DESIRE (Paramount, 1936), directed by Frank Borzage, introduces Marlene Dietrich into the genre of comedy, not so much in a sense of screwball or slapstick, but that of sophisticated comedy in the style of director Ernst Lubitsch, who also produced. Teamed opposite Gary Cooper for the first time since MOROCCO (1930), he and Dietrich are at their best here in what proved to be their final collaboration on screen.
Cooper plays Tom Bradley, an engineer from Detroit, Michigan, assigned in a Paris-based auto company, who's determined to take his long-awaited vacation in Spain, regardless of how Mr. Gibson (William Frawley), his employer, might feel about it. Gibson (William Frawley), president of Bronson 8, however, surprises Bradley by approving his vacation by loaning him the company car carrying a sign which reads, "I am happy to drive a Bronson 8" as advertisement. Marlene Dietrich is later introduced as Madeleine de Beaupre, a continental jewel thief who cleverly gains possession of a pearl necklace from Aristide Duval (Ernest Cossart), a Parisian jeweler by posing as the wife of the famed psychiatrist, Doctor Maurice Pauquet (Alan Mowbray). Her path with Tom soon meets as they head to the border and await for customs to inspect their belongings. After Madeleine places her stolen pearls in Tom's coat pocket, they each pass inspection and go on their way. Purposely disabling her car, Madeleine is soon picked up by Tom and becomes his prize passenger. Eventually she drives off with his car, leaving him stranded on the road, unaware that Tom still unwittingly has the pearl necklace on his person. Abandoning the car after realizing her error, their paths meet again at the San Sebastian Continental Palace where Madeleine, posing as a Countess accompanied by her "uncle," Prince Carlos Margoli (John Halliday), her confederate, uses their friendly persuasion to get back the pearls without arousing any suspicion. When things become more complicated, Aunt Olga (Zeffie Tilbury), a third member of the gang of thieves, enters the scene.
For his profile on the film, Bob Osborne, host of Turner Classic Movies where DESIRE premiered January 17, 2002, as part of the station's tribute to Marlene Dietrich, spoke about its production and original title being THE PEARL NECKLACE as more suitable than DESIRE, and rightfully so. It's interesting to point out that its title may stir up some confusion with another film of similar name, DESIRABLE (Warners, 1934) that also featured DESIRE co-star, John Halliday. Halliday, as stated, filled in for former MGM lead actor, John Gilbert, following his sudden death in January 1936. What a missed opportunity for Gilbert in a supporting role as Carlos, which might have proved favorable, though quite unlikely as one posing as Madeleine's uncle. Seen in a smaller role is Akim Tamiroff playing the police official, who would achieve recognition in another Cooper film that same year, THE GENERAL DIED AT DAWN (1936).
Regardless of frequent revivals on commercial television back in the 1970s and public TV during the 1980s, DESIRE is quite underrated and nearly forgotten by today's standards. For being such an enjoyable adventure heist comedy from start to finish highlighted by many witty lines and situations, it's understandable why DESIRE is often mistaken as full fledged film directed by Lubitsch comedy rather than Borzage, best known for love stories with sentimental appeal. There may be some romance going on between the characters enacted by Dietrich and Cooper, but no sentimentality involved. In her attempt in retrieving her stolen pearls, Dietrich does take time out to recite the film's theme song, "Awake in a Dream" composed by Frederick Hollander and Leo Robin. And be sure not to miss the film's conclusion. It's as priceless as the pearl necklace itself. (***1/2 pearls)
