Stolen Holiday (1937)

Director: Michael Curtiz                               Writer: Casey Robinson
Film Score: Werner R. Heymann                  Cinematography: Sidney Hickox
Starring: Kay Francis, Claude Rains, Ian Hunter and Alison Skipworth

From the moment Stolen Holiday begins, Kay Francis stands out. She is working as a model in Paris, in 1931. Amid a bevy of blondes in white moves Francis, her dark hair pulled severely back and braided tightly to give her the appearance of a man, her dark dress setting her apart even further. She doesn’t look at all like the other models. She is strong, knowing, driven toward some other destiny. When the rich Claude Raines comes in after the show, looking for a model to show some clothes to his wife, he naturally selects Francis. Once back at his mansion, however, something becomes clear. Not only is Rains not married, but he’s not rich either. He has a proposition for Francis. If she poses as his wife, and his work succeeds, he will give her the money to open her own dress shop to produce her designs. She agrees, not knowing that he is working an illegal scam. Five years later, they are both incredibly wealthy and she is a famous designer.

In spite of the presence of the great Michael Curtiz behind the camera, this is definitely a lesser Warner Brothers film. The problem is with the script: it just takes too long to get going. At a ball given by Rains, it’s clear that he is still in the business of cheating people out of money, this time selling worthless bonds. He and Francis have a social relationship, but with no emotion--at least not on the part of Francis. She has no time for anything but business, and Rains has a full-time job on his hands keeping his head out of the guillotine. At the ball Francis meets Ian Hunter, her love interest in so many of these Warner dramas, like Another Dawn and Confession. They have absolutely no romantic interest in each other, except for a deep fascination about each other. Thrown together during a trip to Geneva while Rains is busy, they soon begin spending time together and fall in love.

The whole thing actually sounds a lot more interesting than it really is. The police investigation uncovers the plot by Rains, and naturally they believe Francis must be a part of it. The romance in Geneva between Francis and Hunter is charming, if a bit forced. But Kay Francis is a feast for the eyes and that’s really the main reason to watch the film. She plays her usual role of sacrificing herself for someone else and, also as usual, her willingness to do so usually shames the other into doing the right thing and allowing her happiness in the end. It’s a formula that was woven into an actual French scandal that the story was based on. Claude Rains is his usual magnificent self, scheming and completely unflappable even in the face of disaster. It’s also difficult not to like Ian Hunter in these films, in spite of his weak roles. Stolen Holiday, despite its mediocrity, is a must for fans of Kay Francis and Claude Rains. For everyone else . . . not so much.