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| Tovarich - 1937 |
Coming up next we have 1937's "Tovarich", a story about displaced Russian nobility who find work in Paris as house servants. Little do they know that in taking this position they are set to do Russia a very great service.
The film's cast includes Claudette Colbert, Charles Boyer, Basil Rathbone, Anita Louise, Melville Cooper, Isabel Jeans, Maurice Murphy, Gregory Gaye, Fritz Feld, Doris Lloyd, and Ferdinand Munier.
Mikail and Tatiana may seem just like a normal down-on-their-luck couple living in Paris. However, they are not a normal couple. He is Prince Mikail Ouratieff and she is his wife, Grand Duchess Tatiana Petrovna, niece of the last czar.
And while they, themselves, are living in abject poverty, they have some surprising assets, including nearly 40 billion francs entrusted to them by the czar before the revolution. The President of the Bank of France wants the money to fund a counter-revolution in Russia, touting the couple as being the savior's of Russia should it succeed. Mikail, however, refuses what he knows will be a fool's errand.
Faced with a lack of personal finances, Mikail and Tatiana read an advertisement in the newspaper. A wealthy family is seeking a butler and a maid. They feel they would be perfect for the job, for who could know more about etiquette and what is required of the job than they?
To conceal their identities, they re-invent themselves as "Michel" and "Tina", former servants of the Prince and Grand Duchess. Of course, they come with nothing but the highest references.
They go to meet with their prospective employers, who are oil-rich Charles and Fermonde Dupont.
They are given lodgings, food, clothes, and the use of the car once a week. However, they are tasked right away with seemingly insurmountable tasks. They must locate a lost dog, a lost shoe, mend a dress, and iron a tie...all within the space of five minutes...or else they can hit the pavement.
Everybody is shocked when they actually pull it off. Nobody, however, is more shocked than "Michel" and "Tina", who are delighted to be able to stay on with the Duponts.
Surprisingly, it is the Dupont's children, Georges and Helene, who take an even greater liking to their new butler and maid. Impromptu fencing lessons, Russian folk-singalongs, and cocktails abound.
The pair went to spend as much time as possible with the help, even fancying themselves in love (he with Tina, she with Michel). They take up learning Russian, lose a small fortune at cards, and even want to help with the laying of the table before a New Year's Eve dinner party.
After the table is laid, Madame Dupont informs Michel and Tina who the guest of honor is to be: Soviet Commissar Dimitri Gorotchenko.
"Michel" and "Tina" apprise the Duponts of the tactics that Commissar Gorotchenko used on their former employers, the Prince and Grand Duchess, during the Russian Revolution. Both were tortured and humiliated. The Duponts are, naturally, shocked and appalled.
"Oh, I do hope you're not going to think about these awful things when you're serving the soup," pleads Madame Dupont.
Events take a turn when during the course of the evening, "Tina" is recognized by one of the guests as Grand Duchess Tatiana Petrovna and curtsies deeply to her.
The Duponts are absolutely flabbergasted when they realize that they've been employing royalty and now they are to come face to face with the man who caused them untold personal injury.
It turns out that Mikail and Tatiana were not exaggerating. Commissar Gorotchenko is every bit as nasty as they said he was.
He takes every opportunity of humiliating them during the course of the evening.
He further intrudes upon them when he arrives in the kitchen unannounced. Tatiana wants him gone. "But it’s my recollection that once Madame was a
Grand Duchess of Russia," says Gorotchenko. With a fixed gaze, Tatiana replies, "I am always a Grand Duchess." He then informs her that as such she is the highest ranking lady in the house and therefore the hostess, and any slight to a guest would be a serious breach of etiquette.
Gorotchenko informs them that he came to the house with a purpose. Knowing that they were there, he wanted to plead with them for the 40 billion francs they are keeping for the czar. Various factions want to split Russia's oil amongst themselves and he needs the money to be able to keep Russia intact. Tatiana urges Mikail to give the money, knowing that this is what the czar would wish: to keep Russia whole. Gorotchenko is sufficiently moved to offer them safe passage to Russia and a few other concessions should they choose to ever return.
They refuse. After the party is over, Mikail and Tatiana dress to attend a Russian New Year's Eve party, to which they've invited Georges and Helene. They appear in all their finery (made possible by their winnings from cards).
The Duponts want them to stay on as servants even though they've been outed as a prince and grand duchess. It takes some doing, as Mikail and Tatiana are determined to leave.
"Oh, why did you have to be born a grand duchess
and a prince when good servants are so hard to get?" asks Madame Dupont. Eventually, "Michel" and "Tina" agree to stay.
They are thrilled that they get to stay in a place where they've been happy. After embracing, they hurry to their party, where, as Michel says, "You may break everything at a Russian party...windows, lamps, musical instruments, and
possibly a few hearts." Before they go, however, they put out the milk bottles and empty the wastebasket.
Cast rundown:
Claudette Colbert..............................Grand Duchess Tatiana Petrovna
Charles Boyer....................................Prince Mikail Ouratieff
Basil Rathbone..................................Commissar Dimitri Gorotchenko
Anita Louise......................................Helene Dupont
Melville Cooper..................................Charles Dupont
Isabel Jeans......................................Fermonde Dupont
Maurice Murphy.................................Georges Dupont
Gregory Gaye....................................Count Frederic Brekenski
Fritz Feld..........................................Martelleau
Doris Lloyd.......................................Madame Chauffourier-Dubieff
Ferdinand Munier...............................Mr. Van Hemert
And that's it for Tovarich. Screen rights had been obtained so that Marion Davies could star as the Grand Duchess. However, Warner Bros. ultimately went with Claudette Colbert, which was a major reason Davies left the studio. Colbert fought with the director for most of the filming. She demanded that the cinematographer be fired after she felt he wasn't filming her according to her wishes. She liked to be filmed only from the left side. Conversely, Charles Boyer liked to be filmed only from the right side. The director refused to give in to Colbert's demands, resulting in constant feuding for the duration of the filming session. It's a wonderful film, though. If you can at all get a chance to view it, grab it!
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