Made at the height of the Depression, this sophisticated comedy mocked the earnestness of the period, causing some critics to find it “flimsy.” Dwight MacDonald, on the other hand, hailed it as coming “as close to perfection as anything I have ever seen,” and director Ernst Lubitsch echoed this judgment when he said, “For pure style, I have done nothing better or as good as Trouble in Paradise.” The opening shot sets the mood of this exquisite jewel of a comedy: A gondolier is heard addressing the Venetian night in sweet tenor; passing by the camera, he is revealed to be the Grand Canal’s garbage collector. Soon we find two underclass types, Herbert Marshall and Miriam Hopkins, who meet while picking each other’s pockets. The pair are both jewel thieves in their better moments, and together they make for Paris, where they insinuate themselves into the company of a wealthy millionairess. The action and dialogue are delectably refined, elegantly cynical. (1932, 83 min)

Thursday, March 6, 7:00 PM