Paramount introduces leading man for the ages Cary Grant to filmgoers as of all things a cuckold in this tired romantic comedy with little of either to show for it. Poorly written and miscast, it simply rings hollow with the graying and bumbling Roland Young (Topper) trying to keep his affair with Grant's wife (Thelma Todd) under wraps as they set off for a brief vacation in Venice.
In order to keep things discreet Gerald Gray (Young) employs Germaine (Lila Damita) to get the javelin throwing Steve Mathewson (Grant) off his back while he keeps his wife Christine (Todd) on hers. The conspiracy is dreadfully obvious however without a hint of sly wit that is crucial to bedroom comedies of this nature. Frank Tuttle proves he is no Lubitsch or Sturges but I'm not certain they could have done much better with the anemic script and poor casting of the entire dramatis personae who fail to get up much velocity in this early screwball. Limp and lacking spark, abound with cloying performances, This is the Night is lights out early.
In order to keep things discreet Gerald Gray (Young) employs Germaine (Lila Damita) to get the javelin throwing Steve Mathewson (Grant) off his back while he keeps his wife Christine (Todd) on hers. The conspiracy is dreadfully obvious however without a hint of sly wit that is crucial to bedroom comedies of this nature. Frank Tuttle proves he is no Lubitsch or Sturges but I'm not certain they could have done much better with the anemic script and poor casting of the entire dramatis personae who fail to get up much velocity in this early screwball. Limp and lacking spark, abound with cloying performances, This is the Night is lights out early.