42 reviews
"Cluny Brown" had quite an impact on me when I saw part of it as a child. I'm sure my feelings had to do with the luminous beauty of Jennifer Jones and wanting to be just like her when I grew up. Jones has the title role of an imaginative young woman who, being the niece of a plumber, doesn't mind picking up a hammer herself once in a while and having a good whack at the pipes. It gets her into some trouble at the apartment of Hilary Ames (Reginald Sinclair) when she arrives before a party to clear out his sink before his guests arrive. There she meets Adam Belinski, a Czech academician who's on the run from Hitler. Well, that's who the very earnest Andrew Carmel (Peter Lawford) assumes he is...Belinski never actually says.
When her uncle finds Cluny drunk and on the couch at the Ames apartment, he puts her into service. She winds up working at the Carmel country estate, where Belinski comes to stay. Attracted to her, he sets about aggravating the local pharmacist, Mr. Wilson (Richard Haydn) who is courting Cluny, and getting involved with Andrew's romance with Betty Cream (Helen Walker).
This is a very sweet, light comedy from Lubitsch that touches on not only the class system in England but the attitude of the upper class toward the impending war. As in the Fox film "This Above All," the upper class in "Cluny Brown" seems annoyed by the mere thought of war and hope the nonsense will just go away. As for Cluny, born to her class, she's expected to work and behave a certain way, though it isn't really her nature.
The performances are all very good, with Boyer a delight as Belinski, a character perhaps modeled on the Czech freedom fighter Jan Mazurek - though he basically doesn't act in danger or worried and manages to hit Andrew up for money. One is never really sure throughout the film what he's up to. Richard Haydn is hilarious as Cluny's suitor Mr. Wilson, one of the best scenes taking place when he plays the harmonium for her and she all but swoons. As his mother, all Una O'Connor does is cough, but that's all she needs to do. Playing opposite boyish Peter Lawford, Helen Walker seemed too old for the part of Betty. The other supporting players are all excellent, including Sara Allgood, Reginald Owen, and Margaret Bannerman.
David O. Selznick saw Jennifer Jones in his outer office, and it was love at first sight. It's easy to see why. She is radiant and spirited as Cluny, her vivid imagination shining through her eyes and smile. A wonderful presence - gentle, vulnerable, and guileless.
"Cluny Brown" isn't at the top of Lubitsch's best - it's uneven and doesn't have enough of a plot. It's entertaining nonetheless, and the ending is pure joy.
When her uncle finds Cluny drunk and on the couch at the Ames apartment, he puts her into service. She winds up working at the Carmel country estate, where Belinski comes to stay. Attracted to her, he sets about aggravating the local pharmacist, Mr. Wilson (Richard Haydn) who is courting Cluny, and getting involved with Andrew's romance with Betty Cream (Helen Walker).
This is a very sweet, light comedy from Lubitsch that touches on not only the class system in England but the attitude of the upper class toward the impending war. As in the Fox film "This Above All," the upper class in "Cluny Brown" seems annoyed by the mere thought of war and hope the nonsense will just go away. As for Cluny, born to her class, she's expected to work and behave a certain way, though it isn't really her nature.
The performances are all very good, with Boyer a delight as Belinski, a character perhaps modeled on the Czech freedom fighter Jan Mazurek - though he basically doesn't act in danger or worried and manages to hit Andrew up for money. One is never really sure throughout the film what he's up to. Richard Haydn is hilarious as Cluny's suitor Mr. Wilson, one of the best scenes taking place when he plays the harmonium for her and she all but swoons. As his mother, all Una O'Connor does is cough, but that's all she needs to do. Playing opposite boyish Peter Lawford, Helen Walker seemed too old for the part of Betty. The other supporting players are all excellent, including Sara Allgood, Reginald Owen, and Margaret Bannerman.
David O. Selznick saw Jennifer Jones in his outer office, and it was love at first sight. It's easy to see why. She is radiant and spirited as Cluny, her vivid imagination shining through her eyes and smile. A wonderful presence - gentle, vulnerable, and guileless.
"Cluny Brown" isn't at the top of Lubitsch's best - it's uneven and doesn't have enough of a plot. It's entertaining nonetheless, and the ending is pure joy.
Cluny Brown (1946)
"It's never too late for a cat." And this is the essence of the movie, a supposed satire on British manners pre-WWII, but more likely just a bit of delightful nonsense. The star for me is the delectable Jennifer Jones who is more than just a pretty decoration-she gives her role as a uninhibitted working class woman a kind of Audrey Hepburn freshness. Before Audrey Hepburn.
Charles Boyer is no doubt the most esteemed star here, but he's his usual self with a bit of forced charm. Director Lubitsch makes the whole scene quite delicious, so it's the big view that makes the small pieces click. (And this is what he is famous for, setting the European scene with a subtle, sharp eye.) There is humor here (it's a comedy, yes) but there is a kind of elegand disdain that is something more than that.
And it's beautifully filmed, by young (great) cinematographer Joe LaShelle.
What holds it all back for me is the writing, which is a kind of forced comedy, creating situations that are "made" for comedy. An awkward confrontation, an improbable entry of one character into another character's world. There is whispering and disbelief and nonchalance all mixed together in a way that is, in fact, lighthearted, but isn't as funny or bright as you would want.
And so the movie zips on, quite fun and lighthearted but always (for me) missing some basic gut humor or even a more trenchant critique of its subject, the British upper class. I did, I have to admit, love the ending, which was perhaps inevitable, but which pulled of a clever telling of the future of the leading characters. Fun, well done! And Jones is sublime even when she's goofy.
"It's never too late for a cat." And this is the essence of the movie, a supposed satire on British manners pre-WWII, but more likely just a bit of delightful nonsense. The star for me is the delectable Jennifer Jones who is more than just a pretty decoration-she gives her role as a uninhibitted working class woman a kind of Audrey Hepburn freshness. Before Audrey Hepburn.
Charles Boyer is no doubt the most esteemed star here, but he's his usual self with a bit of forced charm. Director Lubitsch makes the whole scene quite delicious, so it's the big view that makes the small pieces click. (And this is what he is famous for, setting the European scene with a subtle, sharp eye.) There is humor here (it's a comedy, yes) but there is a kind of elegand disdain that is something more than that.
