Folies Bergere (1936)

Genres - Comedy  |   Run Time - 83 min.  |   Countries - United States  |  
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Synopsis by Hal Erickson

This French-language version of the 1935 Hollywood musical Folies Bergere, filmed cuncurrently using the same sets and production crew, retains the original star (Maurice Chevalier) and big-scale production numbers. It also follows substantially the same plot: A nightclub entertainer (Chevalier), is hired to pose as his look-alike (also Chevalier), a prominent aviation tycoon. The masquerade causes consternation for the entertainer's girlfriend, who of course has no idea what's going on, and for the tycoon's wife, who can't understand why her cold-fish husband has suddenly become so warm and demonstrative. Beyond the obvious language change, the major differences between the two Folies Bergeres are found in their supporting casts: for example, Natalie Paley plays the tycoon's spouse role played by Merle Oberon, while Sim Viva, as the girlfriend, fills the dancing shoes of the English-language version's Ann Sothern.