Tallulah Bankhead didn't make may films. She was better known for her stage work - she introduced roles that the likes of Bette Davis played on screen. When you did get a chance to see Ms. Bankhead in a film it was a treat, indeed! Her most famous films are the Hitchcock classic Lifeboat (1944) and the unfortunate Die, Die My Darling (1965). This little gem is mostly unknown, however, and that's a shame. It's charming! Bankhead plays Catherine the Great. She has fallen in love with a young officer (William Eythe) much to the consternation of his fiancee (Anne Baxter). The comedy of manners that ensues is deftly directed by Otto Preminger and was conceived and created by Ernst Lubitsch. It has Lubitsch's delightfully frothy and sophisticated style. Also in the cast are Charles Coburn and Vincent Price.
It's not yet available on DVD, but I imagine that it will be soon. It's been getting some play on TCM. You can find the entire film uploaded to YouTube by konway87. The first installment is above. Give it a whirl! It's the perfect diversion for New Year's Day.
Obscurity factor: 7 (Not on DVD, occasionally seen on TCM, available on YouTube)
I could've sworn I rented this on Netflix once - either way, you're right it is a grand souffle of a movie.
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