And it's beautifully filmed, by young (great) cinematographer Joe LaShelle.
What holds it all back for me is the writing, which is a kind of forced comedy, creating situations that are "made" for comedy. An awkward confrontation, an improbable entry of one character into another character's world. There is whispering and disbelief and nonchalance all mixed together in a way that is, in fact, lighthearted, but isn't as funny or bright as you would want.
And so the movie zips on, quite fun and lighthearted but always (for me) missing some basic gut humor or even a more trenchant critique of its subject, the British upper class. I did, I have to admit, love the ending, which was perhaps inevitable, but which pulled of a clever telling of the future of the leading characters. Fun, well done! And Jones is sublime even when she's goofy.
- secondtake
- Sep 6, 2018
- Permalink
... and the dialogue is just extraordinary.
Cluny Brown (Jennifer Jones) is a young English woman trying to find her place in life. She is quirky, outspoken, and she likes plumbing, mainly from watching her uncle be a plumber for years.
But she has to deal with the snobbery of all of the classes - the middle class represented in a village druggist, the servant class in the head servants in the house she works in, and the rich class. Since films of the time so often made fun of the rich, this one takes a different tack. The rich people are just agog over Czech intellectual and refugee Adam Belinski. They trip over themselves giving him money because it makes them feel like they are being a patron.
Cluny makes people uncomfortable because she does things that make her visible, when it seems that people want her to just disappear into the woodwork, to have no opinion or personality at all, including the village druggist who is considering marrying her. Belinski appreciates her fire and forwardness. He has a similar temperament, but because he is a man and an intellectual, nobody seems to mind the same behavior out of him.
I never cared for Peter Lawford in all of those collegiate MGM musical film roles, but here he is hilarious as the idealist son of a nobleman who is being treated badly by his steady girlfriend, Betty (Helen Walker), who refuses to give him clear signals as to where he stands.
Cluny Brown (Jennifer Jones) is a young English woman trying to find her place in life. She is quirky, outspoken, and she likes plumbing, mainly from watching her uncle be a plumber for years.
But she has to deal with the snobbery of all of the classes - the middle class represented in a village druggist, the servant class in the head servants in the house she works in, and the rich class. Since films of the time so often made fun of the rich, this one takes a different tack. The rich people are just agog over Czech intellectual and refugee Adam Belinski. They trip over themselves giving him money because it makes them feel like they are being a patron.
Cluny makes people uncomfortable because she does things that make her visible, when it seems that people want her to just disappear into the woodwork, to have no opinion or personality at all, including the village druggist who is considering marrying her. Belinski appreciates her fire and forwardness. He has a similar temperament, but because he is a man and an intellectual, nobody seems to mind the same behavior out of him.
I never cared for Peter Lawford in all of those collegiate MGM musical film roles, but here he is hilarious as the idealist son of a nobleman who is being treated badly by his steady girlfriend, Betty (Helen Walker), who refuses to give him clear signals as to where he stands.
The Lubitsch Touch is evident in this witty, intelligent film. Jennifer Jones shows a vivacity and humor she had never displayed before and would not again until her clever performance in "Beat The Devil". In one amazing scene where she cannot resist showing her wares as a Plumber (to the disdain of the other party guests) she gets to play a reaction to the debacle that is amazing in its combination of pathos and hilarity. Very interesting character actors including a very, very funny Una O'Connor (whose dialogue consists mainly of incessantly clearing her throat), the light as a feather and dead on playing of Margaret Bannerman, and also a chance to see Helen Walker. Charles Boyer plays with his customary light touch and is the anchor to this film, but finally it is Jennifer Jones' performance that takes one breath away and stays with you long after you've seen it.
- StevieGunder
- Aug 26, 2004
- Permalink
This is a very clever, witty, wacky, screwball, satire comedy of people, place and manners. From its source to the script, acting and production, "Cluny Brown" is a masterpiece of film comedy. This is one of the cleverest, funniest and most entertaining movies I've ever seen. The script is witty, filled with hilarious dialog, and sprinkled with frequent clever sidesteps and detours. Such would normally make a film disjointed and hard to follow. But here the short distractions work beautifully to make it like a screwball comedy. All of this makes for a very funny, wacky and subtly satirical film.
The film begins in London in June of 1938. World War II had not yet begun. The book on which the film is based, was a 1944 novel of the same title. The world was deeply into the war when Margery Sharp wrote the novel, but the outcome was far from certain. Yet, the war was well over by the summer of 1946 when this film came out. Part of the spoofery of the film is of the ignorance about the world scene among some of the upper peerage of England.
Ernst Lubitsch directed some of the best political satire films, and this was the last movie he completed before his death in 1947 of a heart attack at age 55. Besides a great plot and excellent screenplay, this film has a marvelous cast. The acting is superb from the leads down to the smallest of roles. The supporting cast reads like a who's who of U.K. actors of the day.
The script is so chock-full of humor that this film needs a second, third and even fourth viewing. It gets better each time as one notices more of the short retorts, smart snippets and wacky lines. Many of the cast were worthy of Oscar nominations in 1946. But it was a year of many great films, most of which were serious fare in the aftermath of war. Still, "Cluny Brown" was a hit on both sides of the pond. Had it been made three or four years later, it surely would have captured some major awards.
As Cluny, Jennifer Jones shows her aptitude for comedy as well as drama. She was nominated for an Oscar in another film of 1946, the Western drama, "Duel in the Sun." She won an Oscar and Golden Globe for "The Song of Bernadette" in 1943. Jones clearly is one of the great actresses of the silver screen.
Cluny's fixation for plumbing is matched by Adam Belinski's observance of the squirrels and nuts in Hyde Park. Charles Boyer is at his comedic best as the Czech writer who fled his native Budapest ahead of the Nazis.
Each one of the rest of the cast who play English lords, ladies, servants and tradesmen, is ideal in his or her role. Reginald Owen is hilarious as Sir Henry Carmel. Margaret Bannerman has a role much like one that Billie Burke often played. She is something of a dingbat with moments of clarity. Peter Lawford is very funny as Andrew Carmel, and Helen Walker is a scream as Betty Cream. The pretentious Andrew can't stand the pretentious Cream, but he pines for her constantly. Richard Haydn is howlingly funny as the snobbish chemist (we Yanks would call him a druggist), Jonathan Wilson. Una O'Connor was never funnier, without saying a single word. The servants of the Carmels are a hoot, and Reginald Gardiner, Billy Bevan and all the rest provide shots of humor.
