A Bedtime Story
Cast & Crew
Norman Taurog
Maurice Chevalier
Helen Twelvetrees
Edward Everett Horton
Adrienne Ames
Baby Leroy
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Rene, the Vicomte de St. Denis, returns to Paris from a hunting trip in Africa before his fiancée Louise expects him and makes dates with Paulette de l'Enclos at ten, Suzanne at twelve and Gabrielle at one a.m. He forgets all three, however, when he finds an abandoned baby in his car. The next morning, Max de l'Enclos, a friend of Rene, visits with his new wife, who is none other than Paulette. All is chaos when, as Rene and his valet, Victor, give "Monsieur Baby" a bath, Gabrielle arrives demanding an explanation, and a nurse, Sally, reports for duty. While Victor gives Rene a shave, he discovers Rene's third woman is his own wife Suzanne and threatens to quit. The real hired nurse then arrives, and Sally confesses she is an out-of-work performer from America. Rene hires her anyway and that night, stays in with her and "Monsieur Baby," whom Sally names Robin, and contemplates family life with Louise. When Rene arrives late to a house party at Louise's chateau in the country with nurse and baby in tow, the guests laugh and Louise's father insults Rene. That night, after Louise breaks the engagement, telling Rene they never loved each other, Rene tells Sally how happy he is. Later Paulette visits Rene in his room at the chateau, begging him to be more discreet with the inscribed cigarette case she gave him, and Sally becomes jealous. When Max demands to see his wife, Sally hides with Paulette, who has fainted, behind a curtain. To get rid of Max, Rene pulls the curtain just enough to reveal Sally's blonde hair. Furious, Sally leaves with Robin to return to Paris, and Rene follows, returning home to find the poor couple who had abandoned the child. After learning that Robin was an orphan left in the couple's care, and that the couple has six children of their own, Rene pays them 10,000 francs for Robin. Rene then gives Sally Paulette's cigarette case to discard and they kiss.
Director
Norman Taurog
Cast
Maurice Chevalier
Helen Twelvetrees
Edward Everett Horton
Adrienne Ames
Baby Leroy
Gertrude Michael
Leah Ray
Earle Foxe
Betty Lorraine
Ernest Wood
Reginald Mason
Henry Kolker
George Macquarrie
Paul Panzer
Frank Reicher
Crew
Paul Cable
Mac Elliott
James Feims
Benjamin Glazer
Benjamin Glazer
Stanley Goldsmith
André Hornez
Nunnally Johnson
William Kaplan
Charles Lang
Eugene Merritt
Otto Pierce
Robert Pittack
Ralph Rainger
Leo Robin
Cliff Shirpser
Leroy Stone
Sidney Street
Ray Watson
Waldemar Young
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
An early title for the film was A Way to Love. The stage version of Roy Horniman's novel opened in London on October 6, 1908. Horniman's story was the source of the 1927 Paramount film A Gentleman in Paris, directed by Harry D'Abbadie D'Arrast and starring Adolphe Menjou and Shirley O'Hara (see AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1921-30; F2.2039). A recurring gag in the film involves Baby Leroy gleefully smashing pocket watches. A Variety review says: "Women...are sure to spread the word about the youngster. Men beyond 25 will like it, too, but high school and college men about town aren't apt to be interested in a baby star." In an early script dated January 18, 1933, Charles Ruggles is listed in the cast as Max, but was replaced by Earle Foxe.
