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Romance in the Dark

  • 19381938
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 17m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
62
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
John Barrymore, John Boles, and Gladys Swarthout in Romance in the Dark (1938)
  • Comedy
  • Music
  • Romance
Romance in the Dark is a 1938 film directed by H. C. Potter and starring Gladys Swarthout, John Boles, John Barrymore, and Claire Dodd. It is one of five movies produced by Paramount in the ... Read allRomance in the Dark is a 1938 film directed by H. C. Potter and starring Gladys Swarthout, John Boles, John Barrymore, and Claire Dodd. It is one of five movies produced by Paramount in the 1930s featuring Gladys Swarthout, a very popular Metropolitan Opera mezzo-soprano. The stu... Read allRomance in the Dark is a 1938 film directed by H. C. Potter and starring Gladys Swarthout, John Boles, John Barrymore, and Claire Dodd. It is one of five movies produced by Paramount in the 1930s featuring Gladys Swarthout, a very popular Metropolitan Opera mezzo-soprano. The studio was attempting to build on the popularity of Grace Moore, another opera singer, who ha... Read all
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
62
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • H.C. Potter
  • Writers
    • Frank Partos(screenplay)
    • Anne Morrison Chapin(screenplay)
    • Hermann Bahr(play "The Yellow Nightingale")
  • Stars
    • Gladys Swarthout
    • John Boles
    • John Barrymore
Top credits
  • Director
    • H.C. Potter
  • Writers
    • Frank Partos(screenplay)
    • Anne Morrison Chapin(screenplay)
    • Hermann Bahr(play "The Yellow Nightingale")
  • Stars
    • Gladys Swarthout
    • John Boles
    • John Barrymore
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 4User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos7

    John Boles and Gladys Swarthout in Romance in the Dark (1938)
    Gladys Swarthout in Romance in the Dark (1938)
    John Barrymore, John Boles, and Gladys Swarthout in Romance in the Dark (1938)
    John Boles and Gladys Swarthout in Romance in the Dark (1938)
    John Barrymore, John Boles, and Gladys Swarthout in Romance in the Dark (1938)
    John Barrymore, John Boles, and Gladys Swarthout in Romance in the Dark (1938)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Gladys Swarthout
    Gladys Swarthout
    • Ilona Borosas Ilona Boros
    John Boles
    John Boles
    • Antal Kovachas Antal Kovach
    John Barrymore
    John Barrymore
    • Zoltan Jasonas Zoltan Jason
    Claire Dodd
    Claire Dodd
    • Countess Monica Foldesayas Countess Monica Foldesay
    Curt Bois
    Curt Bois
    • Von Hemischas Von Hemisch
    Fritz Feld
    Fritz Feld
    • Fritzas Fritz
    Carlos De Valdez
    • Ballotas Ballot
    Torben Meyer
    Torben Meyer
    • Prof. Jacobsenas Prof. Jacobsen
    Ferdinand Gottschalk
    Ferdinand Gottschalk
    • Pianistas Pianist
    Margaret Randall
    Margaret Randall
    • Kovach's Maidas Kovach's Maid
    • (as Marguerite Franz)
    Fortunio Bonanova
    Fortunio Bonanova
    • Tenoras Tenor
    Esther Muir
    Esther Muir
    • Prima Donnaas Prima Donna
    Eddie Conrad
    Eddie Conrad
    • Barberas Barber
    • (as Eddy Conrad)
    Lois Verner
    • Fat Girl Singer - None But the Lonely Heartas Fat Girl Singer - None But the Lonely Heart
    Otto Hoffman
    Otto Hoffman
    • Stage Doormanas Stage Doorman
    Otto Fries
    • Policemanas Policeman
    Maxine Armour
    • Danceras Dancer
    • (uncredited)
    Max Barwyn
    Max Barwyn
    • Ticket Selleras Ticket Seller
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • H.C. Potter
    • Writers
      • Frank Partos(screenplay)
      • Anne Morrison Chapin(screenplay)
      • Hermann Bahr(play "The Yellow Nightingale")
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      One of over 700 Paramount Productions, filmed between 1929 and 1949, which were sold to MCA/Universal in 1958 for television distribution, and have been owned and controlled by Universal ever since.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Neon (2015)
    • Soundtracks
      Berceuse
      from "Jocelyn"

      Music and Libretto by Benjamin Godard

    User reviews4

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Fluffy musical comedy
    "Romance in the Dark" is a rather suggestive title for such an innocuous bit of fluff like this musical comedy. It seems to have been one of many attempts in the 1930's to find another Jeanette MacDonald, when studios were placing in front of the cameras Lily Pons, Grace Moore, Miliza Korjus and seemingly every diva under 250 pounds whose face would not fracture the camera lens. In this case, it was Gladys Swarthout who made four or five films before she left Hollywood.

    Here, she plays a young Hungarian music student who receives a prize for outstanding graduate from her conservatory from John Boles and John Barrymore, respectively the leading opera singer and leading impresario in Budapest. She follows Boles to the capital and when he doesn't remember her, takes a job as his maid to insinuate herself into a singing career. He eventually takes note of her talent and hits upon a scheme to pass her off as a mysterious Persian prodigy to lure Barrymore into signing her while leaving the coast clear for him to woo Claire Dodds as a snooty countess both men are pursuing. Complications ensue.

    The plot is foolish piffle, not to be taken seriously. Swarthout sings admirably and is attractive enough, but merely gets by as an actress. Boles gets to sing here and is livelier than in his straight acting roles, while Barrymore coasts along in support, not hamming it up as much as in some of his other later roles, with a few amusing moments. Many of the more pleasurable moments come via veteran supporting actors Fritz Feld and Curt Bois (who late in life had a role in Wim Wenders classic "Wings of Desire"). I guess what this really could have used was an Ernst Lubitsch behind the camera instead of H.C. Potter!
    helpful•3
    1
    • FANatic-10
    • Aug 13, 2009

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 24, 1938 (Sweden)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • En ungersk romans
    • Filming locations
      • Paramount Studios - 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA
    • Production company
      • Paramount Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 17 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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