One Hour With You (1932)

One Hour With You - 1932

Coming up next is 1932's "One Hour With You", starring Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald as a happily married couple whose marriage will soon be tested by the arrival of the wife's "good" friend.

The film's supporting cast includes Genevieve Tobin, Charles Ruggles, Roland Young, Josephine Dunn, Richard Carle, and George Barbier.

Dr. Andre Bertier and his wife Colette are a happily married couple.  One night before bed, she tells him that the next day she's expecting a visit from her good friend (and total flirt) Mitzi, and she wants Andre to meet her.

The next morning, Andre is out on some business and unknowingly bumps into Mitzi.  It's raining and they share the only cab available.  He gets out after a while and she goes on to see Colette.  Mitzi is VERY taken with Andre.

Colette is so happy to see Mitzi.  "How's the professor?" asks Colette.  Mitzi smiles, "Which one do you mean?"  Colette laughs, "The one that you married."  And Colette smirks back, "Oh, he's still on the scene."

Mitzi and Colette go out onto the terrace, where Colette tells her about how wonderful her life is and what a good husband Andre has been.

Andre comes in and Colette "introduces" him to Mitzi.  They don't let on that they've met previously.  Andre looks at the camera.  "My wife thinks I am a darling.  And my wife’s friend thinks I’m cute.  It’s a terrible situation.  And I am determined not to weaken.  We’ll see."

That afternoon, Mitzi fakes an illness.  Colette sends Andre to go and treat her.  He doesn't want to, knowing that Mitzi wants to start an affair.  Colette insists.

He goes and Mimi instantly feels better.  Her husband walks in and thinks that Andre is after his wife.

Later on, Colette and Andre are throwing a dinner party.  Colette gets a phone call from an ardent admirer.  She tries to put him off, but he tells her that he's coming to the party, and he wants to spend every minute with her.

Andre is dismayed to see that Colette has been seated next to him.  Not wanting to encourage her, he switches her place card with a woman named "Mademoiselle Martel".

Colette comes in and sees what he's doing.  She accuses him of disliking Colette.  In her mind, she's also thinking that he wants to sit to this Martel woman because he wants to start an affair.

Colette confides to Mitzi that she thinks Andre is being untrue.  Mitzi is nervous that Colette suspects her.  When she finds out Colette has the Martel woman in mind, Mitzi relaxes.  She tells Colette that she knows just what to do.

She goes in and switches her place again with Mademoiselle Martel, so that Colette will keep on suspecting the other woman.

Colette sees Andre and Mademoiselle Martel having a good time and gets jealous.  She starts to pay more attention to her admirer than she should.

During the dancing, Colette nervously watches as her husband dances with Mademoiselle Martel.

Mitzi starts dancing with Andre, and Colette relaxes, thinking there is now nothing to worry about.

She later joins Andre on the dancefloor, and the two dance and sing "One Hour With You".

Mitzi follows Andre outside and undoes his bowtie.  She scurries away in time to see Colette come and think that Andre has been engaging in some not so subtle behavior.  She goes into the garden and collapses into tears.

As she's leaving, Mitzi tells Andre that she'll be in a cab at the corner waiting for fifteen minutes.  He tells her no.  She, however, waits in the cab anyway.

After everyone is gone, Colette accuses Andre of an affair.  He vehemently denies everything.  No amount of convincing will change Colette's mind.  Andre decides to go with Mitzi.

Colette spends some time with her admirer, thinking that two can play the game of affairs.

The next day, Andre and Colette clear the air and come clean about everything.  They fall into each other's arms and share a kiss.

Cast rundown:

   Maurice Chevalier.............................Dr. Andre Bertier

   Jeanette MacDonald.........................Colette Bertier

   Genevieve Tobin..............................Mitzi Olivier

   Charles Ruggles...............................Adolph

   Roland Young..................................Professor Olivier

   Josephine Dunn...............................Mademoiselle Martel

   Richard Carle..................................Henri Dornier

   George Barbier................................Police Commissioner

And that's it for One Hour With You.  Although Chevalier/MacDonald collaborations were and still are popular, this is my least favorite of their films together.  It just doesn't work for me.  Their married happiness falls apart when one suspects the other of something that hasn't even happened (at that point).  This drives them into the arms of others, only for them to go on as if nothing happened the next day.  Maurice Chevalier and Jeanette MacDonald also did a French version of this film.  This movie is notable for being one of the few films of the period which showed a married couple sleeping in the same bed.

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