I rather enjoyed "Mimi" having been persuaded by Melvyn Hayes' introduction on Talking Pictures. It looked like the very old type of atmospheric drama from the 1930's that sometimes appeals to me and with a rare appearance by the legendary Gertrude Lawrence, I had to watch it. An added attraction is Douglas Fairbanks Jr, who I've always liked as well.
Based on Puccini's opera, "La Boheme", which I have seen one production of on TV a few years ago, I knew the framework of the story. It tells of a group of friends, male and female, who gather daily to have fun, write, paint or just get drunk. They're basically lazy, rent avoiding time wasters but think they are a gift to society. Their delusion is highlighted when they fail to sell their paintings or scripts or whatever else they spend their time doing.
Fairbanks does finally get his play read at the National Theatre but is thwarted by Austin Trevor who is jealous of Doug because he's stolen his love interest, played by Gertrude Lawrence.
Some of the setting is just in their dingy flats, the ones they don't want to pay for, some in quite lush surroundings. The acting I thought by Fairbanks is good but Gertie seemed melodramatic as if she was still on the stage. You know the sort of thing, hand dramatically covering the face when distraught, face thrust into Doug's when being emotional. Gertie holds the attention but I thought she was outdone in the looks department by her two co-star actresses. It is still very entertaining and worth a watch, being a well known plot and with some star acting.
Based on Puccini's opera, "La Boheme", which I have seen one production of on TV a few years ago, I knew the framework of the story. It tells of a group of friends, male and female, who gather daily to have fun, write, paint or just get drunk. They're basically lazy, rent avoiding time wasters but think they are a gift to society. Their delusion is highlighted when they fail to sell their paintings or scripts or whatever else they spend their time doing.
Fairbanks does finally get his play read at the National Theatre but is thwarted by Austin Trevor who is jealous of Doug because he's stolen his love interest, played by Gertrude Lawrence.
Some of the setting is just in their dingy flats, the ones they don't want to pay for, some in quite lush surroundings. The acting I thought by Fairbanks is good but Gertie seemed melodramatic as if she was still on the stage. You know the sort of thing, hand dramatically covering the face when distraught, face thrust into Doug's when being emotional. Gertie holds the attention but I thought she was outdone in the looks department by her two co-star actresses. It is still very entertaining and worth a watch, being a well known plot and with some star acting.