I ordered this from a rather dumpy company that sells old films they have transferred to DVD. I wanted it because I love Colbert. This is a giant film. I have never seen a Hollywood movie with such an authentic French feel. Colbert's role is fascinating. There is a lot of Camille, Back Street and even Gypsy in the story. Colbert's character goes through a lot of changes and Claudette was so totally in charge; this is arguably her finest hour. Marshall was perfect as a man who could not be more different from Colbert. The secondary cast is magnificent, in particular, Bert Lahr in a serious role. Why this one never became a real classic is hard to understand. The attention to detail and the classy way Cukor unfolds the story makes it fly by. Turner Classic Movies needs to pick it up. This is the sort of thing I could see becoming steady viewing for those who love old movies. I expect to see it a half dozen times more before sharing it with friends. And until a couple weeks ago, I had never heard of it.
After four more viewings I had to amend my rating from 9 to 10. This movie is about as good as it gets.
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