Man of the Moment (1935 film)
Encyclopedia
Man of the Moment is a 1935
romantic comedy film
starring Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
and Laura La Plante
.
He takes her back to his mansion, but he and his butler Godfrey (Donald Calthrop
) have great difficulty getting her to behave. Meanwhile, Tony is to be married the next day to childish heiress Vera Barton (Margaret Lockwood). She reveals to Tony's friend Lord Rufus Paul (Claude Hulbert
) that she plans to change Tony's lifestyle completely - no more smoking or drinking, among other things. Her millionaire father (Peter Gawthorne
) promises his nearly penniless future son-in-law 5000 pounds to pay for a partnership in a company.
Later, Mary crashes Tony's bachelor party
, dressed in drag
in his younger brother's clothes. The next day, Vera and her father find Tony, Mary and his friends passed out on the floor. As a result, Vera breaks off the wedding.
With only £300 and deeply in debt, Tony proposes a suicide pact to Mary. They will fly to Monte Carlo
to try to win a fortune at the casino. If they lose, they will kill themselves. The first day does not go well. They are ready to jump off a cliff when a gentleman finds them and gives them £20 they didn't know they had won. On their second chance, they split up to gamble. Tony loses, but Mary has an incredible lucky streak and wins a large amount of money.
Meanwhile, Vera decides she wants to marry Tony after all. Rufus brings news about Tony's whereabouts and they go to Monte Carlo. Vera embraces Tony before Mary can tell him the good news.
Heartbroken, Mary climbs out on the hotel ledge, but Tony finds her and tells her he loves her. (Annoyed at being jilted, Vera decides that she wants to marry a man that no other woman would desire; she picks Rufus.)
1935 in film
-Events:*Judy Garland signs a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer .*Seven year old Shirley Temple wins a special Academy Award.*The Bantu Educational Kinema Experiment started in order to educate the Bantu peoples.-Top grossing films:-Academy Awards:...
romantic comedy film
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 Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.
Douglas Elton Fairbanks, Jr. KBE was an American actor and a highly decorated naval officer of World War II.-Early life:...
and Laura La Plante
Laura La Plante
Laura La Plante was an American actress, best-known for her roles in silent films.-Early acting career:...
.
Plot
Office worker Mary Briany (Laura La Plante) finds out she is being demoted by the boss she secretly loves in order to make room for his girlfriend. She tries to commit suicide by jumping into the river. Tony Woodward (Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.) is driving by and rescues her, much to her annoyance.He takes her back to his mansion, but he and his butler Godfrey (Donald Calthrop
Donald Calthrop
Donald Calthrop was an English stage and film actor. He starred as the title character in the hit musical The Boy in 1917. He then appeared in 63 films between 1916 and 1940, including five films directed by Alfred Hitchcock.He was born in London and died in Eton from a heart attack.He was the...
) have great difficulty getting her to behave. Meanwhile, Tony is to be married the next day to childish heiress Vera Barton (Margaret Lockwood). She reveals to Tony's friend Lord Rufus Paul (Claude Hulbert
Claude Hulbert
Claude Noel Hulbert was a British comic actor. He was the younger brother of Jack Hulbert. Like his brother, he was Cambridge educated and was a member of the Footlights comedy club as an undergraduate....
) that she plans to change Tony's lifestyle completely - no more smoking or drinking, among other things. Her millionaire father (Peter Gawthorne
Peter Gawthorne
Peter Gawthorne was an Irish actor, probably best known for his roles in Will Hay films. Gawthorne was one of Britain's most called-upon bit part actors during the 1940s and 50s....
) promises his nearly penniless future son-in-law 5000 pounds to pay for a partnership in a company.
Later, Mary crashes Tony's bachelor party
Bachelor party
A bachelor party , also known as a stag party, stag night or stag do , a bull's party , or a buck's party or buck's night , is a party held for a man shortly before he enters marriage, to celebrate his "last night of freedom" or merely to spend...
, dressed in drag
Drag (clothing)
Drag is used for any clothing carrying symbolic significance but usually referring to the clothing associated with one gender role when worn by a person of another gender. The origin of the term "drag" is unknown, but it may have originated in Polari, a gay street argot in England in the early...
in his younger brother's clothes. The next day, Vera and her father find Tony, Mary and his friends passed out on the floor. As a result, Vera breaks off the wedding.
With only £300 and deeply in debt, Tony proposes a suicide pact to Mary. They will fly to Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo
Monte Carlo is an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco....
to try to win a fortune at the casino. If they lose, they will kill themselves. The first day does not go well. They are ready to jump off a cliff when a gentleman finds them and gives them £20 they didn't know they had won. On their second chance, they split up to gamble. Tony loses, but Mary has an incredible lucky streak and wins a large amount of money.
Meanwhile, Vera decides she wants to marry Tony after all. Rufus brings news about Tony's whereabouts and they go to Monte Carlo. Vera embraces Tony before Mary can tell him the good news.
Heartbroken, Mary climbs out on the hotel ledge, but Tony finds her and tells her he loves her. (Annoyed at being jilted, Vera decides that she wants to marry a man that no other woman would desire; she picks Rufus.)
Cast
- Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.Douglas Elton Fairbanks, Jr. KBE was an American actor and a highly decorated naval officer of World War II.-Early life:...
as Tony Woodward - Laura La PlanteLaura La PlanteLaura La Plante was an American actress, best-known for her roles in silent films.-Early acting career:...
as Mary Briany - Claude HulbertClaude HulbertClaude Noel Hulbert was a British comic actor. He was the younger brother of Jack Hulbert. Like his brother, he was Cambridge educated and was a member of the Footlights comedy club as an undergraduate....
as Lord Rufus Paul - Margaret Lockwood as Vera Barton
- Peter GawthornePeter GawthornePeter Gawthorne was an Irish actor, probably best known for his roles in Will Hay films. Gawthorne was one of Britain's most called-upon bit part actors during the 1940s and 50s....
as Mr. Barton - Morland GrahamMorland GrahamMorland Graham was a British film actor.Married to Elsie Cole in 1926.-Selected filmography:* Man of the Moment * Moscow Nights * Get Off My Foot * Where's Sally?...
as Jason Randall - Eve Grey as Miss Madden