User Reviews

'The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo' has a good script, mid-level production values and a fine performance by Colin Clive in a villainous role. The great theatre director Joshua Logan was peripherally involved in this film (without credit); his autobiography 'Josh' mentions his participation but does not discuss the movie in detail.

This movie got its title (and premise) from a once-popular music-hall song performed by the Englishman Charles Coborn (not the American actor Charles Coburn). Ronald Colman stars as a White Russian nobleman who has fled the revolution and now ekes out an existence in Monte Carlo. When he manages to break the bank at the casino, the casino directors are delighted: surely the publicity will bring more suckers (I mean gamblers) to the tables. But Colman gives an interview in which he acknowledges that his lucky streak was against the odds, and he warns others to save their money and stay away from the casino!

The casino directors try various stratagems to lure Colman back to the tables. Eventually they hire Joan Bennett to pretend to be romantically interested in Colman, planning to lure him back to the casino. (Surprisingly, Colman falls for this: he's just been widely publicised as a man with a potful of casino winnings, yet he assumes that Bennett is interested in him for himself.) It's no spoiler to reveal that she genuinely falls for him. But Colman doesn't know that Bennett has a husband: namely Colin Clive, who is becoming homicidally jealous...

Colman is good in this film, but Clive (in a smaller role) gives a better performance. There was a basic coldness to Colin Clive which made him more effective in sinister roles than in heroic ones. Bennett is bland in a predictable role. Nigel Bruce is good (as usual) in an atypical role as Colman's valet, a fellow Russian expat: wisely, Bruce does not attempt a Russian accent. A sequence in the Swiss alps (via 20th Century-Fox's backlot) is not very convincing. The photography is excellent, the editing and sound recording less so. Nunnally Johnson's sparkling dialogue is up to his usual standard. I'll rate this enjoyable film 7 out of 10.

This 1935 Twentieth Century release was shown on cable recently. Not having a clue as to what it was all about, we decided to take a look lured by the people behind the production. Nunnally Johnson, one of the best men in the business was credited as one of the screenplay writers. It was directed by Stephen Roberts.

Paul Gaillard, a Russian exile living in Monte Carlo loves to try his hand in the casino. When his winnings surprise everybody while playing in, the managers device a plot to lure more innocent people to gamble. They have figured the new bettors will not have the same luck as Paul, who having his feet on the ground figures this was an accident and he must not push his good fortune, so he decides to stay out of gambling.

By hiring the intriguing Helen Berkeley to attract the attention of Gaillard, the managers of the casino figure he will come back to throw his money at the gambling tables. Helen, who pretends to like Gallard at first, ends up falling in love. The way to do it is by telling Paul she has to do it in order to save her brother Bertrand of his creditors.

Ronald Colman, one of the most distinguished actors of the period is seen as Paul Gaillard. Joan Bennett plays Helen. The best thing though is Colin Clive, who is seen as Bertrand. This actor practically steal the film. Also Nigel Bruce appears as Gaillard's Russian valet.

Based on a famous music hall song of the same name, the title of this film is fulfilled in the first scene! Ronald Colman clears the casino out and then gives a newspaper interview condemning gambling. The casino then puts Machiavellian plans into action to get him back into the casino and relieve him of his money. Colman is suave, debonair and has charisma as his middle name in this outing, sadly his co-star and the object of his affections, Joan Bennett does not match him and even taking into account the 'twist' in the plot, gives rather a cold performance. Colin Clive, 30's leading man and ever to be remembered as Dr Frankenstein, gives rather a one note performance as a conniving baddie and already looks a little care worn from the TB and chronic alcoholism that would lead to his demise just two years later. Nigel Bruce pops up now and again as Colman's right hand man and has his moments but the piece doesn't particularly play to his strengths. Colman as a Russian nobleman is quite preposterous anyway but he gets away with it with charm. The casino scenes are strong and at an hour and a quarter the film doesn't outstay its welcome.

It takes the Ronald Colman charm to make his mark on the roulette wheels of the rich and idle in this light- hearted and charming dramatization of the classic song. Reunited with the lovely Joan Bennett after a six year absence, he still has the panache that he had as Bulldog Drummond and the craftiness of Raffles. Ignore the fact that he's supposed to be of Russian nobility and speaks with a high-class British accent (as do his servants, particularly valet Nigel Bruce) and j st adore the lavishness of this production.

Interestingly enough, this starts with him winning the bank and vowing never to return to Monte Carlo again. In his journeys enjoying the carefree life, he meets Bennett and at first, she spurns him. But unable to win her over, he follows her everywhere, convincing the head waiter in a Swiss resort to book every table so she's forced to sit near him and eventually arranging to meet her on an Alp. But when Bennett, now seemingly hooked, asks him to take her to Monte Carlo, he finds himself tempted. Will he manage to break the bank again, or is she part of some larger scheme to help un-break the bank?

Stylish, witty and fast moving, this is one of those unbelievable stories that truly doesn't matter simply because of Colman's total charm, Bennett's striking beauty and Bruce's droll delivery of his lines. A ton of well known character actors have bit parts, many familiar only by sight, but a few actors with cult followings that become bigger every day rather than dissolve with time. The same year at, Colman would score a huge hit as a character whose influence affected tales in two cities, but here, he proves what a capable comic he was.

OK, he only sings one line a few times over in front of the bathroom mirror, but ladies might go "Oooh! Is he singing??" Ronald Colman plays the dapper gentleman, ever confident. However, this film is a waste of his charm. He and the ever-aristocratic Nigel Bruce, both such thoroughly classy English gentlemen, are supposed to be Russian exiles. You know how Russians always sound like well-spoken Englishmen, right?

Colman somehow wins a major fortune in the casino in Monte Carlo. Hard to swallow, but OK. Harder to believe, he is 40-something, charming, gorgeous, and now incredibly rich, yet has no wife nor women in hot pursuit of him. Instead he is in pursuit of Joan Bennett, who keeps reappearing wherever he goes. She is very wooden and stands out no more than any other young blonde, yet of course in typical 30s movie fashion, Colman instantly declares his deepest love for her and proposes. It's too contrived to be cute.

The scene in the fake Alps caused me second-hand embarrassment. Ladies will again "oooh" when he tries to lift her down. Maybe her smoking while hanging there is what won him over? Bennett's character lacks depth, and I couldn't cheer for their romance.

For the record, I like Joan Bennett. She was lovely and became a good actor. In her first film opposite Colman, "Bulldog Drummond," she was dreadful. This film six years later wasn't much of an improvement. In 1934, she looked lovely and charming as Claude Rains' wife in "The Man Who Reclaimed His Head," but I digress.

Always nice to see Ronald Colman all dressed up and acting debonair, but sadly this film seemed like a silly throwaway to me.