very jolting and out of place. Knowles is an impoverished prince working as a waiter and Roberts is a movie star on a European promotional trip. He is very honest and tells her that her movie love scenes are very bad, causing her to be angry. (He's apparently a good critic.) When her agent (Allyn Joslyn) tells her she lost a part because the one who got it had married a count, and suggests she marry some royalty, she advertises for one! Naturally, Knowles gets the job. Though it was supposed to a marriage of convenience, she awaits him on her wedding night. He wants her to give up acting, so she goes back to Hollywood in a huff. Of course, Knowles follows, and it is easy to predict the ending because of the unfeminist attitudes of the 1930's. I don't know how the movie did at the box office, but I would have been annoyed I paid money to see it.