Normally, the "über-vamp" role that Marlene Dietrich plays in this film is exactly the sort of clichéd role I hate in a film. However, in this case having her play some supremely beautiful "goddess" actually works since the film is so often played for laughs and doesn't take itself too seriously--a definite plus in my opinion. As a result, it's a very good romantic-comedy that is worth a look.
Marlene plays a "gold-digger"--you know, a woman who is out to snag a rich husband and romance is at best secondary. When she meets older and very ordinary looking short rich guy (Roland Young), she instantly pretends to be in love with him. At about the same time, she also meets a rugged ship's captain (Bruce Cabot). You can tell that sparks are flying between them, but she resists because he isn't rich and so she ardently pursues Young throughout most of the film.
However, all this is thrown for a loop when a couple foreigners see Marlene and recognize her as a "good time girl" they'd met in St. Petersburg, Russia. So, in order to convince Young that she is as sweet and innocent as she's pretended to be, she invents the notion that this is a cousin. But, when he isn't totally convinced, Marlene begins to play both roles. This is EXACTLY the sort of funny situations this movie desperately needed to inject some life into it. As a result, it's cute, well acted and paced and one of Dietrich's better, though not so famous, films.
Marlene plays a "gold-digger"--you know, a woman who is out to snag a rich husband and romance is at best secondary. When she meets older and very ordinary looking short rich guy (Roland Young), she instantly pretends to be in love with him. At about the same time, she also meets a rugged ship's captain (Bruce Cabot). You can tell that sparks are flying between them, but she resists because he isn't rich and so she ardently pursues Young throughout most of the film.
However, all this is thrown for a loop when a couple foreigners see Marlene and recognize her as a "good time girl" they'd met in St. Petersburg, Russia. So, in order to convince Young that she is as sweet and innocent as she's pretended to be, she invents the notion that this is a cousin. But, when he isn't totally convinced, Marlene begins to play both roles. This is EXACTLY the sort of funny situations this movie desperately needed to inject some life into it. As a result, it's cute, well acted and paced and one of Dietrich's better, though not so famous, films.