The songs are corny to the point of embarrassment and Chevalier sings as if he has marbles in his mouth. She managed to display layers of emotion, energy, and adorable sweetness all at once as Franzi.Īs musicals go, the film really should have just left that bit on the cutting room floor and stuck to Franzi’s violin and Princess Anna’s piano playing as the sole musical elements. While Miriam Hopkins is quite likable and Maurice Chevalier displayed only a fraction of his usual creepiness with a character that had more morality than Chevalier was typically afforded in a Lubitsch picture, Claudette Colbert’s star shone brightest. In the end, who will Niki choose to be with? Niki and Princess Anna marry, but he is still angry about the forced marriage and steers clear of her, much to her dismay. Franzi, realizing the situation has snowballed and can’t compete with a princess, leaves reluctantly.
The princess has her heart set on marriage and Niki finds himself railroaded into an engagement, despite his protests. Consequently, the naïve princess falls for him, thinking he feels the same, while he returns to the arms of his love Franzi.
#THE SMILING LIEUTENANT 1931 SKIN#
Seeing this as an insult, Niki is brought in to be punished, so to save his skin he convinces the princess that he winked because he was dazzled by her beauty. Later, the visiting Princess Anna (Miriam Hopkins) happens to ride by in a carriage just as Niki is winking at Franzi on the other side of the street and thinks the wink was meant for her. The two coast into the next scene on a wave of sexual innuendo, ending up at the breakfast table (IF you know what I mean…) Colbert and Chevalier keeping the breakfast warm Both men pursue her, but Niki is the one who strikes her interest. Max pleads with Niki to join him to watch her perform and the two men make a night of it, Niki at once realizing why Max took such a shine to Franzi. Fellow soldier Max (Charlie Ruggles) is married, but enamored with another woman, Franzi (Claudette Colbert), a violinist. Lieutenant Nikolaus “Niki” von Preyn (Maurice Chevalier) is in charge of many horny soldiers stationed in Vienna Niki himself is an unabashed playboy.
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