50 Million Frenchmen Can't Be Wrong
"Tee" | LA | 03/27/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The above is the famous ad tag for Danielle Darrieux's American debut, noting her enormous popularity in her native France. They were right. THE RAGE OF PARIS is one of the greatest romantic comedy "screwball" films Hollywood made during the 1930's yet is surprisingly little known, probably because fans of the classic romantic comedies tend to stick to the queens of the genre (Colbert, Lombard, Arthur, Loy, etc.) and most of the actresses who made only one romantic comedy are pretty bad at it (ie: Crawford). Danielle Darrieux, on the other hand, is divine! The great French star came to America with much fan-fare to make this movie and went back home to France within months being homesick. It certainly was the American's screen loss because Mme. Darrieux certainly proves she could have been a major rival for Claudette Colbert's throne as the queen of romantic comedies. Danielle is every bit as enchanting here as that other French coquette and unlike Ms. Colbert she does not go for an Americanized personality, retaining a thoroughly French sensibility. Nobody can touch Claudette in this genre as far as I am concerned, but Danielle shows she might have come close. She certainly settled with a very nice consolation prize going back home and becoming the greatest female star in the history of French cinema and still active on the screen today (2002's EIGHT WOMEN) some seventy years after her screen debut!"
Delightful 30s screwball comedy
Byron Kolln | the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood | 11/19/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"THE RAGE OF PARIS was ingenue Danielle Darrieux's official American film debut following years of being one of the top stars of the French cinema. A delightful film tailor-made for her talents, in which she plays a penniless model, Nicole de Cortillon, looking for work in New York, scooped off the streets by a pair of opportunists and used to ensnare a millionaire. Fine performances from a uniformly-strong cast including 30s screwball stalwarts Mischa Auer and Helen Broderick; and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. as the love interest for Darrieux. And yes, that's a very young Mary Martin in a bit-part. Another fine release from Alpha (taken from a decent-quality print)."
If You Like Classic Romantic Comedies, This Is A Good One!
Paleez | 02/09/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I love this movie. I bought it for my cousin for Christmas, since it's a favorite of hers, and my son taped over the last 5 minutes of the copy she let me borrow.
This is definitely one to add to your collection if you like classic romantic comedies."