Author Margery Sharp (1905-1991) was a sort of Jane Austen of the 20th century. With more than two dozen novels and many short stories and plays to her credit, she was well known. A number of her stories have been put on film. "Julia Misbehaves" of 1948 is another great comedy with Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, and Cesar Romero.
Here are some favorite lines from this film. For more great dialog, see the Quotes section under this IMDb Web page of the movie.
Hilary Ames, "If plumbing's going to make a go of it in this country, the plumbers jolly well better get into the spirit of the thing."
Andrew Carmel, "Good heavens." Betty Cream, "What's the matter?" Andrew, "It's Belinski." ... Betty, "Is he a gangster?" Andrew, "Don't be an idiot, Betty. He's a Czech."
Sir Henry Carmel, "You mean to tell me young girls go in for plumbing nowadays?... When I was a young man, we never even discussed plumbing. As a matter of fact, we didn't have any."
Lady Alice Carmel, "If England must produce Belinskis, why we will produce Belinskis. Britain has never failed. Now have your tea, dear."
Andrew Carmel, "Oh, you can't call a man broke just because he hasn't any money."
Lady Alice Carmel, "So many foreigners do have foreign names, don't they?"
Syrette, "What do you expect? Maid without references, and a foreigner who isn't even in the diplomatic service."
Cluny Brown, "Poor little sheep. It hasn't much future, has it? Just mutton." Jonathan Wilson, "And where would England be without it? If I was a sheep, I should be proud to serve the empire."
Jonathan Wilson, "Mother doesn't waste words on flattery. If she speaks, it's to correct faults."
Adam Belinski, "No, Sir Henry. I know Hitler." Sir Henry Carmel, "Oh, yes, he's written a book, hasn't he?... What's it called? Oh, yes, "My Camp." Belinski, "Yes, it's a kind of outdoor book. The old German idea of sport. Not your kind of sport.
Syrette, "I shall never forget the day she dusted the left eye out of Sir Henry's moose."
Cluny Brown, "You know, Mr. Belinski, men just don't marry plumbers."
Cluny Brown, "He told me what he thought of me. Some of it was in Latin."
The film begins in London in June of 1938. World War II had not yet begun. The book on which the film is based, was a 1944 novel of the same title. The world was deeply into the war when Margery Sharp wrote the novel, but the outcome was far from certain. Yet, the war was well over by the summer of 1946 when this film came out. Part of the spoofery of the film is of the ignorance about the world scene among some of the upper peerage of England.
Ernst Lubitsch directed some of the best political satire films, and this was the last movie he completed before his death in 1947 of a heart attack at age 55. Besides a great plot and excellent screenplay, this film has a marvelous cast. The acting is superb from the leads down to the smallest of roles. The supporting cast reads like a who's who of U.K. actors of the day.
The script is so chock-full of humor that this film needs a second, third and even fourth viewing. It gets better each time as one notices more of the short retorts, smart snippets and wacky lines. Many of the cast were worthy of Oscar nominations in 1946. But it was a year of many great films, most of which were serious fare in the aftermath of war. Still, "Cluny Brown" was a hit on both sides of the pond. Had it been made three or four years later, it surely would have captured some major awards.
As Cluny, Jennifer Jones shows her aptitude for comedy as well as drama. She was nominated for an Oscar in another film of 1946, the Western drama, "Duel in the Sun." She won an Oscar and Golden Globe for "The Song of Bernadette" in 1943. Jones clearly is one of the great actresses of the silver screen.
Cluny's fixation for plumbing is matched by Adam Belinski's observance of the squirrels and nuts in Hyde Park. Charles Boyer is at his comedic best as the Czech writer who fled his native Budapest ahead of the Nazis.
Each one of the rest of the cast who play English lords, ladies, servants and tradesmen, is ideal in his or her role. Reginald Owen is hilarious as Sir Henry Carmel. Margaret Bannerman has a role much like one that Billie Burke often played. She is something of a dingbat with moments of clarity. Peter Lawford is very funny as Andrew Carmel, and Helen Walker is a scream as Betty Cream. The pretentious Andrew can't stand the pretentious Cream, but he pines for her constantly. Richard Haydn is howlingly funny as the snobbish chemist (we Yanks would call him a druggist), Jonathan Wilson. Una O'Connor was never funnier, without saying a single word. The servants of the Carmels are a hoot, and Reginald Gardiner, Billy Bevan and all the rest provide shots of humor.
Author Margery Sharp (1905-1991) was a sort of Jane Austen of the 20th century. With more than two dozen novels and many short stories and plays to her credit, she was well known. A number of her stories have been put on film. "Julia Misbehaves" of 1948 is another great comedy with Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon, and Cesar Romero.
Here are some favorite lines from this film. For more great dialog, see the Quotes section under this IMDb Web page of the movie.
Hilary Ames, "If plumbing's going to make a go of it in this country, the plumbers jolly well better get into the spirit of the thing."
Andrew Carmel, "Good heavens." Betty Cream, "What's the matter?" Andrew, "It's Belinski." ... Betty, "Is he a gangster?" Andrew, "Don't be an idiot, Betty. He's a Czech."
Sir Henry Carmel, "You mean to tell me young girls go in for plumbing nowadays?... When I was a young man, we never even discussed plumbing. As a matter of fact, we didn't have any."
Lady Alice Carmel, "If England must produce Belinskis, why we will produce Belinskis. Britain has never failed. Now have your tea, dear."
Andrew Carmel, "Oh, you can't call a man broke just because he hasn't any money."
Lady Alice Carmel, "So many foreigners do have foreign names, don't they?"
Syrette, "What do you expect? Maid without references, and a foreigner who isn't even in the diplomatic service."
Cluny Brown, "Poor little sheep. It hasn't much future, has it? Just mutton." Jonathan Wilson, "And where would England be without it? If I was a sheep, I should be proud to serve the empire."
Jonathan Wilson, "Mother doesn't waste words on flattery. If she speaks, it's to correct faults."
