The Princess Comes Across (1936)

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The 1936 comedy-mystery The Princess Comes Across might well have been inspired by a real-life incident during the silent-movie era, in which a crafty San Francisco stenographer hoodwinked the Hollywood elite into believing that she was a Spanish princess. Carole Lombard stars as an alluring Swedish… More The 1936 comedy-mystery The Princess Comes Across might well have been inspired by a real-life incident during the silent-movie era, in which a crafty San Francisco stenographer hoodwinked the Hollywood elite into believing that she was a Spanish princess. Carole Lombard stars as an alluring Swedish beauty who travels under the name of Princess Olga. Everyone whom she meets en route to America on the steamship Mammoth bows and scrapes to the Princess, while Hollywood anxiously awaits her arrival to star her in a big-budget film. Only the ship's bandleader, King Mantell (Fred MacMurray), refuses to defer to Olga, sensing that she may not be all she claims. Mantell's instincts are right on target: the "Princess" is a brass-nickel phony, a Brooklyn girl named Wanda Nash who has cooked up her royal guise with drama coach Gertrude (Alison Skipworth) as a publicity stunt to crash into movies. Unfortunately, a weaselly blackmailer Darcy (Porter Hall) gloms onto Wanda's true identity and offers to keep quiet in exchange for a huge cash settlment. At the same time, Darcy is attempting to shake down several other passengers on the Mammoth, including King Mantell. Inevitably, Darcy is found murdered in the "Princess"'s stateroom, and Wanda finds herself one of several likely suspects, among them Mantell. A quintet of international detectives, travelling to a convention in America, sets out to solve the mystery, which becomes even more mysterious when one of the detectives also turns up dead. Taking matters in his own hands, Mantell vows to clear Wanda's name, and in the course of things he realizes that he's madly in love with her--but will Wanda give up her hoax, and her future showbiz career, for Mantell's sake? Among the many highlights in this engagingly daffy film is Fred MacMurray's rendition of the enchantingly forgettable song "My Concertina." ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 16 min.
Directed By: William K. Howard
Written By: Frank Butler, Walter DeLeon
Genres: Drama, Mystery & Suspense, Classics, Comedy

In Theaters: Jan 1, 1936 Wide
On DVD: Sep 12, 1995
Studio: Paramount Pictures

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Featured Audience Ratings

jay n

Charming whimsy with a bit of mystery on the side. Carole and Fred spark off each other very well, with Alison Skipworth and William Frawley adding zip as their companions.

Cast

            Carole Lombard as Princess Olga

            Fred MacMurray as King Mantell

            Douglas Dumbrille as Lorel

            Alison Skipworth as Lady Gertrude Allwyn

            William Frawley as Benton

            Porter Hall as Darcy

            George Barbier as Capt. Nicholls

            Lumsden Hare as Inspector Cragg

            Sig Rumann as Steindorf

            Tetsu Komai as Kawati

            Mischa Auer as Morevitch

            Bradley Page as The Stranger

            David Clyde as Assistant Purser

            Edward Keane as Chief Purser

            Tom Herbert as Cabin Steward

            Monya Andre as Woman

            Bennie Bartlett as Ship's Bellhop

            George Chandler as Film Man

            Andre Cheron as French Couple

            Jean De Briac as French Baggage Official

            Eva Dennison as Gossip

            Eddie Dunn as Reporter

            Dick Elliott as Ship's Surgeon

            Charles Fallon as French Baggage Official

            Pat Flaherty as Officer

            Gaston Glass as Photographer

            Creighton Hale as Officer

            Harry Hayden as Master of Ceremonies at Ship Variety Show

            Gladden James as Ship's Official

            Paul Kruger as Assistant purser

            Nanette Lafayette as Woman in French Couple

            George Sorel as Reporter

            Larry Steers as Assistant purser

            Milburn Stone as American Reporter

            Phil Tead as Jones the American Newsreel Man

            Jack Hatfield as Reporter

            Jacques Vanaire as Reporter

            Keith Daniels as Reporter

            Isabelle La Mal
            
            Bess Stafford as Woman

            Jack Raymond as Reporter

            Douglass Dumbrille
            
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