We watched an old Claudette Colbert/Don Ameche film, "Midnight", last night. It was co-written by Billy Wilder, and had some great dialogue. It's not surprising that many 1930s films have a girl trying to hook a rich husband, but falling in love with the poor guy and giving all the glamor up. It must have made millions of young women feel noble for struggling and supporting their out-of-work spouses. The message is: Don't yearn for wealth, it won't bring you happiness, and these rich people are mostly jokes.
Don Ameche was so gorgeous in this movie. He outshone Colbert by a mile. She really was in interesting actress, though. She wasn't beautiful, or even pretty, but she had a great voice and could really act. John Barrymore is in it, and is light and funny in a way I haven't seen him on film. And there is Mary Astor and a host of familiar comedians. The movie is silly, but charms hugely.
The title is a reference to Cinderella having to leave the ball by midnight, and it's so clever it sets the tone and also tells the whole plot. In real life you don't get the prince, and really wouldn't want him, as he's not much fun and dull as dust.
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