Love Before Breakfast
Encyclopedia
Love Before Breakfast is a 1936 romantic comedy film
starring Carole Lombard
, Preston Foster
, and Cesar Romero
, based on Faith Baldwin
's short story Spinster Dinner, published in International-Cosmopolitan
in July 1934. The film was directed by Walter Lang
from a screenplay by Herbert Fields
assisted by numerous contract writers, including Preston Sturges
.
) is a Park Avenue beauty with two suitors: fiancee Bill Wadsworth (Cesar Romero
) and Scott Miller (Preston Foster
). To clear his way, Scott buys the oil company Bill works for and sends him to Japan. Then he sends his own girl friend, Countess Campanella (Betty Lawford), to Hawaii to get her out of the way as well. Kay is upset by Bill's leaving, and annoyed by Scott pressing his suit, but Scott has the assistance and approval of Kay's mother (Janet Beecher) in his efforts, and the advice of his friend and business partner, Brinkerhoff (Richard Carle
).
short story it was based on. Several months before filming began, it was reported that Melvyn Douglas
would take the male lead.
Carole Lombard was under contract to Paramount
, who lent her to Universal
for this film, in exchange for Margaret Sullavan
going there to do So Red The Rose
. Lombard also brought technical staff from Paramount, including photographer Ted Tetzlaff
and costume designer Travis Banton
.
Lombard, who had the contractual right to reject scripts, didn't like the ones she was presented for Love Before Breakfast, including those written by Preston Sturges
, Claude Binyon
, Samuel Hoffenstein
, Harry Clork, Doris Malloy and William Conselman. Eventually, she accepted Herbert Fields
's script.
Love Before Breakfast was in production from 16 December 1935 to 27 January 1936, and was released on 9 March 1936.
Romantic comedy film
Romantic comedy films are films with light-hearted, humorous plotlines, centered on romantic ideals such as that true love is able to surmount most obstacles. One dictionary definition is "a funny movie, play, or television program about a love story that ends happily"...
starring Carole Lombard
Carole Lombard
Carole Lombard was an American actress. She was particularly noted for her comedic roles in the screwball comedies of the 1930s...
, Preston Foster
Preston Foster
Preston Foster was an American stage and film actor, and singer. Foster entered films in 1929 after appearing as a Broadway stage actor. He was appearing in Broadway plays as late as October 1931 when he acted in a play titled Two Seconds starring Edward J. Pawley...
, and Cesar Romero
Cesar Romero
Cesar Julio Romero, Jr. was an American film and television actor who was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years...
, based on Faith Baldwin
Faith Baldwin
Faith Baldwin was a very successful U.S. author of romance and fiction, publishing some 100 novels, often concentrating on women juggling career and family...
's short story Spinster Dinner, published in International-Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan (magazine)
Cosmopolitan is an international magazine for women. It was first published in 1886 in the United States as a family magazine, was later transformed into a literary magazine and eventually became a women's magazine in the late 1960s...
in July 1934. The film was directed by Walter Lang
Walter Lang
Walter Lang was an American film director.-Early life:Walter Lang was born in Memphis, Tennessee. As a young man he went to New York City where he found clerical work at a film production company. The business piqued his artistic instincts and he began learning the various facets of filmmaking...
from a screenplay by Herbert Fields
Herbert Fields
Herbert Fields was an American librettist and screenwriter.Born in New York City, Fields began his career as an actor, then graduated to choreography and stage direction before turning to writing. From 1925 until his death, he contributed to the libretti of many Broadway musicals...
assisted by numerous contract writers, including Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges , originally Edmund Preston Biden, was a celebrated playwright, screenwriter and film director born in Chicago, Illinois...
.
Plot
Kay Colby (Carole LombardCarole Lombard
Carole Lombard was an American actress. She was particularly noted for her comedic roles in the screwball comedies of the 1930s...
) is a Park Avenue beauty with two suitors: fiancee Bill Wadsworth (Cesar Romero
Cesar Romero
Cesar Julio Romero, Jr. was an American film and television actor who was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years...
) and Scott Miller (Preston Foster
Preston Foster
Preston Foster was an American stage and film actor, and singer. Foster entered films in 1929 after appearing as a Broadway stage actor. He was appearing in Broadway plays as late as October 1931 when he acted in a play titled Two Seconds starring Edward J. Pawley...
). To clear his way, Scott buys the oil company Bill works for and sends him to Japan. Then he sends his own girl friend, Countess Campanella (Betty Lawford), to Hawaii to get her out of the way as well. Kay is upset by Bill's leaving, and annoyed by Scott pressing his suit, but Scott has the assistance and approval of Kay's mother (Janet Beecher) in his efforts, and the advice of his friend and business partner, Brinkerhoff (Richard Carle
Richard Carle
Richard Carle was an American film actor. He appeared in 132 films between 1915 and 1941.He was born as Charles Nicholas Carleto in Somerville, Massachusetts...