Adam Belinski, "No, Sir Henry. I know Hitler." Sir Henry Carmel, "Oh, yes, he's written a book, hasn't he?... What's it called? Oh, yes, "My Camp." Belinski, "Yes, it's a kind of outdoor book. The old German idea of sport. Not your kind of sport.
Syrette, "I shall never forget the day she dusted the left eye out of Sir Henry's moose."
Cluny Brown, "You know, Mr. Belinski, men just don't marry plumbers."
Cluny Brown, "He told me what he thought of me. Some of it was in Latin."
Ernest Lubitsch used the charms and abilities of his leads Charles Boyer and Jennifer Jones to get some maximum performances out of them and make his next to last film Cluny Brown a great success. I've not heard that Lubitsch had to contend with Jennifer's husband and Svengali David O. Selznick on the set, but it's a safe bet they clashed because Selznick could not help interjecting himself where his wife was concerned.
Jones is the daughter of English plumber Billy Bevan and the most interesting thing is that in this English setting her non-English speech pattern is perfectly acceptable even against Bevan's cockney accent. Jones was also perfectly acceptable in another English part in Love Letters and certainly got no criticism. The camera always loved Jennifer Jones and in parts like Cluny Brown as the girl next door she lit up the screen.
Boyer as often as not played a whole lot of European types not necessarily French. Here he's a Czech refugee over in the United Kingdom fleeing from Mr. Hitler. The film is set in Neville Chamberlain Great Britain and Boyer is one of many bringing unpleasant news to the British public.
After Bevan rescues Jones from Boyer and Reginald Gardiner Jones is placed as a maid at a country estate where she meets Boyer again. There should be some class barriers, but Boyer breaks them down and Jones is more than agreeable.
Lots of agreeable Lubitsch touches and a minimum of Selznick interference make Cluny Brown still a treat after over 60 years.
Jones is the daughter of English plumber Billy Bevan and the most interesting thing is that in this English setting her non-English speech pattern is perfectly acceptable even against Bevan's cockney accent. Jones was also perfectly acceptable in another English part in Love Letters and certainly got no criticism. The camera always loved Jennifer Jones and in parts like Cluny Brown as the girl next door she lit up the screen.
Boyer as often as not played a whole lot of European types not necessarily French. Here he's a Czech refugee over in the United Kingdom fleeing from Mr. Hitler. The film is set in Neville Chamberlain Great Britain and Boyer is one of many bringing unpleasant news to the British public.
After Bevan rescues Jones from Boyer and Reginald Gardiner Jones is placed as a maid at a country estate where she meets Boyer again. There should be some class barriers, but Boyer breaks them down and Jones is more than agreeable.
Lots of agreeable Lubitsch touches and a minimum of Selznick interference make Cluny Brown still a treat after over 60 years.
- bkoganbing
- May 24, 2015
- Permalink
For years I had searched for this movie in the vain hope of ever finding it. Till last night I found it on Youtube. My sincere thanks to the person who uploaded it and gave me the chance at last to see this little treasure.
I'm curious to know how today's movie going audience brought up on a combination of action adventure and mindless idiocy would come to this movie. Its so far out of what's being made to today as to be from a totally different world. And yet I would like to think that people would love it for what it is, a charming piece of old world cinema.
It is possible that this movie could be made today. Though I'm not sure who would be able to play all the parts with the sincerity the cast do in the movie without going over the top. Especially I wonder who could play a character like Cluny with the charm and depth that Jennifer Jones brings to it.
Jennifer Jones's Cluny is one of the most captivating characters I've ever met on screen. So engaging, so charming, so innocent.
Jennifer Jones acting is sublime. I couldn't help but watch the different expressions on her face through each emotion she was going through. Good facial expression is always for a me a good sign that the actress is immersed fully in the part.
Charles Boyer's Adam Belinski must be the kind of man women dream about meeting but probably never will. Handsome, french accent, worldly wise, kind, gentle, understanding. He is of cause the perfect man for Cluny as against the boring Wilson played with great verve by Richard Haydn. I hated the character, lol. But I thought Haydn's performance quite brilliant too.
The rest of the cast do a fine job too. And the ending is perfect.
I'm curious to know how today's movie going audience brought up on a combination of action adventure and mindless idiocy would come to this movie. Its so far out of what's being made to today as to be from a totally different world. And yet I would like to think that people would love it for what it is, a charming piece of old world cinema.
It is possible that this movie could be made today. Though I'm not sure who would be able to play all the parts with the sincerity the cast do in the movie without going over the top. Especially I wonder who could play a character like Cluny with the charm and depth that Jennifer Jones brings to it.
Jennifer Jones's Cluny is one of the most captivating characters I've ever met on screen. So engaging, so charming, so innocent.
Jennifer Jones acting is sublime. I couldn't help but watch the different expressions on her face through each emotion she was going through. Good facial expression is always for a me a good sign that the actress is immersed fully in the part.
Charles Boyer's Adam Belinski must be the kind of man women dream about meeting but probably never will. Handsome, french accent, worldly wise, kind, gentle, understanding. He is of cause the perfect man for Cluny as against the boring Wilson played with great verve by Richard Haydn. I hated the character, lol. But I thought Haydn's performance quite brilliant too.
The rest of the cast do a fine job too. And the ending is perfect.
- ashkakaylee
- Jan 19, 2011
- Permalink
Just the fact that Cluny Brown was Ernst Lubtisch's final film before his unfortunate demise at just 55 makes it worth checking out. It's an amusing satire on the upper crust in England, and Jennifer Jones as a plumber turned maid is charming in the title role. The rest of the cast are reasonably good as well, with Helen Walker (as the rich girl) getting in a few moments of her own, and the delightful Sara Allgood and Ernest Cossart (as the head housekeeper and butler) nearly stealing the show.
It's not a film I could truly love however, as there wasn't a lot of spice to the banter between characters, and the humor was too muted for my taste. It felt uneven in several ways, with the Nazi references feeling clunky and too easy, and the simple story dragging at times. Most of all, I just didn't feel the chemistry between Jennifer Jones and Charles Boyer, making the love that snuck up on them (but not the viewer) not one that swept me along with it.
