Service for Ladies (1932)
1h 33m | PG-13
Max Tracey is the head waiter at a London hotel. He falls in love at first sight with Sylvia Robertson, an aristocratic woman, and poses as a prince to win her love. In this venture, he is aided by Mr. Westlake, a Ruritanian monarch who owes him a favour. When Sylvia discovers Max's deception, she is appalled, but the situation is resolved when her father tells her that he was once a hotel dishwasher.
Director: Alexander Korda
Studio: Paramount British Pictures
Genre: Comedy, Romance
Video: 720p
Cast
Leslie Howard
as Max Tracey
George Grossmith
as The King (Mr. Westlake)
Benita Hume
as Countess Ricardi
Elizabeth Allan
as Sylvia Robertson
Morton Selten
as Mr. Robertson
Ben Field
as Breslmeyer
Reviews
"Max" (Leslie Howard) is the maitre'd at a swanky restaurant who takes a shine to visiting "Sylvia" (Elizabeth Allen). Protocol forbids his approaching her, but he gleans that she is heading off on holiday shortly and so he arranges to be in the same resort at the same time. A benefit of his job is that he has many friends in high places - including a King visiting incognito. He helps "Max" to make friends - of sorts - with the woman, before they return to their normal situations in life and the relationship all comes to quite a lively head... A couple of fun contributions from Morton Selten (her dad) and George Grossmith (the King) keep this amiable comedy moving along OK, and we perhaps encounter our first cinematographic reference to "social distancing", too! It's too long, but the dialogue is frequently pithy with the two sparring gently and amusingly at the end.