).
Cast
- Carole LombardCarole LombardCarole Lombard was an American actress. She was particularly noted for her comedic roles in the screwball comedies of the 1930s...
as Kay Colby - Preston FosterPreston FosterPreston Foster was an American stage and film actor, and singer. Foster entered films in 1929 after appearing as a Broadway stage actor. He was appearing in Broadway plays as late as October 1931 when he acted in a play titled Two Seconds starring Edward J. Pawley...
as Scott Miller - Cesar RomeroCesar RomeroCesar Julio Romero, Jr. was an American film and television actor who was active in film, radio, and television for almost sixty years...
as Bill Wadsworth - Janet Beecher as Mrs. Colby
- Betty LawfordBetty LawfordBetty Lawford was an English actress. She was briefly married to the American actor-director Monta Bell. She was cousin to the actor Peter Lawford.-Partial filmography:*Secrets of a Secretary...
as Countess Campanella - Richard CarleRichard CarleRichard Carle was an American film actor. He appeared in 132 films between 1915 and 1941.He was born as Charles Nicholas Carleto in Somerville, Massachusetts...
as Brinkerhoff - Forrester Harvey as chief steward
- Joyce ComptonJoyce ComptonJoyce Compton was an American actress.She was born Olivia Joyce Compton in Lexington, Kentucky and not Eleanor Hunt as is frequently erroneously stated. She had appeared in the film Good Sport with Hunt and this confusion in an early press article followed Compton throughout her career...
as Mary Lee - Diana Gibson as the secretary
Production
Love Before Breakfast had the working title of Spinster Dinner, the title of the Faith BaldwinFaith Baldwin
Faith Baldwin was a very successful U.S. author of romance and fiction, publishing some 100 novels, often concentrating on women juggling career and family...
short story it was based on. Several months before filming began, it was reported that Melvyn Douglas
Melvyn Douglas
Melvyn Edouard Hesselberg , better known as Melvyn Douglas, was an American actor.Coming to prominence in the 1930s as a suave leading man , Douglas later transitioned into more mature and fatherly roles as in his Academy Award-winning performances in Hud...
would take the male lead.
Carole Lombard was under contract to Paramount
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
, who lent her to Universal
Universal Pictures
-1920:* White Youth* The Flaming Disc* Am I Dreaming?* The Dragon's Net* The Adorable Savage* Putting It Over* The Line Runners-1921:* The Fire Eater* A Battle of Wits* Dream Girl* The Millionaire...
for this film, in exchange for Margaret Sullavan
Margaret Sullavan
Margaret Brooke Sullavan was an American stage and film actress. Sullavan started her career on the stage in 1929. In 1933 she caught the attention of movie director John M. Stahl and had her debut on the screen that same year in Only Yesterday...
going there to do So Red The Rose
So Red the Rose
So Red the Rose is the platinum-selling album by the Duran Duran-spinoff group Arcadia, which was released in 1985 — the only album the band ever released...
. Lombard also brought technical staff from Paramount, including photographer Ted Tetzlaff
Ted Tetzlaff
Dale H. "Ted" Tetzlaff was a noted Academy Award-nominated Hollywood cinematographer active in the 1930s and 1940s. He was particularly favored by actress Carole Lombard...
and costume designer Travis Banton
Travis Banton
Travis Banton was the chief designer at Paramount Pictures. He is considered one of the most important Hollywood costume designers of the 1930s.He was born in Waco, Texas. Travis moved to New York City as a child...
.
Lombard, who had the contractual right to reject scripts, didn't like the ones she was presented for Love Before Breakfast, including those written by Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges
Preston Sturges , originally Edmund Preston Biden, was a celebrated playwright, screenwriter and film director born in Chicago, Illinois...
, Claude Binyon
Claude Binyon
Claude Binyon was a screenwriter and director. His genres were comedy, musicals, and romances.As a Chicago-based journalist, he became city editor of the show business trade magazine Variety in the late 1920s...
, Samuel Hoffenstein
Samuel Hoffenstein
Samuel "Sam" Hoffenstein was a screenwriter and a musical composer. Born in Russia, he immigrated to the United States and began a career in New York City as a newspaper writer and in the entertainment business. In 1931 he moved to Los Angeles where he lived for the rest of his life where he wrote...
, Harry Clork, Doris Malloy and William Conselman. Eventually, she accepted Herbert Fields
Herbert Fields
Herbert Fields was an American librettist and screenwriter.Born in New York City, Fields began his career as an actor, then graduated to choreography and stage direction before turning to writing. From 1925 until his death, he contributed to the libretti of many Broadway musicals...
's script.
Love Before Breakfast was in production from 16 December 1935 to 27 January 1936, and was released on 9 March 1936.