It's not a film I could truly love however, as there wasn't a lot of spice to the banter between characters, and the humor was too muted for my taste. It felt uneven in several ways, with the Nazi references feeling clunky and too easy, and the simple story dragging at times. Most of all, I just didn't feel the chemistry between Jennifer Jones and Charles Boyer, making the love that snuck up on them (but not the viewer) not one that swept me along with it.
- gbill-74877
- Feb 7, 2022
- Permalink
I loved this movie. Charles Boyer is always such a smooth actor. Im a sucker for a French accent. It was simple movie with a simple plot. Jennifer Jones was cute in the movie but not the best acting I've seen her do. I really liked her character though. I've watched this movie about 15 times and I cant really explain why, except that it makes me feel good. This is the kind of movie you want to watch if its a rainy, cold day outside and you can curl up with a cup of cocoa. The cocoa will warm your insides and the movie Cluny Brown will warm your heart. I will always treasure this sweet simple romantic comedy. Keep in mind that this is a very old movie and the purpose was for entertainment back then, not detailed plot twists. I think that this movie is worth watching, but don't stop after the first 15 minutes, it does get better. Just watch it!!!Trust me!!
'Cluny Brown' had a good deal going for it. The big draw is the cast, it is hard to resist a cast that includes Charles Boyer, Jennifer Jones, Helen Walker, Reginald Owen, Una O'Connor and Richard Haydn. Am also a fan of Ernst Lubitsch, responsible for many great films ('Trouble in Paradise' and 'The Shop Around the Corner' being favourites) and with a very distinctive style.
Mostly 'Cluny Brown', interesting for being Lubitsch's last completed film, works. It is not one of Lubitsch's best by any stretch, with uneven stretches, but even when Lubitsch was not at his best he fared much better than many directors at their worst and there are directors who could only dream of being on his level at his very finest. 'Cluny Brown' is good fun and charming, as well as hardly being a waste of the fine talent in front of and behind the camera.
Admittedly the story is disposable, there really isn't much of one and it can get silly and muddled in the more eventful parts. Peter Lawford did seem somewhat bland compared to the rest of the cast.
While most of the humour is fine, that referencing Nazism felt heavy-handed and not particularly tasteful. Compared to the light-hearted tone of the film in general, it did jar.
However, 'Cluny Brown' is beautifully filmed and designed. Lubitsch brings enough of his distinctive directing style and "Lubitsch" touch expertly. The music is like the film itself, lively and elegant. A few stumbles aside, 'Cluny Brown' sparkles in the comedy, with the satire having bite and punch with enough subtlety in the mix. The romantic element is sweet and charming and the whole film goes at a sprightly pace.
A large part of 'Cluny Brown's' appeal is the cast. Charles Boyer is delightful while Jennifer Jones radiates on screen and has a lot of spirit. The support is excellent, especially from Reginald Owen and a particularly hilarious Richard Haydn.
Overall, uneven but a very pleasant and fun film. 7/10 Bethany Cox
Mostly 'Cluny Brown', interesting for being Lubitsch's last completed film, works. It is not one of Lubitsch's best by any stretch, with uneven stretches, but even when Lubitsch was not at his best he fared much better than many directors at their worst and there are directors who could only dream of being on his level at his very finest. 'Cluny Brown' is good fun and charming, as well as hardly being a waste of the fine talent in front of and behind the camera.
Admittedly the story is disposable, there really isn't much of one and it can get silly and muddled in the more eventful parts. Peter Lawford did seem somewhat bland compared to the rest of the cast.
While most of the humour is fine, that referencing Nazism felt heavy-handed and not particularly tasteful. Compared to the light-hearted tone of the film in general, it did jar.
However, 'Cluny Brown' is beautifully filmed and designed. Lubitsch brings enough of his distinctive directing style and "Lubitsch" touch expertly. The music is like the film itself, lively and elegant. A few stumbles aside, 'Cluny Brown' sparkles in the comedy, with the satire having bite and punch with enough subtlety in the mix. The romantic element is sweet and charming and the whole film goes at a sprightly pace.
A large part of 'Cluny Brown's' appeal is the cast. Charles Boyer is delightful while Jennifer Jones radiates on screen and has a lot of spirit. The support is excellent, especially from Reginald Owen and a particularly hilarious Richard Haydn.
Overall, uneven but a very pleasant and fun film. 7/10 Bethany Cox
- TheLittleSongbird
- Sep 18, 2018
- Permalink
- planktonrules
- Dec 9, 2011
- Permalink
Cluny Brown (Jennifer Jones) is sent to a country estate to act as a maid. However, she'd rather be a plumber. She strikes up an alliance with Adam Belinski (Charles Boyer) while finding love with shopkeeper Mr Wilson (Richard Haydn). Is this really the life for Cluny.....?
This film is funny. Charles Boyer and Jennifer Jones are two likable lead characters, but it is Richard Haydn who steals the comedy limelight. He is one of those characters that are so awful that they become fascinating. Watch how he proudly shows Jones a map of his life with his birthplace and his place of work heavily marked up, and the scene where he plays his harmonium with a sudden change of pace that is totally unsuitable for the moment. He also makes speeches in Latin. He is basically funny whenever he is on screen. Jones has funny moments as well - watch how she enthusiastically bashes various pipes with a hammer in the name of plumbing while continuing to make conversation. If there is a downside, it is in the character of Andrew (Peter Lawford) who seems to be unpleasant. Lawford doesn't seem to be able to do comedy. Betty (Helen Walker) is also unpleasant but she does at least manage to portray a comical character. Mrs Wilson (Una O'Connor) is just on the wrong side of annoying - she never speaks, she just clears her throat and it becomes tiresome. In contrast, the supporting characters of housekeeper Mrs Maille (Sara Allgood) and the butler Syrette (Ernest Cossart) are very funny in their desire to be nothing but servants.
It's a funny film that is worth keeping to watch again.
