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This is the Night (1932) is a Romantic Comedy / Musical starring Lily Damita, Charlie Ruggles, Roland Young, and Thelma Todd.

Rich good-for-nothing Gerald (Young) is having an affair with society woman Claire (Todd). Claire is married to Olympic javelin-thrower Stephan (Cary Grant) who, abruptly returning home, becomes suspicious of his wife’s fidelity when Bunny (Ruggles) shows up with two tickets for a trip to Venice, and Gerald and Claire waltz in from a night out.

Being a not-so-smooth wingman for his friend, Bunny concocts an unconvincing story about Gerald being a married man also on his way to Venice. Now, both men are left to find a fake wife to diminish Stephen’s suspicions.

That woman becomes Germaine (Damita), a hungry Parisian out of work, who although finding the situation slightly uncomfortable, is determined to get the job.

The couples travel to Venice (Bunny tags along) with Gerald and Germaine trying to keep up the charade as best they can.

Hilarity Ensues.

Although it might be strange to see Cary Grant billed as fifth, this was his screen debut.


Tropes:

  • As Long as It Sounds Foreign: The Italian police have arrested Bunny on suspicion of being a burglar, and Gerald’s incompetent valet tries to clear things up by speaking absolute gibberish.
    • Stephen is able to clear things up with actual Italian by saying he’s ‘’il amante’’ (i.e. her lover).
  • Curtain Clothing: When Germaine comes to Gerald’s home, he says her clothing has no style, and that her hips “don’t sing”. To prove that she’s the type of woman for him, she strips in front of him and takes his curtains and fashions it into a gown.
  • Fun with Homophones: Gerald is quick to tell Stephan that he met Germaine in Cincinnati, but Germaine has to guess with Gerald trying to explain from his table:
    Gerald: Signaling furiously. Cinn…
    Germaine [to Stephan]: We were living in sin!
    Gerald: Signaling again. Nati.
    Germaine: And we were very naughty!
  • Idle Rich: All except poor Germaine are.
  • Impossibly-Low Neckline: Claire wears a dress, that quite frankly, was pretty risqué for 1932.
  • Mistaken for Cheating / Not What It Looks Like: Bunny climbed into Gemaine’s room and once he’s shooed away by her, Stephan runs in thinking there was a burglar. Both Claire and Gerald suspect something was going on between the two, but that wasn’t the case and is made clear by Bunny.
  • Post-Kiss Catatonia: Germaine feigns one specifically to make Claire jealous.
  • Love Confession: Hopping from gondolas in the romantic moonlight, Gerald confesses his love to Germaine (the added falling roses also helps).
  • Running Gag: Claire seems to always lose her dress in public places…
    The lady has lost her dress. The lady has lost her dress. The lady has lost her dress.
  • Significant Wardrobe Shift: In front of his very eyes, Germaine strips her homely outfit off and asks for new clothes.
  • Title Drop: The film begins with an overture of a song called “This is the Night”.
  • You Can Leave Your Hat On: Germaine’s striptease leaves Gerald speechless and he knows that she’s the perfect woman for the job.
  • Vitriolic Best Buds: Bunny and Gerald. They get drunk together and admit their love for each other, but Gerald is ready to punch him when he thinks Bunny tried to get with Germiane.
  • Zany Scheme: Hire a woman to pretend to be your wife to end the suspicions of the husband your cuckhold-ing.

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