This film is funny. Charles Boyer and Jennifer Jones are two likable lead characters, but it is Richard Haydn who steals the comedy limelight. He is one of those characters that are so awful that they become fascinating. Watch how he proudly shows Jones a map of his life with his birthplace and his place of work heavily marked up, and the scene where he plays his harmonium with a sudden change of pace that is totally unsuitable for the moment. He also makes speeches in Latin. He is basically funny whenever he is on screen. Jones has funny moments as well - watch how she enthusiastically bashes various pipes with a hammer in the name of plumbing while continuing to make conversation. If there is a downside, it is in the character of Andrew (Peter Lawford) who seems to be unpleasant. Lawford doesn't seem to be able to do comedy. Betty (Helen Walker) is also unpleasant but she does at least manage to portray a comical character. Mrs Wilson (Una O'Connor) is just on the wrong side of annoying - she never speaks, she just clears her throat and it becomes tiresome. In contrast, the supporting characters of housekeeper Mrs Maille (Sara Allgood) and the butler Syrette (Ernest Cossart) are very funny in their desire to be nothing but servants.
It's a funny film that is worth keeping to watch again.
Have seen this more than once on TV (though not for quite a few years now) and I'd be first in line if Fox Classics were to issue it on video. It's a slight bit of fluff, given the full Twentieth gloss, and elevated to sublimely sly tongue-in-cheek humor, courtesy of Herr Lubitsch. Everyone in the cast is in top form (Thank goodness David O. Selznick was willing to loan his treasure, Jennifer Jones, to Fox...She's a delight in this one!) Standouts are Sara Allgood as the mansion's oh-so-proper head housekeeper and Richard Haydn as the hilariously stuffy Mr. Wilson, Cluny's would-be suitor. The final shot of Jennifer falling in a dead faint (due to her impending, but not yet obvious maternity) seen through a 5th Avenue bookstore window, is one of the best curtains in screen annals!
- gregcouture
- Apr 2, 2003
- Permalink
what a sweet and charming movie, so cute, so gentle, a delicious cup of fresh air!
Just "knowing her" by name, I fell in Love with exquisite Clunny Brown, I name Jennifer Jones.
Lovely, pretty, how she acts is exactly what is needed for he part. She is Clunny Brown !
And Charles Boyer, yeah, wonderful, has the right tone too.
What about that bloody temporary "lover", Reginald Gardiner, if I'm not wrong ? just perfect !
I had that definitive smile all along, and still have it now...
and would you believe I enjoyed every minute of Cluny Brown ?
All the characters are pushed to their limits, frank and strong caricatures of different members of our human society...
May be you might feel it's too precious and not realistic, but who cares ? Am I here to watch the news ? NO WAY !
And do not forget once it was like that, for real, and actually if it takes different shapes, it's still the same...
So, great acting from all, I bow once more, and write : Hats off to Mr Lubitsch ! He's one of the true master of comedy !
Some reviewers seem to have small complains about the plot, why not ? yes, it is quiet thin, but for myself I don't mind as long as it has all this kind of charm...
Me ? You people I tell you, I'd rather watch plenty ones with a thin storyline played like this one, (finaly leaving me with a smile going up to my ears) rather ones with more elaborated plot, well played too, which let me a bad taste because they are too dark and hopeless...
Yes, the undertone is frivolous, about deep and sad topics
but personally, if not always, I believe it's a good way of healing human soul...
It's not Life, it's Cinema, I like to dream and smile !!!
They don't do like them anymore (or so seldom...) whispers an aging fox !
A film is never really good unless the camera is an eyes in the head of a poet Orson Welles
Just "knowing her" by name, I fell in Love with exquisite Clunny Brown, I name Jennifer Jones.
Lovely, pretty, how she acts is exactly what is needed for he part. She is Clunny Brown !
And Charles Boyer, yeah, wonderful, has the right tone too.
What about that bloody temporary "lover", Reginald Gardiner, if I'm not wrong ? just perfect !
I had that definitive smile all along, and still have it now...
and would you believe I enjoyed every minute of Cluny Brown ?
All the characters are pushed to their limits, frank and strong caricatures of different members of our human society...
May be you might feel it's too precious and not realistic, but who cares ? Am I here to watch the news ? NO WAY !
And do not forget once it was like that, for real, and actually if it takes different shapes, it's still the same...
So, great acting from all, I bow once more, and write : Hats off to Mr Lubitsch ! He's one of the true master of comedy !
Some reviewers seem to have small complains about the plot, why not ? yes, it is quiet thin, but for myself I don't mind as long as it has all this kind of charm...
Me ? You people I tell you, I'd rather watch plenty ones with a thin storyline played like this one, (finaly leaving me with a smile going up to my ears) rather ones with more elaborated plot, well played too, which let me a bad taste because they are too dark and hopeless...
Yes, the undertone is frivolous, about deep and sad topics
but personally, if not always, I believe it's a good way of healing human soul...
It's not Life, it's Cinema, I like to dream and smile !!!
They don't do like them anymore (or so seldom...) whispers an aging fox !
A film is never really good unless the camera is an eyes in the head of a poet Orson Welles
- ifasmilecanhelp
- Nov 27, 2007
- Permalink
Boy, here's a movie that is just crying out for a DVD release for its fans....and one with English subtitles on it. I would buy it immediately if it ever becomes available.
The attraction is simply Jennifer Jones doing what she does best: play a beautiful, sweet and innocent girl....the kind "you want to take home to momma!"
It must be all Jones that makes me desire to see this on DVD because (1) there really isn't much of a story here, which leads to some dry spots; (2) Charles Boyer's french accent is too tough to understand many times; (3) there is the usual mistaken-identity story which was so popular (and usually stupid) in old movies; (4) the cinematography isn't much; (5) most of the humor is so corny, it's stupid.
Yet, despite all the negatives above, this film is one I want to see again because Jones - "Cluny Brown" - plays one of the most likable, old-fashioned nice characters I've ever seen on film. It is as pretty as she ever looked and you'd be hard-pressed to find a sweeter more innocent character. She is just a pleasure to watch.
Rarely have I seen one person elevate a so-so movie to this degree.
The attraction is simply Jennifer Jones doing what she does best: play a beautiful, sweet and innocent girl....the kind "you want to take home to momma!"
It must be all Jones that makes me desire to see this on DVD because (1) there really isn't much of a story here, which leads to some dry spots; (2) Charles Boyer's french accent is too tough to understand many times; (3) there is the usual mistaken-identity story which was so popular (and usually stupid) in old movies; (4) the cinematography isn't much; (5) most of the humor is so corny, it's stupid.
Yet, despite all the negatives above, this film is one I want to see again because Jones - "Cluny Brown" - plays one of the most likable, old-fashioned nice characters I've ever seen on film. It is as pretty as she ever looked and you'd be hard-pressed to find a sweeter more innocent character. She is just a pleasure to watch.
Rarely have I seen one person elevate a so-so movie to this degree.
- ccthemovieman-1
- Dec 11, 2006
- Permalink
You feel the Lubitsch touch many times along the movie but it doesn't work very well. There are funny situations, funny dialogues but it never takes the shape of some wild comedies Lubitsch directed before.
What's lacking?
A good plot. There was a good idea but the movie gets stuck in an english manor.
Charles Boyer plays a character who doesn't deserve the leading role. This Czech writer is a scrounger and quite a smooth-tongued coward.
Jennifer Jones plays ingénue Cluny Brown, a girl with a naive aspiration for 'her place'.
So different, so close. Well there was a development in The Shop Around the Corner. Here the development is flat and the happy pair has little to arouse emotion.
Too many funny situations are based on the english composure. That's a bit light for a whole comedy. But Lubitsch gave us comedies with lots of laughs and fun which largely make up for that minor ultimate opus.
What's lacking?
A good plot. There was a good idea but the movie gets stuck in an english manor.
Charles Boyer plays a character who doesn't deserve the leading role. This Czech writer is a scrounger and quite a smooth-tongued coward.
Jennifer Jones plays ingénue Cluny Brown, a girl with a naive aspiration for 'her place'.
So different, so close. Well there was a development in The Shop Around the Corner. Here the development is flat and the happy pair has little to arouse emotion.
Too many funny situations are based on the english composure. That's a bit light for a whole comedy. But Lubitsch gave us comedies with lots of laughs and fun which largely make up for that minor ultimate opus.
I would put "Desire" ahead of this. He directed some of it. But of movies for which Lubitsch got sole directories credit, this charming tale is my favorite.
Charles Boyer is delightful. Richard Haydn is hilarious as the stuffy pharmacist who woos the title character.
And as the title character, Jennifer Jones is lovely and very funny, in just the subtle way the script calls for. She was again to show her comic skills in "Beat The Devil." There she is an outright scream. Based on just these two performances, she must be counted as one of screen history's most adroit comediennes -- though her career generally took her in very different directions.
The only part of "Cluny Brown" that makes me uncomfortable is the insertion of jokes about Nazism in a comedy. Yes, "To Be Or Not To Be" is built around that but "Cluny Brown" is a softer movie. It is a sort of drawing room comedy with some racy undertones. The plumbing: OK, it was and still is unusual for a woman to be a plumber. But this is about sex and class. (In a way, it is a slighter "Rules of the Game.") I don't care for the meanness in much of Lubitsch. Certainly he was a beautiful craftsman. But no matter how often I watch "Trouble In Paradise," I can't seem to like it.
"Cluny Brown" is filled with enormously likable characters. Buffoons too, but they aren't evil. It's one-of-a-kind -- and it's very funny and enormously charming.
Charles Boyer is delightful. Richard Haydn is hilarious as the stuffy pharmacist who woos the title character.
And as the title character, Jennifer Jones is lovely and very funny, in just the subtle way the script calls for. She was again to show her comic skills in "Beat The Devil." There she is an outright scream. Based on just these two performances, she must be counted as one of screen history's most adroit comediennes -- though her career generally took her in very different directions.
The only part of "Cluny Brown" that makes me uncomfortable is the insertion of jokes about Nazism in a comedy. Yes, "To Be Or Not To Be" is built around that but "Cluny Brown" is a softer movie. It is a sort of drawing room comedy with some racy undertones. The plumbing: OK, it was and still is unusual for a woman to be a plumber. But this is about sex and class. (In a way, it is a slighter "Rules of the Game.") I don't care for the meanness in much of Lubitsch. Certainly he was a beautiful craftsman. But no matter how often I watch "Trouble In Paradise," I can't seem to like it.
"Cluny Brown" is filled with enormously likable characters. Buffoons too, but they aren't evil. It's one-of-a-kind -- and it's very funny and enormously charming.
- Handlinghandel
- Nov 2, 2005
- Permalink
This was an okay way to spend a cold January afternoon. I wouldn't rate it up there with my favorites,but it has some redeeming qualities.
First, it stars a delightful actress, Jennifer Jones. She has such a natural beauty and charm to her, and her acting seems so genuine. Not to mention, she is quite beautiful, has stunning eyes and prominent cheekbones. Quite a face. MY main fault of her performance is her British accent doesn't quite work the majority of the time, then suddenly reappears briefly.
Charles Boyer is the other star. At times, his french accent is quite heavy. But as you adjust to it, his voice has a very pleasant and melodious tone to it.
The film is mainly poking fun at stuffy British aristocracy and their class system. While this is billed as a comedy, I never really found it too funny. There are some cute moments. My favorite was Ms. Jones adaptation of a Persian cat. No doubt this drove all the fellas crazy! We've all heard of the Lubitsch touch (for the director), but I'm not quite sure it was apparent here - as say it was in "Shop around the corner". Although there are amusing characters here, there's not quite the depth and detail. I also found it move a little slow at times.
This ran on TCM Christmas Eve 2008. Robert Osborne said the movie was quite a success in its day and still has quite a cult following, although it is not very well known now. With that remark, I was surprised there were only 12 comments and some 600 votes on IMDb. It seems quite obscure.
There are some good supporting performances here. My favorite was Col. Graham played by C. Aubrey Smith but he appeared only briefly. The snobby and dim witted couple, Mr. and Mrs. Carmel, played by Reginald Owen and Margaret Bannerman were also amusing to watch. I also think Richard Haydn turned in a superb performance as the chemist/pharmacist Mr. Wilson. His voice sounds quite like a cartoon character (reminds of Mr. Peabody).
First, it stars a delightful actress, Jennifer Jones. She has such a natural beauty and charm to her, and her acting seems so genuine. Not to mention, she is quite beautiful, has stunning eyes and prominent cheekbones. Quite a face. MY main fault of her performance is her British accent doesn't quite work the majority of the time, then suddenly reappears briefly.
Charles Boyer is the other star. At times, his french accent is quite heavy. But as you adjust to it, his voice has a very pleasant and melodious tone to it.
The film is mainly poking fun at stuffy British aristocracy and their class system. While this is billed as a comedy, I never really found it too funny. There are some cute moments. My favorite was Ms. Jones adaptation of a Persian cat. No doubt this drove all the fellas crazy! We've all heard of the Lubitsch touch (for the director), but I'm not quite sure it was apparent here - as say it was in "Shop around the corner". Although there are amusing characters here, there's not quite the depth and detail. I also found it move a little slow at times.
This ran on TCM Christmas Eve 2008. Robert Osborne said the movie was quite a success in its day and still has quite a cult following, although it is not very well known now. With that remark, I was surprised there were only 12 comments and some 600 votes on IMDb. It seems quite obscure.
There are some good supporting performances here. My favorite was Col. Graham played by C. Aubrey Smith but he appeared only briefly. The snobby and dim witted couple, Mr. and Mrs. Carmel, played by Reginald Owen and Margaret Bannerman were also amusing to watch. I also think Richard Haydn turned in a superb performance as the chemist/pharmacist Mr. Wilson. His voice sounds quite like a cartoon character (reminds of Mr. Peabody).
- PudgyPandaMan
- Jan 13, 2009
- Permalink
Another gem from unsurpassed Ernst Lubitsch, yours movies enchant everyone, this a fine sample how to make a pleasant movie using a smart conversation, he employs methapors to get the target, this turn he strikes all british way of life, handling every single manners and behavior which every members of social strata in British islands, unfortunatelly this time the story didn't fit any sex appeal as he wisely used in previous ones, still it has a Lubitsh's touch indeed!!
Resume:
First watch: 2017 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 8.5
Resume:
First watch: 2017 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 8.5
- elo-equipamentos
- Dec 17, 2017
- Permalink
Modest but enjoyable comedy which doesn't suffer too much from showing little of it's director's famed 'touch.' Jones is surprisingly good, as is Bowyer, but it's character actor Richard Haydn as Cluny's stuffy beau and Una O'Connor as his perpetually throat-clearing mother who steal the picture.
- JoeytheBrit
- Apr 25, 2020
- Permalink
- Dr_Coulardeau
- Mar 15, 2009
- Permalink
Cluny Brown (1946) :
Brief Review -
Ernst Lubitsch's last full-fledged kick is his best punchy comedy ever. Charles Boyer & Jennifer Jones plummet every pipe just right. If you are looking for a mad comedy that makes no sense but yet makes a lot of sense when it comes to comedy, then Cluny Brown will fix you right. That one insanely made crazy comedy which would make even sane people laugh their hearts out. That's what it is. I have always termed Ernst Lubitsch as a little overrated director because most of his acclaimed works didn't seem too great to me, but yes, I have enjoyed some of his classics wholeheartedly. Now this Cluny Brown was surprisingly enjoyable. Quite a pleasant surprise, I must say. The film shows you what a simple story can do with well-written insane characters. Oh, yes, CHARACTERS, that's what they are. A free-spirited parlour maid (who loves plumbing) and a Czech refugee surprise an English village with their unconventional ways in this uneven satire. Charles Boyer, as Adam Belinski, has played one of the most memorable characters of his career. You'll forget "Love Affair" (1939) and "Gaslight" (1944) not because he plays a crazy one here, but because the character is indeed that great. That accent was so apt for the humour and what fantastic dialogues he had. Jennifer Jones was in riot mode as Cluny Brown. Forget her beautiful face, oh wait, how can you ignore such a gorgeous face? Anyway, along with her gorgeous face, you will go mad over her performance also. Helen Walker also plays quite a freaky character, but it's very enjoyable. This was the last full-fledged direction piece by Ernst Lubitsch, and he makes sure that you remember it. This one has beaten many of his well-known works for me. He had a huge filmography, and yet this one will land in my top 10 films of his career. "Squirrels to the nuts". LMAO...
RATING - 7/10*
Ernst Lubitsch's last full-fledged kick is his best punchy comedy ever. Charles Boyer & Jennifer Jones plummet every pipe just right. If you are looking for a mad comedy that makes no sense but yet makes a lot of sense when it comes to comedy, then Cluny Brown will fix you right. That one insanely made crazy comedy which would make even sane people laugh their hearts out. That's what it is. I have always termed Ernst Lubitsch as a little overrated director because most of his acclaimed works didn't seem too great to me, but yes, I have enjoyed some of his classics wholeheartedly. Now this Cluny Brown was surprisingly enjoyable. Quite a pleasant surprise, I must say. The film shows you what a simple story can do with well-written insane characters. Oh, yes, CHARACTERS, that's what they are. A free-spirited parlour maid (who loves plumbing) and a Czech refugee surprise an English village with their unconventional ways in this uneven satire. Charles Boyer, as Adam Belinski, has played one of the most memorable characters of his career. You'll forget "Love Affair" (1939) and "Gaslight" (1944) not because he plays a crazy one here, but because the character is indeed that great. That accent was so apt for the humour and what fantastic dialogues he had. Jennifer Jones was in riot mode as Cluny Brown. Forget her beautiful face, oh wait, how can you ignore such a gorgeous face? Anyway, along with her gorgeous face, you will go mad over her performance also. Helen Walker also plays quite a freaky character, but it's very enjoyable. This was the last full-fledged direction piece by Ernst Lubitsch, and he makes sure that you remember it. This one has beaten many of his well-known works for me. He had a huge filmography, and yet this one will land in my top 10 films of his career. "Squirrels to the nuts". LMAO...
RATING - 7/10*
- SAMTHEBESTEST
- Jun 24, 2022
- Permalink
I thought this movie started out well: funny and unusual, with the main character of a female plumber in London. I was anticipating lots of funny situations as Cluny plied her trade around the city. But Cluny is quickly moved into the boring typical role of housemaid in a stuffy English manor, and nothing much of interest happens after that. Within days she becomes engaged to the local chemist (I found it unbelievable that such a beautiful woman would settle for the unattractive, dull chemist as a suitor: surely men from miles around (of every class!) would have been beating a path to Cluny's door!).
Good performances from Jennifer Jones (although her British accent wasn't very strong) and Charles Boyer, however.
Good performances from Jennifer Jones (although her British accent wasn't very strong) and Charles Boyer, however.
- debo-mills
- Jan 20, 2009
- Permalink